Top 10 NFL teams of the Decade (2000)

Well football fans, it looks like the year is closing out and that means we have made it through another decade of NFL football. Who were the best teams since 2000 you ask? Just check out this list:

Here are the best teams from 2000-2009

1. New England Patriots

(3 superbowls wins and 1 superbowl runner up and 14 playoff wins)

The Patriots are hands down the best team on the 2000 decade. They have only reached the superbowl 4 out of 10 years and won 3 of them. They have also become the only team to go 16-0 in the regular season and have amassed a whopping 14 playoff wins. Who knew the young bench riding Tom Brady would lead this team to a dynasty and put the Patriots in NFL lore.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

(2 superbowls wins and 10 playoff wins)

This is a team known for being as hard core as their name sake. Tough defense, a tough running game, a tough coach and a smart rugged quaterback has always been their keys to success. Well in the 2000’s they found that right formula as the Steelers took 2 superbowls this decade. The first time around Bill Cowher lead his team, with the likes of Jerome Bettis, Hines Ward and Ben Roethlisberger and they became the first #6 seed to win a superbowl ever. The second go round the Steelers won with another tough young head coach in Mike Tomlin. This squad was also led by Ben Roethlisberger as he led his team down the field to score a last minute TD pass to Santonio Holmes. This win gave the Steelers of the most Lombardi trophies to date (6).

3. Indianapolis Colts

(1 superbowl win and 7 playoff wins)

It seems like Peyton Manny and the Colts have been winning a long time. From Edgerin James and Marvin Harrison to Dallas Clark and Reggie Wayne the Colts have indeed been racking up wins this decade. Since his rookie year Manning quickly took control of this team and has become one of the top players in the NFL. Well in 2007 with the edition of Coach Tony Dungy the Colts franchise hit pay-dirt as they beat the Chicago Bears in Superbowl XLI and finally establishing Manning as an elite QB. Throughout this decade the Colts have been on many consecutive winning streaks and currently are 1 of two teams still undefeated as we head into the final month of regular season play.

4. New York Giants

(1 superbowl win and superbowl runner up and 6 playoff wins)

Speaking of Peyton, lil bro Eli Manning and the Giants have also ranked as one of this decades best teams. Before Eli came aboard the Giants and Tom Coughlin were winning with players like Micheal Strahan and the tough minded RB Tiki Barber. This was a tough and rougged team that was good enough to make it the to Superbowl only to fall to the Baltimore Ravens in the final game. They had some up and down years and then came  Eli Manning via trade with San Diego. Again the Giants had a couple of good and bad years and at one point they were even ready to run coach Tom Coughlin out of the locker room. But Coughlin stuck to his roots and the younger Manning caught fire in 2008 when the offense and tough Giant defense took an underdog team into the Superbowl to face the record setting Patriots who at the time was 19-0 . In one of the most entertaining Superbowls in NFL history Manning lead the Giants to a game winning drive and New York upset the mighty Patriots 17-14

5. St Louis Rams

(1 superbowl win and superbowl runner up and 3 playoff wins)

The St Louis Ram, aka the “Greatest Show on Turf” was a high flying, high powered offense that looked unstoppable most times. It didn’t matter if they were in a dome or on grass, Kurt Warner, Ike Bruce and Marshall Faulk had defenses dazed and confused. Head Coach Dick Vermeil also had the defense hitting on all cylanders which landed the Rams in the 2000 decades first Superbowl against the Tennesee Titans. This game was also one of the best superbowls as the late Steve McNair drove the Titans down the field for a last minute TD try only to be thwarted by the Ram defense at the 1 yard line as time expired. The Rams won 23-16. The Rams would also play in Superbowl XXXVI but was defeated by the New England Patriots.

6. Baltimore Ravens

(1 superbowl win and 7 playoff wins)

The 2001 Champion Baltimore Raves are a poster child for the phrase “Defense Wins Championships”. This  iron-clad team made of Ray Lewis, Rod Woodson, Jamal Lewis, Shannon Sharpe and Trent Dilfer went to work every week with a killer mentality. The defense was dominant and the offense used a run first pass safely motto. Sometimes the score would end up 9-6 but a win is a win. They rode this style of play all the way to the superbowl and then laid the smack down on the hapless NY Giants 34-7. The Defense has been consistently good throughout this decade.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

(1 superbowl win and 3 playoff wins)

Another tough defensive team would be the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Like the Ravens the Bucs defense has been pretty good throughout the decade. Tony Dungy had the Bucs in contention but it wasn’t until Chucky aka Jon Gruden came along, that the Tampa Bay Bucs had finally reached the Superbowl and won. This team was made up of Brad Johnson, Derrick Brooks, Warren Sapp, Keyshawn Johnson, and Mike Alstott. This team could put up some steady offensive numbers with the steady Johnson, but they used to put the heat on with the defensive blitzes. In the end the Bucs won a Superbowl in 2003 beating down the Oakland Raiders 48-21

8. Philadelphia Eagles

(1 superbowl runner up and 10 playoff wins)

Now on to the teams how have had great playoff runs but did not win in the big dance. The best of this group will be the Philadelphia Eagles. This is a strange group that not even fans can figure out. The starting pieces were with Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid. Throughout the decade these 2 have had tremendous regular season success but not so much in the post season. They have pretty much been a solid contender for the NFC east title and have always tried to mix and match personnel to get them over the hump of losing in the playoffs. Well the most successful year of the decade is when they acquired a receiver named TO (Terrell Owens). As documented there were a couple of squabbles with the QB and WR but TO was taking the Eagle offense to new heights along with Brain Westbrook. The defense was very solid with Brian Dawkins, Jevon Kerse and Jeremiah Trotter plus a good coaching crew. This combination lead the high flying Eagles to the Superbowl where unfortunately the met the Patriots and took a loss 24-21. 10 playoff wins is pretty good though.

9. Carolina Panthers

(1 superbowl runner up and 5 playoff wins)

When you think of this NFL decade’s best you have to throw in the Carolina Panthers. The Panthers actually went from 1-15 the year before to the Superbowl. With John Fox at the helm this team has had 5 playoff wins. Jake Delhomme, Julius Peppers, Stephen Davis, Steve Smith and Kris Jenkins where the heart of this team. The year these guys went to the big show, they had a solid pass rushing defense, a great running game and a solid passing game. A virtual triple threat. The Panthers actually had many close games that year but ended up 11-5 for the season. They had a great playoff run, including a game with ST Louis that went into double overtime. But just like the Eagles, the Panthers played the Patriots in the championship and fell short 32-29. FYI this was the game with the infamous boob slip from Janet Jackson.

10. Seattle Seahawks

(1 superbowl runner up and  4 playoff wins)

Our last team hails from the West coast and pretty much held the top spot of the AFC west over the latter part of the decade. When you think of Seattle the past 10 years you think of Mike Holmgreen and the west coast offense. Although not as hard nosed as the eastern teams (IMO) the Seahawks came at you with a pretty good balanced attack. Key members of their superbowl run included, Matt Hassleback, Shaun Alexander, Marcus Trufant and Bobby Engram. This team used a lot of quick passes and finesse rather than smacking you in the mouth and for the 2005  season it worked. Seattle was 13-3 with the number 1 spot in the NFC. Alexander was MVP collecting 28 TD and the defense was solid which lead the Seahawks to their first Superbowl ever. Unfortunately the grittier east coast team Pittsburgh put the clamps on Alexander and the Seahawks beating them 21-10.

Let DLR know who you think we left off and stay with us through the next decade as the list is sure to change drastically. (Come on Redskins)