The NFL Team of the Decade; it should be easy right?

Let's first take a look at the previous decades in the Superbowl era.

The Packers were clearly the best in the 1960's with the Chiefs and Browns finishing 2nd and 3rd (take your pick as to the order.)

In the 1970's, the Steelers were coined the team of the decade. But when you look at it, by many metrics the Cowboys had a better decade. They had a higher winning percentage, more winning seasons, the same amount of playoff wins and more playoff appearances. I guess if we titled this piece the most consistent team of the decade, they would win that. The Dolphins and Raiders had pretty good decades too. Actually, the Raiders, Dolphins and Cowboys all had better records and higher winning percentages than the Steelers. Each of these four franchises truly had a superb decade in the ‘70's.

In the 1980's the 49ers clearly get the tag and the Redskins are clearly second.

In the 1990's the Cowboys get it, but much like I thought the ‘Boys may have had had a better decade than the Steelers in the ‘70's I think you can make an argument that the 49ers were most consistent team of the decade in the ‘90's. If you put the decades of the ‘80's and ‘90's together, the 49ers sure had a heck of a run.

Now as we conclude 2009 one team gets to claim the team of this decade. Going into this season the team of the decade seemed to be written in stone, the New England Patriots. But as this season has gone on, things have transpired that may not necessarily make that crowning so easy.

As of today, the Steelers are 104-56-1 this decade (.650) with two championships. If they can somehow sneak in to the playoffs in week 17, make a run and win a 3rd championship, you would certainly have to enter them into the discussion. There hasn't been any team that has won 3 championships that wasn't the team of the decade.

But the sleeper here is the Colts. The Colts are about to finish a record consecutive 7th +12 win season, they have the best record in the decade currently 115-44 (.723) and if they win the Superbowl they will have 2 championships this decade. I don't know if the Colts can be called the best team of the decade, this year's playoffs will have a lot to say about that, but they are certainly the most consistent team of the decade.

In summary, jury is still out and the team of the decade can't be named until after this year's Superbowl, it's that close. While the Patriots appear to be the favorite, the Steelers have an outside chance to lay a co-claim and the Colts and Peyton Manning will have the right to assert their claims to it with a 2nd Superbowl win this year. If none of these three teams win the Superbowl we'll have to call it, Patriots by a nose, Colts most consistent, and Steelers 3rd. - Mike Cardano

Mike is the founder of the Around the Horn Baseball Blog and the Extra Point Football Blog.

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Comments (7)

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written by Edge S, December 31, 2009

Gotta be the Pats. NEAT GRAPHIC!

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Lions
written by Kevin Hay, December 31, 2009

I guess the Lions weren't in the mix... maybe next time

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written by Jess4, December 31, 2009

I never thought about it, but after looking at it, I think the cowboys may in fact have had a better 70's decade than the Steelers........

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As Much As I Hate to Admit It...
written by DaProphet, December 31, 2009

The three Super Bowls almost pale beside the eighteen straight wins in 2007. By November and December, every game they played in was exponentially more exciting. I hate them, but I remember so many games from that season because every week it was "is this going to be the team that knocks them off?" And it was going to take some doing because those Patriots were wicked and they were bullies. They didn't want to beat you they wanted to humiliate you and they were capable. But remember that Ravens game during the season? The Giants game to end the regular season? The Jets? Both of their playoff games were nailbiters and then that EPIC Super Bowl. I'm a Cowboys fan but I'm a football fan, you know what I'm saying. And the Patriots alone made that the most exciting regular season in recent memory. It's the Patriots.

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Not so fast...
written by Kenny C, January 01, 2010

Not if the Colts take it this year its not........

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written by Sam Marsterson, January 01, 2010

If the Colts win it, they get at least a share. If somehow the Steelers win this year (unlikely) gotta put them in the mix, and if the Pats win or no one else does they get it. In fact, the Pats probably get a share either way.

Now that I I think about it, what a goatfuck......

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Oh please!
written by red's army, January 02, 2010

Oh please "not so fast" the colts don't even have a leg in this race. Here's the only reasoning for a Colts decade crown. "We're the better regular season team!" Fact is, the colts have 115 regular season wins to the pats 112 add in the playoffs and the pats have won the most games this decade period. with 126 to the colts 122(colts played in 2 more wild card games as well). Most consecutive wins? the colts won 23 with a loss in the middle in the playoffs whereas the pats won 21 with no loss and a super bowl ring in the middle. plus another 18 game winning streak. Again the patriots outdo the colts in that field. But put all this aside because it's really just too close and subjective, the pats have 3 superbowls and 4 appearances to the colts 1 (and possible one more this year) and even if the colts win it this year, they're still not the decades team in the eyes of objective facts!

Go EAGLES!

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