USA TODAY International Edition
NFL at 100: Worst ever teams
100 years of futility, from No. 100 to No. 1
History has a way of repeating itself – even though oftentimes it isn’t much fun to relive.
It’s a concept the 2019 Dolphins are surely getting acquainted with by getting off to perhaps the worst start the NFL has seen in its 100 seasons. Miami is 0- 4 and has been outscored 163- 26, a margin that includes being collectively whitewashed 81- 0 after halftime. That - 137 scoring margin already has this team halfway to the worst differential ever accrued in a 16- game season ... only one quarter into Miami’s schedule.
But before we begin wondering if the ’ 19 Dolphins will live on the opposite extreme of the NFL spectrum from their 17- 0 1972 brethren, let’s pause to consider that the football gods might be smiling on Josh Rosen and company. Coming off its bye week, Miami will host the equally winless Redskins, who just fired coach Jay Gruden and probably wish they had a quarterback as good as Rosen.
Still, the ’ Skins are favored by 31⁄ As we obsess over this game in South Florida that no one deserves to win, we also continue celebrating the NFL’s 100th season, which USA TODAY Sports helped kick off by ranking the 100 greatest teams in league history. Only seems fair we’d also list the 100 worst – and every current franchise is represented with the exception of the Ravens, who have never subjected their fans to the true depths of football misery in their 24- year existence. 100. 1920 APFA Muncie Flyers ( 0- 1): Let’s rewind to the beginning, all the way back to the NFL’s first official season ( when it was still known as the American Professional Football Association). Muncie played once ... and lost 45- 0, victimized by the Rock Island Independents.
99. 2005 Saints ( 3- 13): They deserve resilience points for winning three times despite being displaced the entire season by Hurricane Katrina.
98. 2007 Falcons ( 4- 12): In the aftermath of Michael Vick’s imprisonment for dogfighting, Atlanta tried to get by with recycled first- round QBs Joey Harrington and Byron Leftwich. Then, firstyear coach Bobby Petrino bolted after 13 games. 97. 2002 Houston Texans ( 4- 12): Considering they were an expansion franchise, it was actually a fairly respectable season, one that kicked off with a 19- 10 upset of the cross- state Cowboys. 96. 1969 Bears ( 1- 13): Despite having Dick Butkus and Gale Sayers, no squad in 100 seasons of Bears football had fewer wins. 95. 2001 Panthers ( 1- 15): Lost every game after a victorious opener. 94. 2016 Los Angeles Rams ( 4- 12): Lost 11 of their final 12, coach Jeff Fisher getting fired during that tailspin. 93. 1978 Baltimore Colts ( 5- 11): Stud QB Bert Jones had begun breaking down, and there was no overcoming a start in which the Colts lost their first two games by a combined 80- 0. 92. 2009 Oakland Raiders ( 5- 11): They were 3- 4 in games that QB JaMarcus Russell didn’t start. 91. 1984 Indianapolis Colts ( 4- 12): Fans in Indy had to be wondering why they bothered stealing the Colts from Baltimore. 90. 1999 Saints ( 3- 13): Coach Mike Ditka was fired after the season, one that began with him trading his entire draft ( and more) in order to select Ricky Williams.
89. 2016 49ers ( 2- 14): For drastically different reasons, it remains the last time anyone saw Colin Kaepernick or Chip Kelly employed on an NFL sideline.
88. 1983 Houston Oilers ( 2- 14): Earl Campbell’s last full ride with the team was squandered with QBs Gifford Nielsen, Oliver Luck ( Andrew’s dad) and a washed- up Archie Manning under center. 87. 1962 Vikings ( 2- 11- 1): The second year of the franchise’s existence, this remains the only Minnesota team that failed to win three games.
