Mirage teams that started off well, but faded fast and late

[CSKreager]

We see it a lot- teams that get out to surprising, unexpected starts, but ultimately fade away in the winter.

What are some noteable examples of this you recall?

Here are mine:

Buccaneers, 1990 and 1995: During the 1983-1996 down years, these were the biggest teases. 1990 started off 4-2, but after dropping a close game in Dallas, the roof caved in: 41-10 at San Diego, 266 with 5 Vinny Testaverde INT's vs. Chicago, 35-7 at New Orleans, 31-7 at San Francisco.

1995: Started 5-2, including a win over playoff bound Philly. Considering they had won 4 straight games late the previous year, it seemed like a turning point. While their streak of double-digit loss seasons ended, Wyche still got the axe after they slumped badly. Did have one surprising win over Green Bay on the old ESPN Sunday Night Football.


2011 Bills- Started 5-2, averaging 30 PPG through Halloween on a pace just below the Packers and Saints. Won only one game the rest of the year, against Tebow and Denver on Christmas Eve.

1998 Raiders- Started 6-2 and 7-3 (Beat playoff bound DAL/ARZ), then faded in December. But they didn't control their playoff fate in December ala 1995's epic collapse (even if they had won 9-10 games, they would have potentally lost tiebreakers with Buffalo and Miami)

[7DnBrnc53]

Buccaneers, 1990 and 1995: During the 1983-1996 down years, these were the biggest teases. 1990 started off 4-2, but after dropping a close game in Dallas, the roof caved in: 41-10 at San Diego, 266 with 5 Vinny Testaverde INT's vs. Chicago, 35-7 at New Orleans, 31-7 at San Francisco.

The Bucs also started 3-1 in 1992 before losing five in a row: http://www.bucpower.com/1992front.html

Another example is the 1995 Rams. They started 5-1 when the 49ers came into town in Week 8 (The Rams had a bye in Week 6): SF pounded them 44-10, showing classless displays (Norton punching the goalposts) and taunting the fans (Stubblefield told them to go home, and he was saying "Same old sorry a** Rams" to them) That seemed to take the fire out of the Rams, and they only won two more games the rest of the year.

That was the reason why D'Marco Farr was fired up four years later for their first meeting in St. Louis. In the America's Game episode about the 99 Rams, he basically talked about how much that "Same old Rams" stuff pissed him off.

[BD Sullivan]

NFL in the 1960's
1960: Giants: 4-1-1 and 1/2 game behind Eagles; 2-3-1 rest of season
1961: Cowboys: 4-3 and only a game out of first; 0-6-1 rest of season
1962: Redskins: 4-1-2 and ahead of the 5-2 Giants; 1-6 rest of season
*1963: Browns: 6-1 and ahead of the 5-2 Giants; 4-3 rest of season
1964: Rams: 4-2-1 and tied with Detroit for 2nd in West; 1-5-1 rest of season
1965: Cardinals: 4-3 and game behind Cleveland; 1-6 rest of season
1966: Cardinals: 5-1-1 and 1/2 game ahead of Dallas; 3-4 rest of season
1967: 49ers: 5-2 and one game behind Baltimore; 2-5 rest of season
1968: Giants: 5-2 and one game behind Dallas; 2-5 rest of season
1969: Packers: 5-2 and one game behind Minnesota; 3-4 rest of season

AFL
1960: Broncos: 4-3 and tied with Chargers for first; 0-6-1 rest of season
*1961: Titans: 4-3 and tied with Patriots for first; 3-4 rest of season
1962: Broncos: 6-1 and 1/2 game ahead of Texans; 1-6 rest of season
1963: Oilers: 4-3 and tied with Patriots for first; 2-5 rest of season
1964: Jets: 4-2-1 and 1/2 game behind Boston for 2nd; 1-6 rest of season
1965: Oilers: 4-3 and 1 1/2 games behind Buffalo; 0-7 rest of season
1966: Jets: 4-2-1 and leading Patriots by 1/2 game; 2-4-1 rest of season
1967: Jets: 5-1-1 and 1/2 game behind Raiders for first; 3-4 rest of season
1968: Patriots: 3-4 and actually 1/2 game AHEAD of Oilers; 1-6 rest of season
*1969: Bengals: 3-4 and tied for third with Broncos; 1-5-1 rest of season

