BEST PRO FOOTBALL TEAMS I EVER SAW

Just in time for the end of the pro football regular season, I have bought Sports Illustrated's coffee-table sized book, Football's Greatest.  I've wanted this book for quite a while and finally had enough money to buy it (at the hefty cover price of $35).  This book is a series of Top Ten list (and you know how I love Top Ten lists) covering several positions in football (such as Top Ten quarterbacks, running backs, linebackers, etc) and then several other Top Ten lists such as teams, stadiums, franchises and so on.  Its a really cool, informative book that any pro football fan should have as it is very thorough and can be the beginning of endless debate and discussion about football for any fan.

One list that I would like to comment on is the Top Ten Best Teams (that's single season teams). 

Their list is:

1. 1985 Chicago Bears (15-1)

2. 1972 Miami Dolphins (14-0)

3. 1984 San Francisco 49ers (15-1)

4. 1962 Green Bay Packers (13-1)

5. 1989 San Francisco 49ers (14-2)

6. 1992 Dallas Cowboys (13-3)

7. 2007 New England Patriots (16-0) - Ugh!!!

8. 1966 Green Bay Packers (12-2)

9. 1991 Washington Redskins (14-2)

10. 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers (14-2)

Now, I started watching football in 1989 (the best year of my life!!!) so any of the teams before that year I don't remember seeing (I do remember the 1985 Bears and watching the Super Bowl where they beat and beat up the (hated) New England Patriots but their attitude was so annoying that I wouldn't put them as the #1 team of all time).  I didn't watch any of the 1984 49ers but I did see the 1989 49ers which was one of the most amazing teams I ever saw play and deserve their high ranking on this list (the 1994 49ers, which went 13-3, defeated the back-to-back Super Bowl winning Cowboys in the NFC Championship game and then trounced the San Diego Chargers in Super Bowl 29, were also a great team and one of the best ever).  The 1992 Cowboys were a great team and I was a big fan but my love for the Cowboys has always been tempered by my disdain for team owner Jerry Jones (I mean this guy fired Tom Landry and had Texas Stadium torn down for that monstronsity that sits in Arlington now). 

But, quite possibly the best team that I ever saw play was the 1991 Washington Redskins lead by quarterback Mark Rypien (a Washington State alumni just like me).  I mean this team didn't just defeat other teams, they beat the other team and then went after their families in the stands.  It was complete dominance every game.  They went 14-2 and were five points from being undefeated and then defeated the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl 26 where Rypien was named MVP.

So, between the 1989 49ers and the 1991 Redskins, I think I've seen possibly the best two teams I will ever see in my lifetime and they are my top teams of the teams that I've ever seen play, with the 1994 49ers and the 1992 Cowboys not far behind.

I'm also going to make a hopeful prediction for this year's Super Bowl as my preference would be to see the Dallas Cowboys face and defeat the (hated) New England Patriots.  Dallas has a long hard road to get to the big game this year (they have to defeat the Lions and at least the Packers - replay of the famous Ice Bowl championship?) but if they get there, I think and hope they can defeat anyone from the (hated) AFC including the (hated) New England Patriots.

And speaking of the AFC, did you notice in SI list above that there are only three AFC teams including the (hated) 2007 New England Patriots who were undefeated in the regular season but then lost in the Super Bowl to the Giants (that was a great day, I remember that Super Bowl and jumped out of my seat in joy when David Tyree made that miracle catch - Google it to experience one of the greatest plays of all time - its mentioned in this book too). 

That 1978 Steelers team defeated the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl 13 in one of the best Super Bowls of all time between the best teams of the late 70's (it was especially significant as Dallas had won Super Bowl 12 and was the defending World Champion team but the Steelers had their number that day).  And wouldn't it be cool if it ended up being the Steelers and Cowboys again this year?  I'm rooting for the Steelers to knock off the Patriots and get to the Super Bowl.

Unfortunately, the teams I root for rarely win and I might be some kind of jinx this year for Dallas as everytime I watch them, they lose. 

All that being said, SI's Football's Greatest is a great book for any football fan and a great source for debate and discussion on all things football.