When Teams Finish 13-3

[iknowftbll]

This one is just for pure fun.

As you all know I read a lot of comments from all AFC West teams and a common sentiment I hear from Chiefs fans when discussing their expected record for a season is "12-4 or 14-2, but please not 13-3!" It's one of the few things they and we agree on: a lot of Broncos fans voice a similar contempt for the dreaded 13-3 finish. Now Chiefs fans have a good reason to: The Chiefs have finished 13-3 three different times and have gone 0-3 in the ensuing playoffs. The Broncos have fared better than the Chiefs (not surprisingly) with five 13-3 finishes and a 3-5 record in the ensuing playoffs, including three one-n-dones, a disappointing upset by the Steelers, and that blowout loss in the Super Bowl. It's not hard to see why we'd think 13-3 is bad luck.

But is it this way for every team? Since the team went to the 16 game schedule, 40 teams have finished 13-3. Seven of those teams went on to win the Super Bowl. I went for a 7 mile trail run today through the woods outside the building where I work and decided this would be a fun topic to discuss. Because it's June 1st and there's still an insane amount of time left before the season starts.

There's nothing inherently bad about finishing 13-3. In fact, finishing 13-3 means you've had a great regular season. That so many 13-3 teams fall short of the ultimate prize speaks to the level of competition once the playoffs begin. How many 13-3 teams have been upset by teams with 9-7 regular season records? The 2011 Patriots are probably the most noteworthy, but closer to home we remember our 1996 Broncos losing a heart breaker to a Jaguars team that was a measly 9-7 in the regular season. Thankfully the 1995 Chiefs and 2009 Chargers have suffered similar disappointing losses to the Colts and Jets respectively. The trick is changing the perception.

Let's say the 2016 Broncos finish 13-3. First off, that would be a damn good finish. Secondly, that team determines its own fate. Execute against an opponent and they'll be just fine. Go all Rahim Moore on us and, well, you know what happens. The failures of previous teams that finished 13-3 have no bearing on the present. If our Broncos finish 13-3 in 2016 they will be in a prime position to make a stab at a repeat. The players are not superstitious about previous 13-3 teams like we fans are. Maybe we shouldn't be either.

But just to be on the safe side, and assuming playoff seeding won't be affected, let's hope the Broncos finish 12-4 or 14-2!



Below I've listed every team to ever finish 13-3, their playoff record, and result of their final game that season.

Noteworthy:
- Of all the teams to finish 13-3, only the 1999 Titans and 2011 Saints had to play in the Wild Card round of the playoffs.
- The 1987 49ers and Saints each were candidates to finish 13-3. With the strike shortened season the 49ers finished 13-2 and the Saints 12-3.



1981:
San Francisco 49ers: 13-3 (3-0: SB win over Bengals)

1984:
Denver Broncos: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Steelers)

1990:
New York Giants: 13-3 (3-0: SB win over Bills)
Buffalo Bills: 13-3 (2-1: SB loss to Giants)

1991:
Buffalo Bills: 13-3 (2-1: SB loss to Redskins)

1992:
Dallas Cowboys: 13-3 (3-0: SB win over Bills)

1994:
San Francisco 49ers: 13-3 (3-0: SB win over Chargers)

1995:
Kansas City Chiefs: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Colts)

1996:
Denver Broncos: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Jaguars)
Green Bay Packers: 13-3 (3-0: SB win over Patriots)

1997:
Kansas City Chiefs: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Broncos)
San Francisco 49ers: 13-3 (1-1: NFCCG loss to Packers)
Green Bay Packers: 13-3 (2-1: SB loss to Broncos)

1999:
Indianapolis Colts: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Titans)
Tennessee Titans: 13-3 (3-1: SB loss to Rams)
St. Louis Rams: 13-3 (3-0: SB win over Titans)

2000:
Tennessee Titans: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Ravens)

2001:
Pittsburgh Steelers: 13-3 (1-1: AFCCG loss to Patriots)
Chicago Bears: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Eagles)

2003:
Kansas City Chiefs: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Colts)

2004:
Philadelphia Eagles: 13-3 (2-1: SB loss to Patriots)

2005:
Denver Broncos: 13-3 (1-1: AFCCG loss to Steelers)
Seattle Seahawks: 13-3 (2-1: SB loss to Steelers)

2006:
Baltimore Ravens: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Colts)
Chicago Bears: 13-3 (2-1: SB loss to Colts)

2007:
Indianapolis Colts: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Chargers)
Dallas Cowboys: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Giants)
Green Bay Packers: 13-3 (1-1: NFCCG loss to Giants)

2008:
Tennessee Titans: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Ravens)

2009:
San Diego Chargers: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Jets)
New Orleans Saints: 13-3 (3-0: Super Bowl win over Colts)

2010:
Atlanta Falcons: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Packers)

2011:
New Orleans Saints: 13-3 (1-1: Divisional Round loss to 49ers)
San Francisco 49ers: 13-3 (1-1: NFCCG loss to Giants)
New England Patriots: 13-3: (2-1: SB loss to Giants)

2012:
Denver Broncos: 13-3 (0-1: Divisional Round loss to Ravens)
Atlanta Falcons: 13-3 (1-1: NFCCG loss to 49ers)

2013:
Denver Broncos: 13-3 (2-1: SB loss to Seahawks)
Seattle Seahawks: 13-3 (3-0: SB win over Broncos)

2015:
Arizona Cardinals: 13-3 (1-1: NFCCG loss to Panthers)

 

[Mingo]

Springstein's my expert on superstition. George? What you think?

 

[CEH]

When Ryan clady is not playing left tackle for the Broncos they go to the super bowl

 

[SpringStein]

Springstein's my expert on superstition. George? What you think?

I wore #13 in baseball in HS to show that I wasn't superstitious. So my superstition is that it isn't superstitious - or something like that. Give me 13 wins every year, baby!

 

[Mingo]

When Ryan clady is not playing left tackle for the Broncos they go to the super bowl

100% of the time - good one.

 

[Mingo]

I wore #13 in baseball in HS to show that I wasn't superstitious. So my superstition is that it isn't superstitious - or something like that. Give me 13 wins every year, baby!

I agree - take the 13 wins and smash 'em in the playoffs.

The important thing is - no matter what the record is going into the playoffs - that your team is peaking during playoff time - that is what the Broncos did (at least defensively) last year.

 

[randymon]

I wore #13 in baseball in HS to show that I wasn't superstitious. So my superstition is that it isn't superstitious - or something like that. Give me 13 wins every year, baby!

You don't say anything about how it went while wearing 13 those years.

 

[SpringStein]

You don't say anything about how it went while wearing 13 those years.

Not bad for a big, slow, white guy. Traditional first baseman.

 

[iknowftbll]

I agree - take the 13 wins and smash 'em in the playoffs.

The important thing is - no matter what the record is going into the playoffs - that your team is peaking during playoff time - that is what the Broncos did (at least defensively) last year.

My thoughts exactly! At the beginning of any given season I do typically avoid predicting a 13-3 finish, but I generally avoid predicting better than 12-4 anyway. Last year's prediction (14-2) was a rare exception. Now at the end of a season as the Broncos record goes final at 13-3 I am certainly not sitting around lamenting such a great finish just because previous 13-3 Broncos teams have left us disappointed.

 

[BigKen]

Patriots finished 13-3 once and learned their lesson.

 

[randymon]

Not bad for a big, slow, white guy. Traditional first baseman.

Good . I'm not the superstitious type really either. Your humble assessment of yourself tells me you handled yourself quite well.