86. 2014 Oakland Raiders ( 3- 13): Epic draft class with Khalil Mack, Derek Carr and Gabe Jackson. But they couldn’t prevent Dennis Allen from getting fired after a 0- 4 start. 85. 1993 Indianapolis Colts ( 4- 12): The end of QB Jeff George’s tenure. 84. 1998 Eagles ( 3- 13): The end of Ray Rhodes’ tenure. 83. 1970 Saints ( 2- 11- 1): Just imagine if Tom Dempsey hadn’t kicked his thenrecord 63- yard FG to beat Detroit 19- 17. 82. 2006 Oakland Raiders ( 2- 14): It’s a shame that Art Shell returned to
coach this group. 81. 2005 Houston Texans ( 2- 14): Outscored by a franchise- worst 171 points. 80. 2000 San Diego Chargers ( 1- 15): Only time the Bolts finished with a single win. 79. 2014 Tennessee Titans ( 2- 14): Worst they’ve been in terms of wins and point differential (- 184) since relocating to Nashville. 78. 2011 Buccaneers ( 4- 12): A 3- 1 start undone by a defense that surrendered the most points in the league. 77. 2011 Indianapolis Colts ( 2- 14): When you build a team around Peyton Manning, but he can’t play ... this is what happens.
76. 1984 Vikings ( 3- 13): Probably the worst team in Minnesota’s history; none gave up more points ( 484) or had a worse differential ( 208).
75. 1975 Bears ( 4- 10): Despite having a rookie named Walter Payton, no squad in 100 seasons of Bears football was outscored by more points ( 188). 74. 1992 Seahawks ( 2- 14): Scored a paltry 8.8 points per game, worst ever over a 16- game season. 73. 1998 Bengals ( 3- 13): Outscored by 184 points. 72. 1966 Broncos ( 4- 10): Despite getting four victories in the first season of the Super Bowl era, the Broncos averaged nearly 21 points per defeat.
71. 1967 Dolphins ( 4- 10): Miami’s second year was its worst, losing by 24.6 a week during an eight- game slide.
70. 1962 Oakland Raiders ( 1- 13): The only time in 60 seasons they didn’t win at least twice. 69. 2002 Bengals ( 2- 14): Only Cincinnati team that didn’t reach the threewin plateau. 68. 2007 Dolphins ( 1- 15): Only Miami outfit that didn’t reach the threewin plateau ( for now). 67. 1996 Jets ( 1- 15): Only NYJ group that didn’t reach the three- win plateau. 66. 2012 Jaguars ( 2- 14): One more time – the only time Jacksonville didn’t reach the three- win plateau. 65. 1968 Bills ( 1- 12- 1): Buffalo’s only one- win AFL effort got them O. J. Simpson in 1969 draft. 64. 2004 49ers ( 2- 14): The coach was Dennis Erickson. The quarterbacks were Tim Rattay and Ken Dorsey. 63. 1963 Broncos ( 2- 11- 1): Were 2- 2 after four games. 62. 1985 Bills ( 2- 14): Pretty horrid – 52 turnovers! 61. 1984 Bills ( 2- 14): Pretty horrid – waiting for Jim Kelly to leave the USFL and Bruce Smith to leave Virginia Tech.
60. 1961 Broncos ( 3- 11): Allowed 37 points four times in season- ending seven- game slide. 59. 2018 Arizona Cardinals ( 3- 13): They had Larry Fitzgerald, Patrick Peterson, Chandler Jones and David Johnson. 58. 1936 Eagles ( 1- 11): Began by picking No. 1 in the first- ever NFL draft, selecting Jay Berwanger, the inaugural Heisman Trophy winner. The Eagles also beat the Giants in the opener, then lost the rest of their games and never reached a deal with Berwanger.
57. 1980 Saints ( 1- 15): No New Orleans team was outscored this badly ( 196 points). 56. 2010 Panthers ( 2- 14): Jimmy Clausen- led team got John Fox fired and Cam Newton drafted. 55. 2011 St. Louis Rams ( 2- 14): America might not have properly recognized how bad the post- Greatest Show
On Turf Rams teams really were.
