First-to-Worst: Biggest Team Letdowns

we've all heard about worst to first but what about the other side of the coin which teams followed up dominant Seasons with Dradful showings the year after let's look back at some of the biggest letdown seasons in NFL history kicking it off in Dallas the 2014 Cowboys brought back memories of the Glory Days in the 90s behind an imposing o-line Tony Romo Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray flourish Dallas finished 12-4 before a heartbreaking loss to Green Bay in the divisional round outside and the ball is Bryant cut the ball and it's dragged down at the one it has been determined that the receiver did not maintain [Applause] wow 2015 though was an entirely different story Murray jetted out of Dallas to sign with the Rival Eagles Bryant broke his foot in week one while Romo broke his collarbone the following week Brandon Whedon struggled as did Matt Castle then Kellen Moore win four different quarterbacks start a game in one season things probably aren't going great Rogers Chrome Army and he's celebrating all the way down the sideline into the end zone Dallas went from 5th to 31st in scoring offense from 2014 to 2015. giveaways were a big problem Jason Garrett's team couldn't take the ball away either ranking dead last in turnover margin the Cowboys won just two of their last 14 games and finished with their worst record since 1989. Peyton Manning and the Colts handled business again in 2010 with a 10-6 record in the top passing offense in the league everything seemed to be going great in Indy but come playoff time things took a turn Rex Ryan and the Jets pounded The Rock and stunned the reigning AFC Champs in the Wild Card round Sanchez section you're right they go to Edwards and he's inbounds field goals to win the game good what no one knew at the time was that it would be Manning's final game wearing the Horseshoe on his helmet an off-season neck surgery kept him off the field for the entire 2011 season the trio of Curtis Painter Carrie Collins and Dan orlowsky could only muster two wins all year the defense was just as bad surrendering 27 points per game the season hit rock bottom in week seven with a 55-point loss to the Saints in Prime Time most points the franchise has ever allowed 62.

if there was any glimmer of hope the Colts would go on to draft Andrew luck with the number one pick in 2012. the 49ers boasted the most prolific offense in the league in 1998 Steve Young Garrison Hurst Jerry Rice Terrell Owens LED San Francisco to another 12-win season they met the Packers in the Wild Card round and delivered a finish for the ages [Music] the middle passes taught by Owens Owens made the catch it took a red hot Falcon Squad to bounce the 49ers from the playoffs but things would be just as good in 1999 right not so much Garrison Hurst suffered a freak injury in that playoff loss and wouldn't play again until 2001. Steve Young was lost for the season in week three he wouldn't play another down in the NFL after starting three in one the 49ers lost 11 of their last 12 games and finished with their worst record since 1979.

it Bruce he'll go in again his third touchdown of the day the defense allowed over 250 passing yards and 28 points per game they surrendered 40 points on five separate occasions in a season to wipe from the record books how about some quick hitters the Raiders were never the same after a blowout loss in Super Bowl 37 Oakland went from 11 and 5 to 4 and 12 in 2003. the 2018 Chargers won 12 games then upset the Ravens in the playoffs La earned just one win after week nine finishing 5-11 behind Barry Sanders the Lions went 12-4 in 1991 falling one win away from the Super Bowl but Detroit couldn't capitalize going just 5-11 in 1992. after 14 wins and an NFC Championship in 2001 the greatest show on Turf collapsed the Rams lost their first five games of 2002 and never recovered finishing 7-9 for all the Giants 39.

standing back to throw Zips one left Odell's got it on the Run thanks for you across the 40. he's to the 30. put race 20 15 10 5 touchdown Giants 2006 team was an exciting time for Giants fans led by Young Stars Odell Beckham Jr and Landon Collins New York won 11 games and made the playoffs for the first time since 2011.

