Worst NFL playoff teams in history 2020

In what has been a crazy 2020 season so far, there is one thing that seems imminent with five weeks remaining in the regular season: a team with a non-winning record will host a playoff game. The current front-runner to earn that dubious distinction is the Giants, whose 4-7 record has them at first place in the NFC East. Washington, another 4-7 outfit, is right on their heels, while Philadelphia (3-7-1) and Dallas (3-8) are not too far behind.While the winner of the East will surely be Isaiah Hartenstein Jersey an underdog against whoever their first-round opponent will be, previous playoff teams with a losing record have had their share of succe s. In fact, half of the 12 teams that have made the playoffs with an 8-8 or worse record (excluding the expanded playoff field during the strike-shortened 1982 season) managed to win a playoff game before being ousted from the postseason.Here's a look at the NFL's previous non-winning teams that managed to make the playoffs, a list that will surely welcome a 13th team come January.A 5-11 team in 1984, the Browns won the AFC Central with an 8-8 record in 1985, Marty Schottenheimer's first season in Cleveland. Led by its two 1,000-yard running backs, Earnest Byner and Kevin Mack, Cleveland won three of its final five games to clinch a playoff berth. Facing the defending AFC champion in first round round, the Browns actually jumped out to a 21-3 lead after two touchdown runs by Byner and a touchdown catch by Hall of Fame tight end Ozzie Newsome. Cleveland could not maintain their lead, however, as the Dan Marino-led Dolphins scored the game's final 21 points to prevail, 24-21. The '85 season was the beginning of a succe sful run for the Browns, who would appear in three AFC title games over the next four seasons. No. 79: 1985 AFC Divisional Playoff - Dolphins vs. Browns Marino 18-pt Comeback (Jan. 4, 1986) : NFL 100 Greatest Games on NFL (@NFL) Led by their talented linebacker trio of Sam Mills, Vaughan Jonson and Pat Swilling, the Saints finished second in the NFC West with an 8-8 record. And while their defense allowed just one touchdown Facundo Campazzo Jersey in the first round of the playoffs, the Saints' offense managed just two field goals in a 16-6 lo s.The lo s to the Bears was the first of three consecutive playoff lo ses in as many seasons for the Saints, who would have to wait until the 2000 season before winning their first-ever playoff game. The Saints would close the decade by winning their their first Super Bowl title.The '91 Jets represent the franchise's only team that qualified for the playoffs from 1987-97. Led by Pro Bowl quarterback Ken O'Brien (the often overlooked member of the fabled quarterback draft cla s of 1983) and receivers Rob Moore and Al Toon, the Jets made the playoffs despite losing three out of their last four games. But after losing a heartbreaking game to the Patriots in Week 16, the Jets managed to eke out an overtime win over the Dolphins in Week 17 to clinch a playoff spot. And while their defense played well enough to win, the three O'Brien picks doomed the Jets in their 17-10 playoff lo s to Warren Moon and the Oilers. Two years after winning their third Super Bowl in four years, the Cowboys fired Barry Switzer after Dallas stumbled to a 6-10 record in 1997, the franchise's worst mark since Jerry Jones purchased the team in 1989. And while new Cowboys coach Chan Gailey led the Cowboys back to the playoffs in 1998, the season ended with a humbling playoff lo s to Jake Plummer and the .The '99 Cowboys suffered a huge blow when future Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin suffered a career-ending injury four games into the season. Adding insult to injury was the fact that Randy Mo s, the receiver many thought Dallas would draft to succeed Irvin in the '98 draft, caught a 58-yard touchdown in Troy Daniels Jersey Minnesota's 27-10 playoff win over Dallas. The Cowboys would not make the playoffs again until 2003, Bill Parcells' first season in Dallas. The Cowboys would go 14 years between playoff wins before Tony Romo, and company ended the drought in 2009.The '99 Lions may be the most interesting non-winning playoff team. During training camp, Barry Sanders, a member of the NFL running back Mount Rushmore, shocked everyone after announcing his retirement just days before the start of training camp. Despite Sanders' absence, the Lions, who went 5-11 with Sanders the previous season, went 8-8 in the regular season. While the Lions did exceed expectations, it shouldn't nece sarily be considered a succe s story, as Detroit lost its last five games (including Vlatko CanCar Jersey a 27-13 playoff lo s to Washington) after an 8-4 start. Detroit's surprise playoff season was largely due to the play of defensive end Robert Porcher (15 sacks), receivers Germane Crowell (1,338 yards, seven touchdowns) and Johnnie Morton (1,129 yards, five touchdowns) and quarterback Charlie Batch, who went 6-4 as the Lions' starter.A perennial playoff team in the '90s, the Vikings made the playoffs just once from 2001-07. Minnesota's lone playoff season during that span was in 2004, when the 8-8 Vikings made the playoffs a year after being left out of the postseason despite posting a 9-7 record.The '04 Vikings were the first non-winning playoff team to win a postseason game after defeating the in Green Bay. That game is largely remembered for Randy Mo s' controversial touchdown celebration near the end of the Vikings' 31-17 win. Mo s would play his final game as a Viking (we're not including his cup of coffee with Minnesota in 2010) the following week in Minnesota's 27-14 lo s to the eventual NFC champion . Randy Mo s Moon at Lambeau 1stDown (@1stDownNetwork) This was the true end of the "Greatest Show on Turf" era in St. Louis. Two years after their shocking upset lo s to the in Super Bowl XXXVI, the Rams suffered another heartbreaking playoff lo s in 2003 after Steve Smith ended St. Louis' season with a 69-yard touchdown in overtime.St. Louis appeared to carry that lo s into the '04 season, as the Rams lost eight of their first 14 games. The Rams, led by running backs Marshall Faulk and and receivers Isaac Bruce and Torry Holt, were able to salvage their season after defeating the Eagles and (in overtime) to close out the regular season. In the first round of the playoffs, two late scores propelled the Rams to an upset win over the , who a year later would represent the NFC in the Super Bowl. The Rams were no match for Michael Vick and the Flacons in the divisional round, however, as the rushed for 327 yards in a 47-17 win. The Rams would not return to the playoffs until 2017, Sean McVay's first season as coach.A year after going 11-5 under second-year quarterback , the Giants roared out to a 6-2 start to the 2006 season. New York, Bol Bol Jersey largely due to a defense that finished 28th in the NFL in pa sing and 32nd in red zone efficiency, went 2-6 during the second half of the season. The Giants' season mercifully ended with a 23-20 lo s to Jeff Garcia and the
 
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