54. 1964 Broncos ( 2- 11- 1): A 198- point differential their worst ever.
53. 1963 49ers ( 2- 12): Last in total offense and total defense. 52. 1975 Saints ( 2- 12): Sunk by an offense that produced the fewest points and yards in the league ... despite Archie Manning. 51. 1973 San Diego Chargers ( 2- 11- 1): No Bolts team had a bigger gap between points scored ( 188) and allowed ( 386).
50. 1976 Seahawks ( 2- 12): The worst club in Seattle history. 49. 1972 Eagles ( 2- 11- 1): Outscored ( by 207 points) like it never has been before or since. 48. 1941 Steelers ( 1- 9- 1): Opened with seven consecutive defeats and finished with a flourish, dropping final two games by combined 89- 14. 47. 1939 Chicago Cardinals ( 1- 10): Dropped final six games by a combined score of 175- 28.
46. 1976 Jets ( 3- 11): Coach Lou Holtz made his players learn a fight song, then fled to Arkansas with a game left to play.
45. 1969 Steelers ( 1- 13): “Mean Joe” Greene was their first- round pick, and he enjoyed victory in his debut. Woeful season put Pittsburgh in position to draft Terry Bradshaw No. 1 the following year. 44. 1942 Lions ( 0- 11): Hate to harp on teams playing when the league was largely gutted of talent during World War II but ... 43. 1948 Lions ( 2- 10): Two years later, doubled win total but losses were by average of 21.4 points. Negative progress. 42. 1954 Chicago Cardinals ( 2- 10): Won one fewer game than their peers in Washington that year but scoring differential was 61 points better. 41. 1987 Falcons ( 3- 12): Strike scabs actually made them more competitive. Atlanta’s “regulars” went 2- 10 and lost by an average of 22.3 points. the 40. Pittsburgh 1944 Card- Steelers Pitt ( 0- and 10): Chicago Though Cardinals the height merged of WWII, for their one season combined during talent points. produced lost by an average of 22 before 39. 1965 the dawn Steelers of the ( 2- Super 12): Final Bowl team era. ( 0- 38. 1): No 1921 NFL APFA team Tonawanda had a shorter Kardex stint than Tonawanda Kardex. The Lumbermen, based in Upstate New York, were blown out 45- 0 by the Rochester Jeffersons. 37. 1934 Cincinnati Reds ( 0- 8): Must have shown up with bats and gloves, dropping games by an average of 29.1 points. 36. 1924 Rochester Jeffersons ( 0- 7): Winless and outscored 156- 7. 35. 1923 Rochester Jeffersons ( 0- 4): Winless and outscored 141- 6 in basically half the time. 34. 1990 Browns ( 3- 13): Gave up 462 points, more than any other team in the 1990s. 33. 1970 Patriots ( 2- 12): Last year they’d be known as the “Boston Patriots.” 32. 1986 Buccaneers ( 2- 14): A young Steve Young lost 12 of his 14 starts. 31. 1971 Bills ( 1- 13): No Buffalo team was more thoroughly dominated ( outscored by 210 points).
30. 1958 Packers ( 1- 10- 1): In 99 NFL seasons, only one Green Bay team has finished with one win. But it was worth it – coach Ray McLean was replaced by Vince Lombardi the next year.
29. 1961 Redskins ( 1- 12- 1): A win over Dallas in the regular- season finale salvaged the season. Sort of. 28. 1961 Oakland Raiders ( 2- 12): No Oakland team was ever outscored by more ( 221 points). 27. 2012 Chiefs ( 2- 14): Easily the least- competitive team this proud franchise has ever fielded, included 12 losses in the final 13 games. 26. 1954 Redskins ( 3- 9): Margin of defeat in its nine losses was 27.6 points, including a 62- 3 rout courtesy of the Browns. 25. 1968 Falcons ( 2- 12): Ranked last in the NFL in both total offense and defense and outscored at more than a 2to- 1 clip. 24. 1966 Falcons ( 3- 11): Lost its first nine games while scoring the fewest points and allowing the most yards in the league. 23. 1967 Falcons ( 1- 12- 1): Organization’s only one- win season while getting outscored by a franchise- record 247 points.