their second ranked scoring defense smothered opponents and the offense did just enough to win Eight Games by seven points or less but the G-Man were no match for Aaron Rodgers falling 38-13 in the Wild Card round fast forward to 2017 where it all went downhill in a hurry last chance Manning steps up it's intercepted that capped off five straight losses to start the season it went from bad to worse in week nine where the Rams laid a 50 Burger on the Giants that MetLife New York ranked in the bottom five in scoring offense and defense and to put icing on the cake coach Ben McAdoo inexplicably benched Eli Manning in week 13 ending the third longest QB start streak in NFL history final record 3 and 13. the 1980 Patriots were one of the best teams to never make the playoffs at 10-6 New England narrowly missed out on the postseason but still scored the most points in franchise history at the time but it didn't carry over to 1981 instead New England finished just 2 and 14. the culprit turnovers in close games A to the Patriots 14 losses came by seven points or less dropping straight back looks downfield he Loops this one to the corner for Swan touchdown meanwhile the Pats gave the ball away in every game including seven times against Dallas in week three 50 total turnovers won't get the job done led by veteran free agent signing Steve McNair the Ravens produced a 13-3 season in 2006 another dominant campaign from the NFL's number one defense propelled Baltimore to their second division title in franchise history makes the coverage in the defensive intercession goes to Samari roll and rolls on his way as the elaterals back to Reed and Reed has a touchdown but the offense fell flat in their first playoff game the Ravens were bounced in a field goal fast 15-6 2007 could be the worst season in Raven's history after a 4-2 start another playoff trip seemed promising but the wheels fell off quickly Baltimore dropped their next nine games and finished the season at 5-11 the loss of linebacker adelius Thomas and free agency was significant the Ravens allowed 24 points per game in 2007 up from 12 in 2006.

goodness meanwhile injuries to McNair left Kyle bowler and Troy Smith at the helm all three quarterbacks combined to throw just 13 touchdown passes in 2007. the 1998 Broncos were a force in the John Elway era concluded with back-to-back Lombardi trophies Terrell Davis rushed for over 2 000 yards leading arguably the greatest season in franchise history Denver went 14-2 before cruising to a win in Super Bowl 33 and they are world champions once again so how would the Broncos replace Elway enter Brian Griese the team stumbled out of the gates falling to 0 and 4 as the young QB struggled but the real hit came with a knee injury to Davis the former MVP was lost for the season in week four everybody looking at that knee was the replay looked bad Denver had clearly lost its Mojo falling in a slew of close games to finish 6-10 in 1999. Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers fell just short of a Super Bowl in 2019 but after a 13-win season injuries derailed their 2020 plans San Francisco finished just six and ten the Browns made their third AFC Championship in four years in 1989 1990 on the other hand was a disaster Cleveland went 3-13 with the second worst scoring differential in the league Steve McNair won co-mbp in 2003 leading the Titans to 12 wins but Tennessee couldn't replicate that The Following season with eight of their 11 losses coming by double digits the Brett Favre of era in Green Bay ended with a 13-win campaign in 2007.

Aaron Rodgers debut season was a little rockier the pack finished just 6-10 in 2008 before Rogers blossomed into an All-Pro here's the placement the kick high end over and it's gone and the Falcons are going to the Super Bowl The Dirty Bird 98 Falcons surprised everyone with a 14-win season and a trip to the Super Bowl All Pro running back Jamal Anderson ran for over 1800 yards Atlanta produced a top five scoring offense and defense but eventually fell to the aforementioned Broncos in Super Bowl 33 The Hangover was real and it wiped the Falcons out they earned one win in their first seven games scoring just over 11 points per game in that span the rushing attack was non-existent after a torn ACL sidelined Anderson in week two this is the worst scenario now for Dan Reeves Atlanta couldn't run or stop the run for that matter they ranked second to last in rushing offense and allowed more than 2 000 rushing yards to their opponents the funds stopped in 1999 with a 5-11 season Cam Newton and the Panthers Made Easy work of their opponents with a 14-0 start in 2015. Newton won League MVP with 45 total touchdowns and the defense was a Powerhouse Luke Kuechly Thomas Davis and Josh Norman were all Pros as the Panthers cruised to Super Bowl 50. that's where the party ended Panthers have a third and haven't turned the balls out in the end zone and it's recovered by Malik Jackson for the touchdown it was Von Miller with the strip sack and much like the 99 Falcons the Super Bowl hangover got those 2016 Panthers as well Ron Rivera's defense regressed tremendously the new look secondary featuring two rookie Corners ranked 29th in pass defense two on his feet Julio Jones and he's going to score Newton's production also fell off in a big way after 35 passing scores in 2015 the former MVP would only throw 19 touchdowns in 2016.

