I'm thinking of starting a "Coulda, woulda, shoulda" theme league.
With a limit of one franchise, every player selects a season where it "coulda, woulda, shoulda" have had a happier ending than it did.
Here are some examples of what I mean
2007 Patriots. For obvious reasons
1982 NY Jets: After winning playoff games @ Cincy and LA (the Raiders, not the Rams), qb Richard Todd threw 5 picks in the AFC title game at Miami in a monsoon.
1982 Dolphins: Came within one great defensive play by Wash qb Joe Theismann of winning the Super Bowl
1990 Bills: Should be obvious
1976 Steelers: Had the highest expected winning pct of any post-merger team, but had to play the AFC title game @ Oakland w/o Franco Harris & Rocky Bleir
2006 Ravens; A great 13-3 regular season went up in smoke thanks to an impotent performance by their offense vs a very poor Colts defense
1986 Browns: Could go with the 87 version, but they lost the 86 AFC title game at home, giving them the "nod" in my eyes.
1981 Bengals: Had better stats and probably a better team than their Super Bowl opponents, the Niners, but a boatload of mistakes in the 1st half put them in a hole they couldn't get out of.
2005 Colts: After a 13-0 start, lost at home to a Steelers team they had smoked 26-7 in the regular season. The 1964 or 1968 Baltimore Colts seasons would work well too.
1999 Jags: With the exception of the Titans, against who they were 0-3 including an AFC title game loss, finished undefeated.
1993 Oilers: Finished 12-4 but for the 3rd consecutive year, blew a 2nd half lead in their only playoff game.
2000 Titans; Had the league's best team, but thanks to 2 flukey 2nd half tds by Baltimore, were one and done in the playoffs.
1995 Chiefs: Had the league's best record, but 3 miised fgs contributed mightily to a loss to a Colts team that barely made the playoffs
1979 Chargers; Smoked both Super Bowl teams, the Steelers & Rams, in the regular season but lost at home to an Oilers team playing without qb Dan Pastorini and HOF rb Earl Campbell.
1985 Raiders: Lost to New England in the division round 27-20, the margin of victory being a Patriot recovery of a fumbled kickoff in the end zone.
1996 Broncos: Lost at home in the division round to a Jags team in its 2nd year of existance.
2008 Eagles: Lost the NFC Championship game to an Arizona team they beat 48-21 in the regular season.
2008 Ny Giants; After a magic carpet ride to the 2007 Super Bowl title, started the 08 season 11-1 including road wins against Pittsburgh and Philly. Wr Plaxico Burress shot himself in the thigh and the Giants limped home afterwards, going one and done in the playoffs.
1994 Cowboys: Thanks to 3 turnovers in the 1st 7 minutes of the NFC title game at San Fran, the Cowboys dream of a three-peat went up in smoke.
1983 Redskins: Picked an inoppurtune time to play their worst game of the season: the Super Bowl vs the Raiders
1988 Bears; Lost the NFC title game at home to a Niners team they had beaten in the regular season.
2007 Packers: Lost the NFC title game at home to a Giants team they had waxed 35-13 in the regular season.
1998 Vikings: The highest scoring team ever (at the time) lost the NFC title game thanks in no small part to a missed fg by Gary Andersen, who was perfect on fgs & xps all season
Lions: N/A
1980 Falcons: Probably had the league's best team that season, but coughed up a 13 point 4th quarter lead to the DANNY WHITE (???!!!) led Cowboys in the division round.
Saints: Can't think of one.
99 Bucs: If they had any offense whatsoever, they probably would've beaten the mighty 99 Rams in the NFC Title game.
2003 Panthers: Thanks to a shanked kickoff by kicker John Craney after tying the game at 29, lost the Super Bowl to NE on a last second fg.
2005 Seahawks; Lost the Super Bowl to the 6th seeded Steelers, thanks in part to some dubious calls that went against them.
2001 Rams; Lost to a much inferior Patriots team in the Super Bowl
1987 Niners; Clearly the NFL's best team, they lost in the division round at home to a Vikings squad that had backed into the playoffs with an 8-7 record.
2008 Cardinals: Came within 39 seconds of becoming the most unlikely Super Bowl champ ever.
4/17/2011 4:54 PM (edited)