Eagles’ perfect start might not mean a perfect finish, NFL history shows

Eagles fans already lining up Super Bowl accommodations for mid-February should remember what Mike Tomlin said.

Of the 28 previous teams to start 8-0, most are remembered only when the history books are opened. More 8-0 teams failed to win a playoff game than won the Super Bowl.

Drill down a little further and see that of the 10 teams to win their first eight since 2010 — in other words, the Eagles’ contemporaries — none went on to win the Super Bowl. Two reached the Supe (San Francisco in the 2019 season, L.A. Rams in 2018) while two others lost in the conference championship.

The remaining four staggered so badly down the stretch that not only were they forced to play in the wild-card game, but each lost in that round. Ugh.

The most recent club was the 2020 Steelers, who actually started 11-0. They were a flawed team, and boy did the wheels come off quickly. Pittsburgh closed by losing four of its last five and then dropped a wild-card meeting at home to rival Cleveland, which hadn’t won a playoff game in 25 years and was without its coach because of COVID-19.

Still can remember that line Steelers coach Tomlin had when Pittsburgh went to 10-0. “The only thing perfect about this team,” he pointed out, “is its record.”

Indeed, there’s a long way to go.

(Super Bowl era, since 1966)

18-0: New England (2007)

17-0: *Miami (1972)

14-0: Carolina (2015), Indianapolis (2009)

13-0: Green Bay (2011), *New Orleans (2009), Indianapolis (2005), *Denver (1998)

12-0: *Chicago (1985)

11-0: Pittsburgh (2020), *Washington (1991), Miami (1984), L.A. Rams (1969)

10-0: New England (2015), Tennessee (2008), *N.Y. Giants (1990), *San Francisco (1990), Minnesota (1975)

9-0: Kansas City (2013), Indianapolis (2006), Kansas City (2003), Minnesota (1973)

8-0: Eagles (2022), San Francisco (2019), New England (2019), L.A. Rams (2018), Cincinnati (2015), Atlanta (2012), *Dallas (1977)

*—Won Super Bowl.

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Although it’s been rather rough lately, 15 of the previous 28 teams to start 8-0 reached the Super Bowl. Here’s a look:

Won Super Bowl (8): New Orleans (2009), Indianapolis (2006), Denver (1998), Washington (1991), N.Y. Giants (1990), Chicago (1985), Dallas (1977), Miami (1972)

Lost Super Bowl (7): San Francisco (2019), L.A. Rams (2018), Carolina (2015), Indianapolis (2009), New England (2007), Miami (1984), Minnesota (1973)

Lost conference championship (3): New England (2015), Atlanta (2012), San Francisco (1990)

Did not win a playoff game (10): Pittsburgh (2020), New England (2019), Cincinnati (2015), Kansas City (2013), Green Bay (2011), Tennessee (2008), Indianapolis (2005), Kansas City (2003), Minnesota (1975), L.A. Rams (1969)

Won Super Bowl — 8 of 28, 28.6%

Lost Super Bowl — 7 of 28, 25.0%

Lost conference championship — 3 of 28, 10.7%

Did not win a playoff game — 10 of 28, 35.7%

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Primary quarterbacks for the teams that started 8-0 or better:

Tom Brady (’07, ‘15, ‘19 Patriots)

Drew Brees (’09 Saints)

Kerry Collins (’08 Titans)

Andy Dalton (’15 Bengals)

John Elway (’98 Broncos)

Roman Gabriel (’69 Rams)

Jimmy Garoppolo (’19 Niners)

Jared Goff (’18 Rams)

Trent Green (’03 Chiefs)

Jalen Hurts (’22 Eagles)

Peyton Manning (’05, ‘06, ‘09 Colts)

Dan Marino (’84 Dolphins)

Jim McMahon (’85 Bears)

Joe Montana (’90 Niners)

Earl Morrall (’72 Dolphins)

Cam Newton (’15 Panthers)

Aaron Rodgers (’11 Packers)

Ben Roethlisberger (’20 Steelers)

Matt Ryan (’12 Falcons)

Mark Rypien (’91 Washington)

Phil Simms (’90 Giants)

Alex Smith (’13 Chiefs)

Roger Staubach (’77 Cowboys)

Fran Tarkenton (’73, ‘75 Vikings)

Note: Bob Griese started six games for the 1972 Dolphins, including the Super Bowl. … Jeff Hostetler replaced Phil Simms at the end of the 1990 Giants’ season, and also won the Super Bowl.

1960s: 1 (L.A. Rams 1969)

1970s: 4 (Miami 1972; Minnesota 1973, 1975; Dallas 1977)

1980s: 2 (Miami 1984; Chicago, 1985)

1990s: 4 (N.Y. Giants 1990; San Francisco 1990; Washington 1991; Denver 1998)

2000s: 7 (Kansas City 2003; Indianapolis 2005, 2006, 2009; New England 2007; Tennessee 2008; New Orleans 2009)

2010s: 9 (Green Bay 2011; Atlanta 2012; Kansas City 2013; Carolina 2015; Cincinnati 2015; New England 2015, 2019; L.A. Rams 2018; San Francisco 2019)

2020s: 2 (Pittsburgh 2020; Eagles 2022)

The Eagles’ remaining schedule with DraftKings’ odds of that team pinning the first loss on the Birds:

Monday: vs. Washington, 8:15 p.m. (+350)

Sunday, Nov. 20: at Indianapolis, 1 p.m. (+350)

Sunday, Nov. 27: vs. Green Bay, 8:20 p.m. (+450)

Sunday, Dec. 4: vs. Tennessee, 1 p.m. (+700)

Sunday, Dec. 11: at N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m. (+600)

Sunday, Dec. 18: at Chicago, 1 p.m. (+1600)

Saturday, Dec. 24: at Dallas, 4:25 p.m. (+800)

Sunday, Jan. 1: vs. New Orleans, 1 p.m. (+1800)

Sunday, Jan. 8: vs. N.Y. Giants, 1 p.m. (N/A)

Note: Lines are as of Saturday. … Odds for the Eagles to go 17-0 were +900. Odds on them losing a game were -2000. … Odds on the Eagles to go 20-0 were 25-1.

Inquirer Eagles beat reporters EJ Smith and Josh Tolentino preview the team’s Week 10 game against the Washington Commanders. Watch at Inquirer.com/EaglesGameday