NFL Playoffs: Best teams of the last two decades

When analyzing the great playoff teams, we keep what teams accomplished in the regular season only as a reference. Each playoff team has a value, but they all start the playoffs with zero points accrued. Our measuring sticks are two unique ranking systems, Win Grade and Real Points. The focus is on how good your fundamentals are throughout the post season and the quality of your opponents. Let's start the countdown.

10th: 1996 Green Bay Packers
Win Grade: 27.39
Real Points: 235.91
Combined: 2.27

We're guessing you're already surprised. The highly praised Packers led by Favre and White in tenth place? That's right. The '96 Packers did win handily in each of their 3 playoff victories outscoring their competition by an average of almost 17 points per game. But given the low quality of their opponents, how poorly those opponents played, and that they played only one game away from Lambeau, the Pack didn't do enough to show that they compare with the teams ranked above them on this list.

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Packer Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 3


• Turnovers taken: 12


• Offense: 337 ypg


• Defense: 235 ypg


• Home: Defeated #92 ranked 49ers 31-10


• Home: Defeated #71 ranked Panthers 30-13


• Super Bowl: Defeated #83 ranked Patriots 35-21

9th: 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Win Grade: 22.40
Real Points: 303.78
Combined: 2.29

The powerhouse '02 Buccaneers defense did its part in the playoffs, creating 9 interceptions and allowing only 37 points in their 3 playoff games. The offense did not impress so much, and it shows in their Win Grade ranking. Their opponents were of decent quality (2002 ranks 9th out of the 18 seasons since 1990) but were not quite good enough vault the Buccaneers into the top 8 teams.

Got a thing for the Bucs? Find more about your team at Bucs Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 4


• Turnovers taken: 13


• Offense: 334 ypg


• Defense: 270 ypg


• Home: Defeated #108 ranked 49ers 31-6


• Road: Defeated #64 ranked Eagles 27-10


• Super Bowl: Defeated #38 ranked Raiders 48-21

8th: 1994 San Francisco 49ers
Win Grade: 31.73
Real Points: 212.24
Combined: 2.43

Despite having the easiest competition out of any team in the top 20, the 49ers made it to eight place by playing very solid football and dominating their opponents. They threw zero interceptions and allowed their opponents only 68 rushing ypg in their run to the title.

Die hard Niner fan? Find more about your team at
Niners Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 2


• Turnovers taken: 10


• Offense: 358 ypg


• Defense: 351 ypg


• Home: Defeated #187 ranked Bears 44-15


• Home: Defeated #67 ranked Cowboys 38-28


• Super Bowl: Defeated #44 ranked Chargers 49-26

7th: 1992 Dallas Cowboys
Win Grade: 24.43
Real Points: 337.86
Combined: 2.59

The '92 Cowboys didn't have any problems playing the powerhouse style of offense that worked so well for them in the regular season, gaining almost 140 rushing ypg in the playoffs. This took the pressure off of Aikman who threw no interceptions, and kept their defense fresh and rested on the sidelines. They took advantage of this with turnovers, winning 6 interceptions and 9 fumbles en route to their first of three Lombardi trophies in the 90's.

Got a fixin for them 'Boys? Find more about your team at Cowboys Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 3


• Turnovers taken: 15


• Offense: 390 ypg


• Defense: 318 ypg


• Home: Defeated #75 ranked Eagles 34-10


• Road: Defeated #26 ranked 49ers 30-20


• SuperBowl: Defeated #31 ranked Bills 52-17

6th: 2004 New England Patriots
Win Grade: 25.63
Real Points: 369.59
Combined: 2.83

Yes, in a head to head matchup between the best playoff team of the 90's Cowboys dynasty and the best playoff team of the 00's Patriots dynasty, the Patriots win with a little breathing room to spare. The '94 Pats twice held their opponents to under 50 yards rushing while gaining over 100 yards on the ground in each of their playoff games. The defense may have given up almost 260 ypg in the air, but more importantly they took over 2 interceptions per game in the post season.

Are you a Patriot groupie? Find more about your team at Patriot Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 1


• Turnovers taken: 11


• Offense: 326 ypg


• Defense: 344 ypg


• Home: Defeated #52 ranked Colts 20-3


• Road: Defeated #20 ranked Steelers 41-27


• Super Bowl: Defeated #45 ranked Eagles 24-21

5th: 1997 Denver Broncos
Win Grade: 26.05
Real Points: 420.37
Combined: 3.11

Here is an amazing stat for you: 91 rush yards per game. No that's not how many yards these Broncos gave up, that's how many MORE yards they gained on the ground PER GAME than their opponents in the post season. Davis blew through defenses helping the Broncos to 187 yards on the ground while the defense held opponents to a decent 96 ypg. This made up for their not so fundamental 8 turnovers, but to their credit they faced some tough competition on the road throughout most of the playoffs.