22. 1949 Packers ( 2- 10): Curly Lambeau’s final season on the sideline was perhaps the worst in franchise history, Green Bay’s - 215 point differential still the worst in its record book.
21. 1972 Patriots ( 3- 11): Their 52- 0 loss to the ’ 72 Dolphins still the worst in club history. And negative 254- point differential was the second worst ever by a team playing a 14- game schedule.
20. 1989 Cowboys ( 1- 15): Jerry Jones and coach Jimmy Johnson quickly bore a dynasty but almost didn’t survive the lone 1- 15 campaign America’s Team has ever endured. 19. 1999 Browns ( 2- 14): Cleveland’s return after a four- year absence marked the only time the Browns failed to win three games ... in the 20th century anyway. 18. 1982 Baltimore Colts ( 0- 8- 1): Mike Pagel started every game, engineering an average deficit of 15.4 points.
17. 2003 Arizona Cardinals ( 4- 12): A case as the worst club in franchise history – which is saying something since the Cards are one of the NFL’s two remaining charter members. 16. 2000 Arizona Cardinals ( 3- 13): Also a case as the worst club in franchise history, outscored by 233 points, worst in team history. 15. 2008 St. Louis Rams ( 2- 14): You’d think a team with Torry Holt, Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger couldn’t be this bad, but they dropped 10 in a row to end the season. 14. 1966 Giants ( 1- 12- 1): The only time they didn’t reach two wins; - 238 point differential easily the worst in franchise history. 13. 2000 Browns ( 3- 13): Cleveland’s 258- point differential remains the worst in team history. 12. 1991 Indianapolis Colts ( 1- 15): Only 1- 15 season the team has had. 11. 1949 New York Bulldogs ( 1- 10- 1): Losses occurred by average of more than 22 points, a 65- 20 drubbing from the Cardinals taking the cake.
10. 1990 Patriots ( 1- 15): Only 1- 15 record the club has suffered, outscored by 265 points.
9. 1950 Baltimore Colts ( 1- 11): Separate entry lasted just one year in the NFL after coming over from the defunct AllAmerica Football Conference. Only team in league history to allow at least 50 points in four regular- season games, including a 70- 27 loss to the Rams.
8. 1952 Dallas Texans ( 1- 11): Not to be confused with the AFL’s Dallas Texans ( who later became Kansas City Chiefs). Lasted just one year, went to Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Akron, Ohio, before ultimately becoming established as the Baltimore Colts in 1953. 7. 1960 Cowboys ( 0- 11- 1): Quarterbacked mostly by Eddie LeBaron. 6. 1973 Houston Oilers ( 1- 13): Outscored by 248 points and lost by an average of 19.4. 5. 2017 Browns ( 0- 16): Going 0- 16 will get you into the top ( bottom?) five. 4. 2009 St. Louis Rams ( 1- 15): Only time the Rams have gone 1- 15; lost by an average of 17.9 points. 3. 1981 Baltimore Colts ( 2- 14): Since the 16- game schedule went into effect in 1978, no team has been outscored by a worse margin than their 274- point gap. They were scorched for 533 points – no team has ever relinquished more.
2. 2008 Lions ( 0- 16): The first team to go 0- 16, not all that easy when you have a superstar like Calvin Johnson on your side. 1. 1976 Buccaneers ( 0- 14): Football futility at its finest. They were outscored by 287 points ( 20.5 per game), the widest margin in NFL history. QB Steve Spurrier hastened his transformation into Head Ball Coach by going 0- 12 with a passer rating of 57.1.