Strongest/weakest group of playoff teams in a given season

[74_75_78_79_]

Not just saying this to boost my own team, but ’75 first comes to mind. In addition to the ’Burgh, you had two other teams across conference, Vikings & Rams, with 12-2 records. Bengals, Raiders, and Cardinals each at 11-3, perennial contender Dallas and Cinderella Colts rounding things out as your 10-4s. There were two other 10-4s that didn’t even make the playoffs - Dolphins & Oilers. Simply sweeping Cincy & Houston, and then toppling Colts/Raiders/Cowboys en route to repeating, has to warrant ’75 Steelers as best-ever team at least in the entire ‘deadball’ (pre-’78) era?

As for weakest such group...instantly ’92! NFC had SF, Dal, and NO at 14-2, 13-3, 12-4 respectively, but all other teams throughout the league finished 11-5 or below. As for the AFC...whereas all it’s playoff teams finished 11-5 in 1980, only four of its playoff teams from ’92 finishing with such a record, the remaining two at 10-6 (Houston & KC).

Any other top-to-bottom solid groupings of playoff (or even winning) teams from a given year? Any you would actually place above ’75 itself? Any other weak groupings you can think of? Weaker than ’92?

EDIT - Wow...ouch! Now how can I possibly forget 1989?? ’92, yes very weak, but not quite as weak as that very season in which the AFC’s best (Denver) was 11-5 with all other playoff qualifiers at 9 wins (2nd-seed Browns at 9-6-1)! A total brain fart on my part. As I mentioned recently, it makes for an argument against that year’s Forty Niners being of ‘Rushmore’-status. I still revere them just the same.

Can only play against who’s on your schedule and that post-season body-of-work to follow...(126-26 combined)! Replace that bleh worse-than-their-record 12-4 Giants squad with their ’86 or ’90 installment instead, replace 10-6 non-playoff Redskins with ’91, replace 6-10 Bears with ’85, put a better Mora Saints team in there as well, replace Denver with ’83 Raiders, and SF still finishes on top IMO. But, yes, the weakest playoff grouping ever (’92 second-weakest). Can’t believe I forgot.

[7DnBrnc53]

What about 2016 in the AFC? NE was 14-2, but that was a mirage. They had a terrible defense, but they faced a lot of bad QB's (Osweiler, Siemian, Petty, Tannehill, etc...). They also faced an inexperienced Jared Goff. Also, the Steelers and Chiefs weren't that great last year (I think that the 15 Steelers were better, and this year's team is way better), the Texans won the South by default, and the Raiders went into the playoffs without Derek Carr.

[ChrisBabcock]

I immediately thought of the 1989 AFC before I read your "edit"!

I'm curious as to how this year's AFC will play out. It's definitely possible we'll have only 2 teams above 10 wins (Patriots, Steelers) and only 2 more potentially at 10 wins. (Jaguars, Titans looking at their remaining schedule)

[ChrisBabcock]

Not putting too much thought into it but 1980 strikes me as one of the strongest. Every playoff team at 11-5 or above with the sole exception of the black & blue division winner Vikings. I think I've mentioned before that 1980 is my favorite season! Probably should be in a different thread but I think 1980 would have produced one of the more intriguing #3 vs. #6 wild card matchups if that format existed pre-1990. Patriots at Bills would have been interesting with the Bills trying to avenge a 24-2 loss only 2 weeks earlier. The other side would have had the 9-7 Lions at the 9-7 Vikings. (meh)

[sheajets]

Wasn't all that impressed with 1995

Defending Champion 49ers were probably better than their 11-5 record but they did have a troubling midseason stretch where they lost to the Saints and expansion Panthers in back to back weeks. Rice was spectacular but, they really didn't have a 2nd receiver that could scare you.

Bills rebounded with a 10-6 season. Nothing special. Kelly's best was already behind him at that point. Same with Thomas. They were still good but the window had closed.

Chiefs were the class of the AFC. But with Steve Bono? Eh. Not a chance. Steelers were a pretty good 11-5. Of course you had the Colts memorable run. They had a good defense (without much of a pass rush) but relied on so much smoke and mirrors and luck on offense. Dolphins loaded up on free agency and underwhelmed at 9-7. Chargers had a nice run to end the season but were promptly run over by Zack Crockett in the playoffs. In the NFC the Eagles and Lions were both afterthought 10-6's. Though Scott Mitchell had a career year he's not scaring anybody. Eagles didn't have the offense, their D was overrated. Falcons were 1 dimensional.

Green Bay showed they were close in the AFC title game, but just not their yet. Cowboys spent most of that season cruising. Maybe even bored at times (losing twice to the 6-10 Skins)

[CSKreager]

The NFC in 2004

Only 3 teams won 10 games

[SeahawkFever]

If we are talking about conferences, I would say either the 1979 NFC, 2004 NFC or 1989 AFC is the worst.

[7DnBrnc53]

Bills rebounded with a 10-6 season. Nothing special. Kelly's best was already behind him at that point. Same with Thomas. They were still good but the window had closed.

That rebound may have been the result of expansion.

[ShinobiMusashi]

I think a case could be made for 1991 being one of the weakest for both conferences, Washington then everybody else, Detroit, Atlanta, Dallas, Chicago, New Orleans a down year for the NFC side for the 90's. AFC side Buffalo not being the powerhouse they were the year before, a Denver team that wanted no part of another SB blowout, a mess of a Houston team(despite the talent), the Jets, Chiefs, and Raiders teams that were super weak. I do think that Skins team is an all time great(I always say that I believe they were better than every Super Bowl winning team that followed them) but definitely case can be made that the league was not as competitive that year compared to others due to so many key injuries and/or teams in transition or still young/inexperienced/building all at once.

[ShinobiMusashi]

For strongest in modern era/my lifetime I always liked the playoff field in 2001, AFC Pittsburgh, Oakland, New England, defending champ Baltimore with still great defense, then Jets/Dolphins rounding out the WC. NFC with Philly, Chicago, St. Louis trifecta, the Favre Packers, a really good San Fran team, and Tampa a team I always liked. Was really into that tournament that year and hyped for every game. Didn't get the conference title games or Super Bowl I wanted though.