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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/practicalist on 2024-02-11 17:23:00.
Here is a little statistical exercise in which the team statistics from all 57 Super Bowls were used, fed into an algorithm, and then the algorithm was tasked with ranking the games and teams from best to worst based solely on statistics generated in the Super Bowl game(s).
These rankings are comparative; each team is ranked in each metric against all other teams. If you would like to see all the stats, box scores of top games, and reviews of the Top 10 lists, you can read the two articles:
Best Super Bowl Teams by Stats
Best Super Bowl Games by Stats
Limitations:
- The Algorithm never watched any of the games. While stats sometimes clearly tell a story of how the game went, sometimes they do not.
- It is a very limited sample set: each team/game is ranked on a single game worth of stats.
- The statistic set available from the early games limits the stats available for comparison.
Thus, the algorithm is going to produce a few head scratchers, particularly in the best/worst overall game lists which are seperated by miniscule amounts. Try not to get hung up on them, this is supposed to be a fun exercise not a definitve list of best/worst teams or games.
Super Bowl I Stats (pro-football-reference.com)
The Metrics
Here are the 12 statistics used for each of the 114 offenses and defenses:
- Points For (Offense) OR Points Against (Defense)
- First Downs
- Total Yards
- Rush Yards / Attempt
- Rush TD %
- Completion %
- Yards / Attempt
- Pass TD %
- Interception %
- Sack %
- Passer Rating
- ANY/As
The Stats From 57 Super Bowls - 114 Teams
Each team’s opponent’s offensive statistics were assigned to their defense. For example, in Super Bowl I Kansas City’s defense allowed what the Packers Offense statistically generated.
The Algorithm
Here is the process:
- Get the average for the stat using the stats from all 57 games/114 teams.
- Get the standard deviation of the stat.
- Score each game/team using the standardization score & the normalization score.
- Sum up and average out the scores leading to a final ranking.
Let’s start with the teams first, and then we will look at the games.
Best Offensive Super Bowl Teams
Best Offensive Super Bowl teams (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
Best Offensive Super Bowl teams (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
Best Defensive Super Bowl Teams
Best Defensive Super Bowl teams (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
Best Defensive Super Bowl teams (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
Best Super Bowl Teams - Overall
Best Super Bowl Teams - Overall (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
Best Super Bowl Teams - Overall (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
Best Super Bowl Teams Summary
Best Super Bowl Teams (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
Best Super Bowl Teams (Based on their stats in the Super Bowl)
| Top 10 – Best Super Bowl Teams |
|---|
- 1989 San Francisco 49ers
- 1974 Pittsburgh Steelers
- 1987 Washington Redskins
- 1977 Dallas Cowboys
- 1984 San Francisco 49ers
- 1980 Oakland Raiders
- 1994 San Francisco 49ers
- 1985 Chicago Bears
- 1992 Dallas Cowboys
- 1971 Dallas Cowboys
| Bottom 10 – Worst Super Bowl Teams |
|---|
- 1989 Denver Borncos
- 1977 Denver Broncos
- 1987 Denver Broncos
- 1985 New England Patriots
- 1974 Minnesota Vikings
- 1984 Miami Dolphins
- 1988 Cincinnati Bengals
- 1994 San Diego Chargers
- 1992 Buffalo Bills
- 1966 Kansas City Chiefs
While neither list is perfect, they aren’t that bad. The Algorithm’s Top 36 Super Bowl teams all won the Super Bowl. Which leads to the fun part of the list: The best teams who didn’t win, and the bad teams who did.
| Best 5 Super Bowl Teams That Didn’t Win The Super Bowl |
|---|
- 2001 St Louis Rams
- 2014 Seattle Seahawks
- 2008 Arizona Cardinals
- 1998 Green Bay Packers
- 2017 New England Patriots
| Worst 5 Super Bowl Teams That Won The Super Bowl |
|---|
- 2015 Denver Broncos
- 2021 LA Rams
- 2014 New England Patriots
- 2001 New England Patriots
- 2012 Baltimore Ravens
Ranking The Super Bowl Games
To rank the games we will use the two teams scores to get a game score. Then we will rank the game scores from best to worse.
Best Offensive Super Bowl Games
Best Defensive Super Bowl Games
Best Super Bowls Games - Overall
Best Super Bowl Games - Overall
Best Super Bowl Games - Overall by Year
Best Super Bowl Games Summary
Best Super Bowl Games Summary by Year
| Top 10 – Best Super Bowl Games |
|---|
- 2017 Philadelphia 41 vs New England 33
- 2013 Seattle 43 vs Denver 8
- 1997 Green Bay 24 vs Denver 31
- 2009 New Orleans 31 vs Indianapolis 17
- 1980 Oakland 27 vs Philadelphia 10
- 1999 St Louis 23 vs Tennessee 16
- 2022 Kansas City 38 vs Philadelphia 35
- 1998 Denver 34 vs Atlanta 19
- 2006 Indianapolis 29 vs Chicago 17
- 1970 Dallas 13 vs Baltimore 16
| Bottom 10 – Worst Super Bowl Games |
|---|
- 2015 Carolina 10 vs Denver 24
- 1975 Dallas 17 vs Pittsburgh 21
- 1977 Dallas 27 vs Denver 10
- 1969 Minnesota 7 vs Kansas City 23
- 1985 Chicago 46 vs New England 10
- 1966 Kansas City 10 vs Green Bay 35
- 1978 Pittsburgh 35 vs Dallas 31
- 2016 New England 34 vs Atlanta 28
- 1996 New England 21 vs Green Bay 35
- 1988 Cincinnati 16 vs San Francisco 20
These two lists have their issues. I would question #2 & #5 on the best list, and numbers 2, 7, 8 & 10 on the worst list. There are a lot of bad Super Bowls to choose from and the closeness of the rankings probably made the list a bit worse than it was just because it stopped at 10.
Super Bowl Stat Bowl Championships
What if we used the stats from each Super Bowl team and game and declare the winner as the team that performed better statistically? Which Super Bowl champions would change?
In the Super Bowl Statistical Matchups below, you can see which team performed better on the day.
- Teams in bold & blue background were Super Losers who would have won the Stat Bowl
- Teams in bold & Italics are teams in which the Standardization & Normalization ranks splits their decision.
Super Bowl Stat Bowl Championships
Using that …
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