Worst Modern Team?

[Rupert Patrick]

The belt is a fictitious lineal title. It can only be won by beating a team/franchise that holds the belt. The Rock Island Independents held it first by winning the first-ever game to count in the standings. It's a sort of nerdy but fun and different way of looking at NFL history.

This is interesting. And yes nerdy. So The Eagles would have taken the title from the Texans the following week. Do you have the whole list done to the present? If so PM it to me. I'd love to see it!

Me too, but before you do it to the present I recommend a quick double-check to 1952 or else you will have to start over from scratch if an error is found. It is interesting that between 1950 and Thanksgiving 1952 (27-6 record) as strong as the Browns were, they never held the mythical belt in that span. The list does count postseason games, I am guessing.

[Jay Z]

that end of the season defeat of the St. Louis Cardinals is a mystery.

The Cardinals were in free fall at that point and Coryell ended up leaving after the season.

The Cards were like that during the 1960's too. They would play hard until they were out of contention. Once they were out of it, then anyone could beat them, like Atlanta in 1966.

Except for 1973, when the Cardinals blitzed the contending Falcons, in Atlanta, 32-10. Falcons led 10-0 after the first quarter. One of the strangest games in NFL history. Cardinals start Gary Keithley at QB, and he completes 2 out of 10 for 9 yards and a pick. But the Cardinals also ran the ball 60 times for 243 yards. Atlanta QBs were no better than Keithley, completing 8 out of 31 for 78 yards and two picks, and getting sacked 5 times as well. Atlanta's two regular wide receivers, Ken Burrow and Wes Chesson, were injured.

[rhickok1109]

Interesting enough the Dallas Texans held the NFL's mythical belt title due to that upset of the Bears. Here's an explanation and a quick rundown I put together a few years ago.

The belt is a fictitious lineal title. It can only be won by beating a team/franchise that holds the belt. The Rock Island Independents held it first by winning the first-ever game to count in the standings. It's a sort of nerdy but fun and different way of looking at NFL history.

I really like this idea. Is it your invention, Andrew?

[Ronfitch]

that end of the season defeat of the St. Louis Cardinals is a mystery.

The Cardinals were in free fall at that point and Coryell ended up leaving after the season.

The Cards were like that during the 1960's too. They would play hard until they were out of contention. Once they were out of it, then anyone could beat them, like Atlanta in 1966.

Lots going on among the Cards of the mid- and late-'60s, on and off the field. Jack Olsen's multi-issue essay about racism in sports published in 1968 included "The Anguish of a Team Divided" about the Cardinals:

http://www.si.com/vault/issue/42951/22/2

[Ronfitch]

Interesting enough the Dallas Texans held the NFL's mythical belt title due to that upset of the Bears. Here's an explanation and a quick rundown I put together a few years ago.

The belt is a fictitious lineal title. It can only be won by beating a team/franchise that holds the belt. The Rock Island Independents held it first by winning the first-ever game to count in the standings. It's a sort of nerdy but fun and different way of looking at NFL history.

Forgive me if my "math" is wrong. I didn't double-check any of this. It was tricky when a franchise went belly up while holding the belt. That happened in 1927 with the Cleveland Bulldogs and in 1948 with the Boston Yanks. I handed the belt to the team that was the best continuation of the defunct franchise (same ownership, same star player(s), etc.).

1920 Rock Island
1920 Decatur
1920 Chicago C
1920 Decatur
1921 Buffalo AA
1921 Decatur/Chicago B
1922 Canton/Cleveland B
1924 Frankford
1925 Detroit P
1925 Chicago B
1926 Frankford
1927 Dayton
1927 New York Y
1927 Chicago B
1927 New York Y
1927 Cleveland B/Detroit W
1928 Frankford
1928 Providence
1929 New York G
1929 Green Bay
1930 Chicago C
1930 Chicago B
1931 Green Bay
1931 Chicago C
1931 Chicago B
1931 Portsmouth
1932 Green Bay
1932 New York G
1932 Chicago B
1933 Boston R
1933 New York G
1933 Chicago B
1934 New York G
1935 Green Bay
1935 Chicago C
1935 Pittsburgh
1935 Brooklyn
1935 Pittsburgh
1935 Green Bay
1935 Chicago C
1935 Chicago B
1936 Green Bay
1937 Chicago C
1937 Detroit L
1937 Green Bay
1937 New York G
1937 Washington
1938 New York G
1939 Detroit L
1939 Chicago B
1940 Chicago C
1940 Green Bay
1940 Detroit L
1940 Washington
1940 Brooklyn
1941 Washington
1941 Brooklyn
1941 Pittsburgh
1941 Green Bay
1941 Chicago B
1942 Washington
1943 Phil-Pitt
1943 Green Bay
1944 Chicago B
1944 Detroit L
1945 Green Bay
1945 Cleveland R
1945 Philadelphia
1945 New York G
1945 Washington
1945 Cleveland R/Los Angeles
1946 Philadelphia
1946 Green Bay
1946 Chicago B
1946 Chicago C
1947 Los Angeles
1947 Philadelphia
1947 Boston Y
1947 Pittsburgh
1947 Philadelphia
1948 Chicago C
1948 Chicago B
1948 Philadelphia
1948 Boston Y/New York B
1949 Philadelphia
1949 Chicago B
1949 New York G
1949 New York B
1949 Chicago C
1949 Chicago B
1950 Green Bay
1950 New York Y
1950 Chicago B
1950 Chicago C
1950 Pittsburgh
1951 Green Bay
1951 Los Angeles
1951 San Francisco
1951 Los Angeles
1951 Washington
1951 Philadelphia
1951 New York G
1952 Chicago C
1952 Pittsburgh
1952 Detroit L
1952 Chicago B
1952 Dallas

Echoing the sentiment that this is a very cool idea. A graphic designer with a head for history could have fun with this concept.

[John Grasso]

Why not turn this into a Coffin Corner article.
There's quite a few members who don't follow this forum.