*Not a great example, but nobody else was really close

[Evan]

I think we had this list a while ago:

Among the great collapses in NFL history:
1960 Colts – Started 6-2, finished 6-6
1963 Browns – Started 6-0, finished 8-4
1968 Giants – Started 7-3, finished 7-7
1971 Raiders – Started 7-1-2, finished 8-4-2 and out of the playoffs
1971 Bears – Started 5-2, finished 6-8
1974 Patriots – Started 6-1, finished 7-7 and out of the playoffs
1974 Bengals – Started 6-3, finished 7-7
1976 49ers – Started 6-1, finished 8-6 and out of the playoffs
1977 Cardinals – Started 7-3, finished 7-7
1978 Redskins – Started 6-0, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs
1981 Vikings – Started 7-4 with a two-game lead in the NFC Central, lost last five games to finish 7-9
1983 Vikings – Started 6-2, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs
1986 Cowboys – Started 6-2, finished 7-9 and out of the playoffs
1986 Jets – Started 10-1 before Pete Axthelm famously predicted they wouldn’t win another game. The Jets then lost their last five games by an average of 24 points per game to finish 10-6, before regrouping to beat Kansas City in a first-round playoff game before losing at Cleveland.
1987 Chargers – Started 8-1, finished 8-7 and out of the playoffs. Lost last six games by an average of 17 points per game.
1989 Bears – Started 4-0, finished 6-10 and out of the playoffs
1992 Broncos – Started 7-3, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs
1993 Saints – Started 5-0, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs
1993 Dolphins – Started 9-2, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs
1994 Eagles – Started 7-2, finished 7-9
1995 Raiders – Started 8-2, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs
1996 Redskins – Started 7-1, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs
2001 Chargers – Started 5-2, lost last nine to finish 5-11
2002 Saints – Started 9-4, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs
2003 Vikings – Started 6-0, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs
2006 Broncos – Started 7-2, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs
2008 Jets – Started 8-3, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs
2008 Broncos – Started 8-5, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs
2008 Buccaneers – Started 9-3, finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs
2009 Broncos – Started 6-0, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs.
2009 Giants – Started 5-0, finished 8-8 and out of the playoffs

[7DnBrnc53]

The 1970 Broncos started 4-1 (their lone loss coming in Oakland, 35-23), but only won one more game the rest of the year, finishing at 5-8-1.

[conace21]

On Halloween, 1999, Miami was 6-1 (they would go to 7-1) and New England was 6-2. Drew Bledsoe looked poised the be competing with Peyton Manning for the title of "best AFC QB of the 2010's."
Both teams went 2-6 down the stretch. Bledsoe's game,
crashed, and except for the beginning of the 2002 season with Buffalo, he never really got back to the level he was at between 1996 and Halloween 1999. Miami eked in to the playoffs at 9-7, New England missed out at 8-8.
Miami's record permitted them to visit AFC West champion Seattle, who had gone from 8-2 to 9-7. 11-5 Buffalo had to travel to 13-3 Tennessee

[Bryan]

2015 Packers and Broncos (?)

[JohnH19]

The 1969 Rams started 11-0 and then lost their last three regular season games and the Western Conference championship game to the Vikings. George Allen's teams quite often started strong and faded later in the season.

[rhickok1109]

The 1969 Rams started 11-0 and then lost their last three regular season games and the Western Conference championship game to the Vikings. George Allen's teams quite often started strong and faded later in the season.

All his old guys got worn out.

[Todd Pence]

1970 Cardinals: 8-2-1 start in which they had three consecutive wins in which they outscored the opposition 113-0. Dropped their final three in December to hand the division title to the Cowboys, a team they had swept.