Got mile high madness? Find more about your team at Bronco Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 8


• Turnovers taken: 9


• Offense: 358 ypg


• Defense: 311 ypg


• Home: Defeated #100 ranked Jaguars 42-17


• Road: Defeated #57 ranked Chiefs 14-10


• Road: Defeated #79 ranked Steelers 24-21


• Super Bowl: Defeated #28 ranked Packers 31-24

4th: 2007 New York Giants
Win Grade: 22.79
Real Points: 515.59
Combined: 3.38

These Giants didn't get to number four in the rankings with the gaudiest of numbers, having the third worst Win Grade ranking in the top ten. What they did do is play with a cohesiveness and confidence that allowed them to break the laws of playing on the road. They played all of their games away from New York and managed to commit only 1 interception and hold opponents to a minimal 74 ypg on the ground.

Full of Giant pride? Find more about your team at
Giants Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 2


• Turnovers taken: 7


• Offense: 306 ypg


• Defense: 287 ypg


• Road: Defeated #232 ranked Buccaneers 24-14


• Road: Defeated #61 ranked Cowboys 21-17


• Road: Defeated #42 ranked Packers 23-20


• Super Bowl: Defeated #2 ranked Patriots 17-14

3rd: 2000 Baltimore Ravens
Win Grade: 30.14
Real Points: 422.17
Combined: 3.39

If we polled the 10 teams on this list on which team they would least like to play, we're pretty sure the '00 Ravens would get the most votes. They created a whopping 10 interceptions and held their opponents to a pathetic 65 ypg rushing throughout the playoffs. Oh yeah, these Ravens only played one of their four games in Baltimore, and allowed a COMBINED 23 points scored. Ouch.

Taken by the Ravens? Find more about your team at
Ravens Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 2


• Turnovers taken: 12


• Offense: 225 ypg


• Defense: 209 ypg


• Home: Defeated #90 ranked Broncos 21-3


• Road: Defeated #53 ranked Titans 24-10


• Road: Defeated #72 ranked Raiders 16-3


• Super Bowl: Defeated #65 ranked Giants 34-7

2nd: 1990 New York Giants
Win Grade: 38.93
Real Points: 350.78
Combined: 3.59

What is a good format for the playoffs? How about throw no interceptions and out rush your opponents 173 ypg to 77 ypg, a whopping margin of 96 ypg (eclipsing the '97 Broncos mark of 91 ypg). They won their last 2 playoff games by only 3 points combined, but they did it in the 4th toughest road game and second toughest Super Bowl matchup of the teams on this list.

Full of Giant pride? Find more about your team at
Giants Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 1


• Turnovers taken: 3


• Offense: 328 ypg


• Defense: 281 ypg


• Home: Defeated #119 ranked Bears 31-3


• Road: Defeated #30 ranked 49ers 15-13


• Super Bowl: Defeated #19 ranked Bills 20-19

1st: 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers
Win Grade: 22.73
Real Points: 567.56
Combined: 3.64

If the '07 Giants defied the laws of playing on the road, then this team absolutely rewrote them. They weren't as fundamentally sound as some of the other teams on this list, but they made up for it by playing with the killer instinct of a tiger. No a shark. Both. The '05 Steelers allowed under 16 ppg, rushed for 132 ypg, and most impressively flaunt a margin of victory of over 11 ppg all against teams that were a combined 54-13 (.806 winning percentage).The Broncos and Colts had amassed a 16-1 home record that year before both falling prey in front of their fans to the tiger-shark Steelers.

Veins of black and gold? Find more about your team at Steeler Stats & Info

• Turnovers given: 4


• Turnovers taken: 7


• Offense: 335 ypg


• Defense: 334 ypg


• Road: Defeated #106 ranked Bengals 31-17


• Road: Defeated #32 ranked Colts 21-18


• Road: Defeated #24 ranked Broncos 34-17


• Super Bowl: Defeated #33 ranked Seahawks 21-10

You can see the full list of rankings at Greatest NFL Playoff Teams.

Visit the list of Great Regular Season Teams