The NFL has typically been known for its parity, giving all 32 teams hope they can make the playoffs by the time the season starts. History has shown even the biggest longshots to make the playoffs can make the postseason tournament — so there is hope for the Houston Texans and New York Jets in 2022.
Part of the intrigue of the league are these surprising postseason teams. Some have rosters where fans wonder how those teams even qualified for the postseason in the first place, while others begin a playoff run that lasts multiple seasons (or in the New England Patriots case, decades). The NFL has been fortunate to have these shocking postseason qualifiers, even if some of them aren’t as remembered throughout the league’s history as others.
These are the 10 most unlikely playoff teams in the Super Bowl era, a ranking that was determined by preseason win totals, the team’s record the previous year, and Super Bowl odds. Not all the teams that qualified for this list won the Super Bowl, but they were teams that weren’t being banked on to make the playoffs once training camp started that year.
Each of these teams should be remembered more in NFL history, even if some didn’t hoist the trophy at the end of the year.
10. 2001 Bears
- O/U: 7.0
- Record: 13-3 (won NFC Central)
- Record previous season: 5-11
The 2001 Chicago Bears were certainly an enigma, given how this season was the only one in the Dick Jauron era the team was good. A team that finished last in the NFC Central the previous season and played in a division with the Green Bay Packers (with Brett Favre), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (with Tony Dungy and one of the best defenses ever), and Minnesota Vikings (with Randy Moss and Cris Carter) — won the NFC Central and advanced to the playoffs.
Led by the No. 1 scoring defense, the Bears let up only 12.7 points per game — one of the best of the 16-game era. They only allowed 20-plus points four times during the regular season and won consecutive overtime games on interception returns for touchdowns.
Brian Urlacher, Ted Washington, and Mike Brown were first-team All-Pro selections on a top-five run defense in every major statistical category. Journeyman quarterback Jim Miller went 11-2 as a starter, throwing for 2,299 yards with 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions (74.9 rating), while Anthony Thomas won Rookie of the Year with 1,183 rushing yards and seven touchdowns (never reached…
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