We are already a couple of days into the 2023 half of the NFL season, and one can already anticipate the major argument that will come up amongst fans over the next couple of weeks – what team is the favorite to win the Super Bowl? Fortunately, by 12 February, we will know the Super Bowl champions, which will be the end of that.
There is a more interesting variant to this question: if all NFL teams in history were pitted against one another, what teams are most likely to emerge Super Bowl Champions? Of course, to properly answer this question, we must determine the greatest NFL teams in history.
This article highlights some of the greatest NFL teams while trying to be as objective as possible. So, let’s dive right in:
1. 1985 Chicago Bears
Ranking the greatest NFL teams of all time is always a controversial venture. Nevertheless, our pick for the number one spot is the 1985 Chicago Bears. To understand just how great this team was and how great they knew they were, they had recorded the “Super Bowl Shuffle” video even before the playoffs started.
Don’t get us wrong, we are not saying their confidence makes them the greatest NFL team in history, but their stats effectively back this assertion. This team finished with a 15-1 record in the regular season. Even more impressive is that they scored 456 points while allowing just 196.
Led by Quarterback Jim McMahon, the Bears made the playoffs look too easy, beating the Giants 21-0 and the Rams 24-0. And what better way for this sensational team to end their campaign than to completely obliterate the Pats 46-10 at the Super Bowl?
If the 1985 Chicago Bears existed today, they certainly would be a favorite of people interested in NFL betting.
2. 1972 Dolphins
While the team comes second on our list, their greatness is certainly not in contention. It is easy to see why. The Dolphins were undefeated both in the regular season and playoffs. This is quite a rare feat for an NFL team.
So why are the undefeated 1972 Dolphins second? Well, this team didn’t really face the toughest of opponents. Instead, they enjoyed one of the easiest schedules in the history of the NFL and often won matches by a whisker. And while they deserve full credit for taking full advantage of their favorable schedule, one may not help but conclude that this team might not have been very successful if they faced up against some of the other teams on this list.
Ultimately, greatness is about what was done and not what could have been done. As such, the 1972 Dolphins will comfortably maintain a spot on our list of greatest NFL teams ever.
3. 1962 Packers
The 1962 Packers is not only the most incredible Packers team ever but also one of the greatest overall NFL teams in history. One might even say this team reshaped how we judge great NFL teams. Certainly, the 1962 Packers’ feat doesn’t seem very surprising in retrospect considering the team contained names such as Vince Lombardi, Bart Starr, Max McGee, and Jim Taylor.
The team’s preseason hinted at the explosive season they were about to have as they got through six games without any losses. What’s more? They dominated the first four games of the regular season, winning by an outstanding combined total of 109-14. The Parkers weren’t done, though. They went another six games undefeated before finally losing to the Lions, marking their only season loss.
4. 1989 49ers
A list of the greatest NFL teams in history is incomplete without mentioning the 1989 San Francisco 49ers. One particular highlight of this team was Joe Montana, who had a 70% pass accuracy throughout the season. Montana, however, wasn’t the only star of the show. There was also wide receiver John Taylor, who caught 60 passes over 1,077 yards. One cannot but also mention the great Rice, who caught 82 passes in over 1,000 receiving yards through the season.
The 1989 49ers managed an extraordinary 27.6 points per game while limiting the average allowed points to 15.8. The team went on to beat the Broncos to win the Super Bowl with a convincing 55-10 score.
5. 1991 Redskins
This team didn’t look like much on paper, yet it completely dominated the NFL enough to be in the conversation for the greatest teams in history. To illustrate just how outstanding this team was, they topped the NFL in both yards gained per pass attempt with 8.5 yards per attempt and yards allowed per pass attempt, where they managed too limited yards per attempt to only 6.
Despite having a tough schedule, the 1991 Redskins outscored their opponents 485-224 and ended the campaign on a high, beating the Bills 37-24.
Final Thoughts
Undeniably, there have been some excellent NFL teams in history, and we are likely to see even greater ones in the future. However, at the moment, the teams on this list sit atop all others as far as greatness goes.