Least difficult postseason paths
Least difficult postseason paths
We have a recent thread on the most difficult postseason paths, so might as well do one on the opposite
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Todd Pence
- Posts: 755
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 9:07 am
Re: Least difficult postseason paths
1989 Broncos. At least until they ran into the buzzsaw in the Super Bowl.
Re: Least difficult postseason paths
From a records standpoint, the 1967 Raiders faced two teams with only 9 wins, and the 1970 Colts faced 8,8 and 10 win teams.
From a subjective standpoint, I'd vote for the 1977 Cowboys. Bob Avellini, Bob Lee, 'injured hip' Craig Morton.
From a subjective standpoint, I'd vote for the 1977 Cowboys. Bob Avellini, Bob Lee, 'injured hip' Craig Morton.
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74_75_78_79_
- Posts: 2346
- Joined: Sat Oct 11, 2014 1:25 pm
Re: Least difficult postseason paths
2008 Steelers, hate to say. In their conference, they 'avoid' top-seed 13-3 Titans who beat them penultimate week, 31-14. They also didn't have to play 12-4 Indy who beat them at Heinz. Instead, Steelers get 8-8 Chargers and then the Ravens in the championship which, yes, beating them a notable achievement in that it completed a hat-trick against a rather tough rival.
Another thing that helped the Steelers in '08 was Brady being out for the year. As for their opponent in Super Bowl XLIII...instead of the 12-4 top-seed Giants or the Eagles who were better than their record (the two other teams who beat them in '08), they get the 9-7 Cardinals who, mind you, were 3-7 outside of their bad division! A combined 28-20 (.583) regular-season record between the Steelers' three post-season opponents.
I feel confident that had they played against any of those teams who beat them in the regular-season, they win this time but it don't matter anyway. A championship is a championship, last-team-standing, Steelers did deserve the Lombardi. But, yes, worthy of mention when talking of "least difficult postseason paths".
The same can apply to 2008's World Series Champ, the Phillies. Yes, last-team-standing, but after beating wildcard Brewers, they 'avoid' the top-seed Cubs and instead get an 84-win Dodgers team for the NLCS. Then comes the WS and instead of getting the defending-Champ, Red Sox, or the AL top-seed 100-win Angels who hammered/swept them at Citizens, they get new-to-the-playoffs Tampa Bay. The irony of the Charlie Manuel Era is that each of the following three (non-WS-winning) Phillies teams that came after 2008 were actually even better; especially the 102-game-winner in 2011.
Another thing that helped the Steelers in '08 was Brady being out for the year. As for their opponent in Super Bowl XLIII...instead of the 12-4 top-seed Giants or the Eagles who were better than their record (the two other teams who beat them in '08), they get the 9-7 Cardinals who, mind you, were 3-7 outside of their bad division! A combined 28-20 (.583) regular-season record between the Steelers' three post-season opponents.
I feel confident that had they played against any of those teams who beat them in the regular-season, they win this time but it don't matter anyway. A championship is a championship, last-team-standing, Steelers did deserve the Lombardi. But, yes, worthy of mention when talking of "least difficult postseason paths".
The same can apply to 2008's World Series Champ, the Phillies. Yes, last-team-standing, but after beating wildcard Brewers, they 'avoid' the top-seed Cubs and instead get an 84-win Dodgers team for the NLCS. Then comes the WS and instead of getting the defending-Champ, Red Sox, or the AL top-seed 100-win Angels who hammered/swept them at Citizens, they get new-to-the-playoffs Tampa Bay. The irony of the Charlie Manuel Era is that each of the following three (non-WS-winning) Phillies teams that came after 2008 were actually even better; especially the 102-game-winner in 2011.