One-loss, or less, teams prior to 1978

[74_75_78_79_]

I'll start off with the 14-game era before either myself or someone else goes into the 12-game era, and so on.

In backwards chronological order - correct/forgive me if I'm missing any - we got the '76 Raiders, '72 Dolphins, '69 Raiders*, '68 Colts, '67 Colts**, '67 Rams**, '67 Raiders, '63 Bears**, and - finally - the 1962 Green Bay Packers! Now it may, or may not, be suggested that a team with an additional tie*, or two**, should not be included in this.

And I'm sure there'd be even less argument of at least bringing up teams that went into a meaningless finale with one loss, which they'd end up losing. These teams include the '77 Broncos, the '75 Steelers, and the '69 Vikings. I think that covers it for the 14-game era.

[Brian wolf]

Still crazy that the Colts were undefeated--11-0-2--going into their finale against the Rams in 1967 but miss the playoffs with a loss.

[74_75_78_79_]

Here are all the rest. Excuse any omissions. To avoid it being a very long list, I separated them into groups based on how many regular season games at the time, ultimately lumping everything else, '34-and-prior, together.

The only team that lost a meaningless finale, making it two losses overall, are the '31 Bears (12-2). The only other two teams total who lost their last game to make it two losses overall were meaningful games, each team being mentioned, in hyphens, after the team below who defeated them.

Again, excuse any omissions.

'53 Browns, 11-1
'51 Browns, 11-1
'49 Eagles, 11-1
'49 Browns, 9-1-2
'48 Cardinals, 11-1

'48 Browns, 14-0
'47 Browns, 12-1-1

'45 Rams, 9-1
'44 Giants, 8-1-1
'44 Eagles, 7-1-2
'43 Bears, 8-1-1

'42 Bears, 11-0
'42 Redskins, 10-1
'41 Bears, 10-1
'41 Packers, 10-1
'39 Giants, 9-1-1 (beat 8-1-1 Wash in finale)
'37 Bears, 9-1-1

'36 Packers 10-1-1

'34 Bears, 13-0
'32 Bears, 7-1-6 (beat 6-1-4 Spartans in playoff)
'29 Packers, 12-0-1
'29 Giants, 13-1-1
'28 Steam Roller, 8-1-2
'27 Giants, 11-1-1
'26 Yellow Jackets, 14-1-1
'26 Bears, 12-1-3
'24 Bulldogs, 7-1-1
'24 Bears, 6-1-4
'24 Kelleys, 5-1
'23 Bulldogs, 11-0-1
'22 Bulldogs, 10-0-2
'21 Staleys, 9-1-1
'21 All-Americans, 9-1-2
'20 Pros, 8-0-3
'20 All-Americans, 9-1-1
'20 Staleys, 10-1-2

[74_75_78_79_]

It was said on one of the sports-talk shows today about how the 14-1 Forty Niners in '84 actually played all their starters in the finale against the Rams. They put it on the line, risked injury, for a 15-1 finish! It's not as if its today where only the top-seed gets a bye and some team was hot on their tail which was not the case at all. Perhaps the rationale was they already would have a week off, why risk rust? Actually, make that two days extra being that this was a Friday Night game!

This has been discussed before of teams with superior W/L records losing a meaningless finale, but what unfairly is their legacy had they 'just' finished at 14-2? Da following year's Bears already overshadow them Historically. Just imagine the gap in this case? Going into that Super Bowl, Marino and Co were already getting all the attention. With both teams at 14-2, perhaps Miami is actually installed as a favorite instead of the +3.5 dog they were. Would the '86 Giants (14-2) be seen as their...'equal'? The 1989 Forty Niners? Yes, I already opine they being better than '84, but sure-enough many more would agree in this scenario, fair or not. It's all psychological, really.

The '75 Steelers likely are more properly revered Historically today had they won in LA to make it 13-1; and of course still run-the-table as they did. Same with the Redskins 16 years later likely getting more recognition had they won at the Vet to finish 15-1!

On the other hand, being that they both lost their Super Bowls anyway, especially in the former's case, had the '77 Broncos & '09 Colts each won their meaningless finales to make it 13-1 and 15-1 respectively, I'm not so sure if they're seen as really any "better".