Worst ONE-AND-DONE playoff teams ever

[JohnH19]

The Vikings fought hard right to the end of the Colts playoff game scoring two 4th period TDs. Joe Kapp was a warrior in that game and I believe it was the never-say-die spirit that he exhibited which played a big role in launching the team to their dominant 1969 season.

[BD Sullivan]

The Vikings fought hard right to the end of the Colts playoff game scoring two 4th period TDs. Joe Kapp was a warrior in that game and I believe it was the never-say-die spirit that he exhibited which played a big role in launching the team to their dominant 1969 season.

Kapp had finished the 1968 regular season ranked 13th in passing, yet was 26-44 for 287 yards passing and also ran for 52 yards on a sloppy day that had both rain and sleet coming down throughout the game. Part of the reason the Vikings only trailed 7-0 at the half was their pass rush, which sacked Morrall four times. Shula & Co. obviously adjusted at halftime, since they had zero after the break.

The Colts led 14-0 after John Mackey caught a pass at the Viking 30 and shook off Paul Krause to score in the third, with the ball just going over Roy Winston's hands. Baltimore then essentially put the game away later that quarter by putting a huge rush on Kapp, who fumbled in Colts territory. Mike Curtis ran the ball back for a 60-yard TD. It was 24-7 when Minny scored in the closing seconds.

[sheajets]

1991 Jets. 7-8 going into Miami who was 8-7 at the time. And they needed a miracle just to squeak by the Dolphins. IIRC Miami scored a TD on a 4th and 1 with like 36 seconds left to go up by a FG. Jets had a miraculous last second charge to set up Raul Allegre's tying kick, won it in OT, and then were beaten by Houston in what was a competitive game, but Houston was the better team.

The 1991 Jets needed OT to beat the 4-12 Packers. They lost 6-3 to the 6-10 Patriots. They blew a 14-0 lead gave the 1-15 Colts their only win.

Basically did not beat a winning team all year

[CSKreager]

1991 Jets. 7-8 going into Miami who was 8-7 at the time. And they needed a miracle just to squeak by the Dolphins. IIRC Miami scored a TD on a 4th and 1 with like 36 seconds left to go up by a FG. Jets had a miraculous last second charge to set up Raul Allegre's tying kick, won it in OT, and then were beaten by Houston in what was a competitive game, but Houston was the better team.

The 1991 Jets needed OT to beat the 4-12 Packers. They lost 6-3 to the 6-10 Patriots. They blew a 14-0 lead gave the 1-15 Colts their only win.

Basically did not beat a winning team all year

Hell, they only got their shot at Miami because the Dolphins blew a big lead against an utterly mediocre San Diego team in week 16

[74_75_78_79_]

Thought I reintroduce this old thread. No, not because of who got eliminated at Jax today (I certainly don’t see them as ‘worst’ in this category), but just to revisit the irony that some of your weakest playoff participants of all-time actually won their first game.

Yes, I didn’t place Bills in my ’17 reg season power rankings (simply opined that non-playoff Chargers and 11 others were better), but I have enough respect for their D and running game and especially the way they fought today. Kind of like the reason why I didn’t mention ’83 Lions OP. Both teams aren’t too unsimilar. Each coming off multiple seasons of respectability, making playoffs at 9-7 (yes, Lions did make ‘tournament’ in ’82 FWIW) and giving a 10-6 team that many saw as ‘better than their record’ all they could handle. Whereas ’84, sadly, marked the end of Monte Clark’s time with Detroit along with respectability, I see what happened with this year’s Bills likely the beginning of not just a further run of respectability, but further improvement/multiple playoff berths. If the organization does it right, they should have a bright enough immediate-future at least.

Now the ’48 Bills? They ought to get the ‘title’ with me. Worst AFL one-and-done? ’69 Oilers. NFL?...(yes, CSK & Shea)...’91 Jets.

[nicefellow31]

1986 Chiefs: Had a solid defense, but the mediocre Bill Kenney at QB, and practically no running game whatsoever. Were blasted by the Jets in the WC round.

At the time, I was happy for KC, but I believe to this day that if the Seahawks were there instead of KC, they beat the Jets and Browns, and they may have defeated the Broncos in the AFC Title Game.

That's a good selection because the Chiefs were like the Loch Ness monster. They hadn't done anything (for years) prior to '86 and then sink back into the loch until Marty arrived in 90.

[CSKreager]

1986 Chiefs: Had a solid defense, but the mediocre Bill Kenney at QB, and practically no running game whatsoever. Were blasted by the Jets in the WC round.

At the time, I was happy for KC, but I believe to this day that if the Seahawks were there instead of KC, they beat the Jets and Browns, and they may have defeated the Broncos in the AFC Title Game.

The 86 Bengals are the real AFC what if. They actually beat these Seahawks that season. If you remember that final MNF between NE/MIA, it was Cincinnati, not Seattle, whose WC fate hung in the balance late.

86 CIN was the opposite of KC: great offense but a defense that was anything but solid