[adsenseyu1] For those of you who enjoy the Power Rankings I do during the season here is a look at the efficiency rankings of all the Super Bowl champions. For those unfamiliar with the rankings what these percentiles measure is the percent a team either scores or prevents an opponent from scoring above or below their schedules average for the season. So for example a team with a scoring efficiency of 25% means that team scored 25% more points per game than their opponents gave up that season. A defensive score of 25% means that a team held their opponents to 25% below their normal scoring output on the season. The stats are for regular season only.
While most people consider the 1985 Bears the greatest team of all time they actually only rank 4th on this system. The top team is the little praised Redskins who really dominated the league in 1991. The team’s opponents allowed just 19 PPG while the Redskins scored over 30. It’s the top performing scoring unit in the history. The defense wasn’t a slouch either holding teams to 24% below their averages.
The 1996 Packers, who looked like they were going to be the next dynasty franchise, ranked second with a tremendous all around tea. The 73 Dolphins rank 3rd and were far superior to the undefeated team in 1972 that faced a much easier schedule. The 75 Steelers fill out the top 10. The worst SB champions have been the 70 Colts, 11 Giants, 07 Giants, 01 Patriots, and 87 Redskins, though it’s the bottom 4 that are teams that really surprise as being on the list of champions.
The most productive scoring came from the 91 Redskins, 77 Cowboys, 98 Broncos, 09 Saints, and 94 49ers. Only two teams had a below average scoring output and those were the 01 Patriots and 02 Buccaneers. The 90 Giants, 00 Ravens, and 81 49ers would round out the bottom 5. Defensively the best unit was not the 85 Bears or 00 Ravens but the 73 Dolphins who just edge ot the 02 Buccaneers, who I think people forget when discussing the great defensive teams. The 66 Packers, 85 Bears, and 75 Steelers are the other best ranking teams. At the bottom of the list are the 06 Colts, 11 Giants, 09 Saints, 07 Giants, and 98 Broncos, all of whom were below average.
Perhaps not so surprisingly is that no teams from the current era are close to the top of this list as the NFL is filled with parity and a lack of dominant teams that can run all the way to a title. The 2004 Patriots just cracked the top 10 and the next closest team is the 00 Ravens at 19 and 10 Packers at 22. Of the 13 lowest ranking teams, 6 are from 2001 onwards.
The current era will be represented better by either the Seahawks or Broncos either of whom would rank in the top 20. The Broncos would have the best scoring output of any team on this list but would also grab the “title” for worst defense and it would be by a wide margin. It would be unlikely to see either mark broken anytime soon. The Seahawks defense would rank 9th all time, which is pretty impressive considering the way the rules have skewed to the offenses in this era.
The table below should be fully sortable.
Super Bowl Champion Rankings
| Rank | Year | Team | Off | Def | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1991 | Washington Redskins | 60.77% | 24.51% | 85.28% |
| 2 | 1996 | Green Bay Packers | 45.84% | 32.45% | 78.29% |
| 3 | 1973 | Miami Dolphins | 30.38% | 45.89% | 76.27% |
| 4 | 1985 | Chicago Bears | 31.03% | 43.10% | 74.13% |
| 5 | 1975 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 24.49% | 42.65% | 67.14% |
| 6 | 1984 | San Francisco 49?ers | 36.26% | 28.10% | 64.36% |
| 7 | 1966 | Green Bay Packers | 18.57% | 43.55% | 62.12% |
| 8 | 1999 | St. Louis Rams | 39.72% | 22.12% | 61.84% |
| 9 | 1994 | San Francisco 49?ers | 48.21% | 10.52% | 58.73% |
| 10 | 2004 | New England Patriots | 31.97% | 26.73% | 58.70% |
| 11 | 1969 | Kansas City Chiefs | 16.30% | 40.95% | 57.25% |
| 12 | 1977 | Dallas Cowboys | 54.44% | 2.23% | 56.67% |
| 13 | 1972 | Miami Dolphins | 19.37% | 35.96% | 55.33% |
| 14 | 1993 | Dallas Cowboys | 29.30% | 25.13% | 54.43% |
| 15 | 1979 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 30.93% | 23.05% | 53.98% |
| 16 | 1997 | Denver Broncos | 39.62% | 13.61% | 53.23% |
| 17 | 1989 | San Francisco 49?ers | 27.18% | 25.88% | 53.06% |
| 18 | 1998 | Denver Broncos | 51.09% | -0.48% | 50.61% |
| 19 | 2000 | Baltimore Ravens | 5.62% | 42.35% | 47.97% |
| 20 | 1992 | Dallas Cowboys | 31.01% | 16.59% | 47.60% |
| 21 | 1971 | Dallas Cowboys | 40.34% | 6.54% | 46.88% |
| 22 | 2010 | Green Bay Packers | 12.70% | 33.37% | 46.07% |
| 23 | 1978 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 13.02% | 33.05% | 46.07% |
| 24 | 1995 | Dallas Cowboys | 29.72% | 15.68% | 45.40% |
| 25 | 1967 | Green Bay Packers | 16.18% | 28.73% | 44.91% |
| 26 | 2008 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 9.30% | 35.15% | 44.45% |
| 27 | 2009 | New Orleans Saints | 50.80% | -6.76% | 44.04% |
| 28 | 1976 | Oakland Raiders | 31.73% | 12.10% | 43.83% |
| 29 | 2002 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -2.94% | 45.79% | 42.85% |
| 30 | 2005 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 22.48% | 20.24% | 42.72% |
| 31 | 1986 | New York Giants | 13.39% | 27.10% | 40.49% |
| 32 | 1982 | Washington Redskins | 13.18% | 24.98% | 38.16% |
| 33 | 1990 | New York Giants | 1.17% | 36.89% | 38.06% |
| 34 | 1968 | New York Jets | 33.21% | 4.01% | 37.22% |
| 35 | 2003 | New England Patriots | 12.74% | 23.67% | 36.41% |
| 36 | 1974 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 8.66% | 25.50% | 34.16% |
| 37 | 1981 | San Francisco 49?ers | 6.42% | 24.07% | 30.49% |
| 38 | 1983 | Oakland Raiders | 20.68% | 8.27% | 28.95% |
| 39 | 1988 | San Francisco 49?ers | 19.16% | 8.88% | 28.04% |
| 40 | 2006 | Indianapolis Colts | 32.58% | -7.96% | 24.62% |
| 41 | 1980 | Oakland Raiders | 12.23% | 6.33% | 18.56% |
| 42 | 2012 | Baltimore Ravens | 11.44% | 6.74% | 18.18% |
| 43 | 1987 | Washington Redskins | 7.13% | 10.26% | 17.39% |
| 44 | 2001 | New England Patriots | -1.54% | 12.58% | 11.04% |
| 45 | 2007 | New York Giants | 9.94% | -0.61% | 9.33% |
| 46 | 2011 | New York Giants | 15.29% | -7.09% | 8.20% |
| 47 | 1970 | Baltimore Colts | 8.02% | -0.07% | 7.95% |
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