his 359 yards on the ground was also the lowest output of his career Carolina's nine loss swing resulted in a 6-10 season Chicago's dream year in 2001 came out of nowhere Beasley in motion short set quick throw slanted [Applause] they hadn't won 13 games in a season since 1986 led by all Pros Brian Urlacher and Mike Brown the Bears assembled the League's best scoring defense but an upset in the divisional rounds sent Chicago into a tailspin the Bears reverted to their old ways in 2002 it was as if the previous season never existed dick geron's Squad finished 4 and 12 as the defense went from first to 25th in points allowed Puffs twice and then dumps it off to Henry Thomas Henry Inside the Fire touchdown the Bills win in overtime Chicago lost 12 of their final 14 games and ranked dead last in rushing offense journeyman quarterbacks Jim Miller and Chris Chandler weren't much better the Bears finished 27th in scoring in a season to forget we're not trying to pile on here Falcons fans but the 2012-2013 transition was a rough one Matt Ryan in a trio of dominant passcatchers started 8-0 in 2012. Ryan going up on top and Julio Jones and Julio Jones near the goal line touchdown behind Julio Jones Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez Atlanta went 13-3 and hosted the NFC title game but the 49ers pulled the rug from under Mike Smith's team and it took them years to recover Jones missed much of the 2013 season with a foot injury and aging Stephen Jackson couldn't get it done as the Run game was basically non-existent and the defense allowed nearly 28 points per game close games were a major issue as well [Applause] Atlanta played an 11-1 score games in 2013 and won just four of them the Eagles couldn't rebound after a Super Bowl loss in 2004. they followed up a 13-win season by going 6-10 in 2005 to's Antics didn't help any as Philly dismissed him from the team halfway through the year do you remember the Jaguars going 14-2 in 1999 they were a win away from Super Bowl 34 but couldn't hold on to that magic in 2000 Tom Coughlin and Company finished seven and nine Tampa Bay won the NFC South with an 11-5 Mark in 2005.

the offense took a huge step back in 2006 though 13 points per game led to a four-win season on the heels of a 14-win Super Bowl campaign in 1986 Bill Parcells Giants fell back down to earth in a strike shortened season the G-Man won just six games in 1987. how about RG3 and Washington's up and coming team well they came and went after going 10-6 and winning the division in 2012 they collapsed a year later with a 3-13 record okay houstonians now might be the time to move on we'll start with the 93 Oilers it was the seventh straight playoff season for Houston led by Warren Moon this squad boasted Seven Pro Bowlers and went 12-4 more but just as in years past when the playoffs came around it all went South the Chiefs marched into Houston and sent the Oilers home for good the 1994 season was a setback of monumental proportions up until that point no team had ever lost 10 more games from one season to the next in a non-strike year but the Oilers did just that finishing 2 and 14. [Applause] their offense ranked dead last in scoring the Oilers also gave the ball away 42 times the most in the NFL the combination of Billy Joe Toliver Cody Carlson and Bucky Richardson combined for just 13 touchdown passes it would be a while before another Houston team sniffed success jump over to 2012 where the Houston Texans were in the midst of the best season and franchise history this team featured Seven Pro Bowlers on offense and defensive player of the year JJ Watt the Texans earned a 12-4 record and a division Crown by 2013 everything seemed to be heading in the right direction Stars Galore including the addition of rookie whiteout DeAndre Hopkins the Texans started 2-0 after a thrilling OT win but then it all came crashing down and this shop has picked off Matt Schaub through 14 interceptions in eight games running back Aryan Foster only played half the season because of a back injury the offense put up just 17 points per game as Houston lost 14 in a row to end the season five of those losses came by 20 plus points if it's any consolation the Texans would go on to produce three straight winning seasons from 2014 to 2016.