It’s easy to remember the best teams of all time in the NFL. However, what about the worst? The worst NFL teams have spanned decades and have included many different organizations. What will the NFL teams be like this upcoming season? Will any wind up making a list in the years to come? Start your free trial with Fubo this upcoming season and enjoy the NFL.
The Worst Teams in NFL History: Ultimate Ranking
We all remember historic teams such as the 1985 Bears, 2007 Patriots and the 1972 Dolphins that finished a perfect 17-0. However, people also remember the worst performances. This article will provide the ultimate list of the worst teams in football history.
What Is the Worst Team in NFL History?
While cases can be made for many teams, the worst team in NFL history is the 2008 Detroit Lions. The team went 0-16, making the Lions the first NFL team to go winless since the league expanded to a 16-game regular season schedule.
The Lions suffered primarily because of a defense that ranked dead last in points (32.3 PPG) and yards allowed (404.4 YPG), as well as interceptions (4), and got close to the most points given up in a single season. The team also had a -249-point differential. The team was No. 27 in the league in scoring (16.8 PPG), No. 30 in total offense (268.3) and allowed 52 sacks, which was more than all but one other club.
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Worst NFL Teams of All Time
10. 2020 Jacksonville Jaguars (1-15)
Jaguars finished with just one victory and lost 15 straight games. Every other one-win club that season finished among the five worst teams on the list. The team allowed more points than all three previous one-time winners. In fact, the Jaguars’ defense was scored upon more than all but the 2008 and 2009 Lions squads.
The team’s offense was 30th in the league, scoring just 19.1 PPG and its defense was 31st, allowing a whopping 30.8 PPG. The team also had a -186-point differential.
9. 2010 Carolina Panthers (2-14)
The 2-14 record for the Panthers in 2010 included a franchise-worst 212-point differential and an 18-year low 196 points scored under the direction of quarterbacks Jimmy Clausen, Matt Moore and Brian St. Pierre. Those three combined for 21 interceptions and just nine touchdowns. The team also ranked 26th in defense, allowing 25.5 points per game.
8. 2011 St. Louis Rams (2-14)
The 2011 Rams were plagued by one of the worst offenses in the NFL, finishing dead last in scoring offense (12.1 PPG) and No. 31 in total offense (283.6 YPG). The team had just two 20-point games all year. The St. Louis offensive line allowed a league-high 55 sacks, and the Rams managed just nine touchdown passes and seven rushing scores all season, both of which ranked dead last in the league.
7. 2009 Detroit Lions (2-14)
The Lions snapped their 19-game losing streak with a 19-14 victory over Washington in Week 3, and then picked up a thrilling 38-37 victory over the Browns in Week 11. Those turned into the only wins of the season. The team finished last in the NFL in both scoring (30.9 PPG) and total defense (392.1 YPG) and also posted a league-worst minus-18 turnover margin. Matthew Stafford, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, suffered a season-ending injury in Week 11 and the Lions finished the year on a six-game losing streak.
6. 2008 St. Louis Rams (2-14)
In 2008, the Rams were blown out in each of their first four games. Things improved with back-to-back wins in Weeks 6 and 7, but St. Louis lost 10 straight to finish the season. The team was equally bad on both sides of the ball, ranking second to last in both scoring offense (14.5 PPG) — having scored just 19 offensive touchdowns all season — and scoring defense (29.1). Making matters worse, the St. Louis offense allowed seven defensive touchdowns, which tied for the most in the NFL.
5. 2016 Cleveland Browns (1-15)
In 2016, the Browns came dangerously close to becoming just the second NFL team to finish a season 0-16. Following 14 consecutive losses to begin the season, which sealed a ninth straight losing campaign for the franchise, Cleveland finally broke through with a 20-17 victory at home over San Diego in Week 16. The team finished 31st in offense, averaging 16.5 PPG and 30th in defense, allowing 28.25 PPG.
4. 2007 Miami Dolphins (1-15)
The Dolphins (1-15) required an overtime walk-off touchdown to avoid stealing the 2008 Lions’ thunder to not go winless. Miami surrendered a franchise-record 437 points and ranked No. 30 in the league in scoring defense. The offense struggled as well under a trio of quarterbacks that combined to throw just 12 touchdown passes all year.
3. 2009 St. Louis Rams (1-15)
The Rams ranked dead last in scoring offense (10.9 PPG). St. Louis managed just 175 points all season, which was 35 points more than the 1992 Seattle Seahawks — the worst-scoring offense in league history. The Rams threw 21 interceptions and just 12 touchdowns, were shut out twice, scored 10 or fewer points on nine occasions, and were outscored by 261 points over the course of the season — a franchise record.
2. 2017 Cleveland Browns (0-16)
After winning just one game the year before, the Browns followed that up with a goose egg. Statistically speaking, the Browns were far from terrible. Led by a unit that ranked No. 7 in the NFL in rushing defense (97.9 YPG allowed) and second in yards allowed per carry (3.4), Cleveland ranked in the top half of the NFL in total yards allowed per game. A league-worst 28 interceptions halted several potential scoring drives and set up the opposition with far too many opportunities. As a result, the Browns scored the fewest points in the league and allowed more than all but one other team.
- 2008 Detroit Lions (0-16) The Lions suffered primarily because of a defense that ranked dead last in points (32.3 PPG) and yards allowed (404.4 YPG), as well as interceptions (4), and got close to the most points given up in a single season. The team also had a -249-point differential. The team was No. 27 in the league in scoring (16.8 PPG), No. 30 in total offense (268.3) and allowed 52 sacks, which was more than all but one other club.
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FAQs
1. What NFL team has the most losses?
The Arizona Cardinals have recorded the most regular season losses (790) through the end of the 2022 season.
2. What NFL team has the most losses since 2000?
Since 2000, the Cleveland Browns have lost the most games with 244 losses.
3. What team had the worst NFL season?
The only three NFL teams in history to lose all their games are the 2017 Cleveland Browns (0-16), the 2008 Detroit Lions (0-16) and the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-14).
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