It's one thing to be bad for one year. It's pretty impressive when you string together 3 or 4 seasons of losing big. But what about The Long Haul? How about the last 10 years? Who's the worst?
DOORMAT DIVISION 10-year STANDINGS
DETROIT LIONS 48-112
OAKLAND RAIDERS 49-111
CLEVELAND BROWNS 52-108
ST. LOUIS RAMS 56-103
BUFFALO BILLS 63-97
The Raiders are going to move into first by year's end, unless the Lions lose their last 4 and the Raiders win 3 or 4...and then the Browns could pass them both. But let's be realistic- The Raiders will be the new 10-year Kings this year.
Other fun facts: The Browns are going for 6 years in a row of 10 losses or more (and 12 of the last 15 seasons). The only teams to do that since the schedule expanded to 16 games in 1978 are the BUCCANEERS (what a surprise) who went Eleven straight seasons with at least 10 losses from 1983 to 1994, the RAIDERS (7 years in row 2003-2009), and the Lions, who lost 10 games 6 years in a row from 2001-2006 (and went 9 out of 10 years from 2001-2010 with at least 10 losses).
Again:
MOST SEASONS IN A ROW WITH AT LEAST 10 LOSSES (all time)
TAMPA BAY 11
RAIDERS 7
LIONS 6
BROWNS 5...6?
numerous teams have 5 years in a row.
These are the only teams to ever lose 10 or more 6 years or more in a row. It is not fair to compare against the teams that played only 12 or 14 games, as the expansion Saints would have probably done it 15 years in a row, or the Patriots, who also had a helluva run back in the late 60's. From 1990 to'98, the Rams had at least 10 losses 8 out of 9 seasons, missing the record by one game (7-9 in '95).
But when the schedule was 12 games, going 4-8 just didn't look that bad. 6-10 looks, and is, a lot worse. 10 losses six years in a row, and you are on the Doormat Honor Roll.
The Bills, though in a distant 5th, are going for 5 years in a row of 10 losses or more. They may be the new kids on the block, but they have the pieces in place to move up.
-wacko
