Which NFL Franchise is the Worst?

[Sunstroke]

I'm not quite 100% with that...  I think you can have a solid QB, but if the coach sucks at game planning, that QB will never perform as well as he could. Likewise, you could have a coach that is very solid, but has so little talent to work with that he's never able to get the team to win consistently.

I think it's usually one or the other, but in the 49ers case, we have it harsh in both of those key spots. I absolutely love the young talent that SF has been drafting on both sides of the ball...now we just need a HC that knows how to use that talent, and a QB that doesn't self destruct on the field.

[AZ Fins Fan 55]

 
AZ - I know you went to the Cardinals game last week, is there a light at the end of the tunnel in Phoenix?  A few years removed from a Super Bowl and this team looks lost.

I think the offseason will prove what this team is going to do in the future. We all expected a let down season this year as we lost a tremendous amount of talent. (Warner, Boldin, Rolle, Dansby, Okefor, & Barry) I think ridding the team of Lineart was a great decision as no matter what people think about him, he was not a leader and he did not have the respect of his peers and teamates. These guys were not going to battle with him at the helm. Derek Anderson sucks donkey balls and I can let you know that all 233 Cardinals fans loathe him. We are hopefully going to utilize Skelton for the remainder of the season who is very unproven but has a cannon for an arm. I think they need to add a few run stoppers and a game managing QB, and improve the o-line a ton but they can contend to make the playoffs again. I mean really you only need about 8 wins in this division anyways lol. With that said I know the Bidwells are among the biggest tight asses in all of football so I fully expect them to return to the cellar where they belong for years to come. This is my 11th season having season tickets and while I do not see that changing anytime in the future, I can tell you that after the last two seasons where we tasted some success it has made this season really difficult. I wondered how I put up with that for 7 of the last 10 years as it did not bother me then. I have retrain my mind I guess to get back to the point where the growing losses do not affect me again.

[jtex316]

I've analyzed the Detriot Lions franchise and here are the results:

Since 1990 (not counting 2010, so a good 20 seasons):

Detriot Lions:

8 Head Coaches (2 interim, 6 full-time)
121-199 W-L Record (.403 Win Pct.)
Best Record: 12-4 (1991)
Division Titles: 2 (1991, 1993)
Playoff Wins: 1 (1991)
Playoff Appearances (Seasons): 5 (1991, 1993-1995, 1997, 1999)
Conference Championship Games: 0
Conference Championships: 0
Super Bowl Appearances: 0
Super Bowl Wins: 0
10+ Win Seasons: 3 (1991, 1993, 1995)
10+ Loss Seasons: 12 (1990, 1992, 1996, 1998, 2001-2006, 2008-2009)

All Sources: NFL.com.

I wanted to analyze Buffalo, too, but their website doesn't have an easy history page like the Lions' website. Maybe later.

[jtex316]

Buffalo Bills:

6 Head Coaches (1 interim, 5 full-time)
169-151 W-L Record (.528 Win Pct.)
Best Record: 13-3 (1990, 1991)
Division Titles: 4 (1990-1991, 1993, 1995)
Playoff Wins: 10 (1990-1993, 1995)
Playoff Appearances (Seasons): 8 (1990-1993, 1995-1996, 1998-1999)
Conference Championship Games: 4
Conference Championships: 4
Super Bowl Appearances: 4
Super Bowl Wins: 0
10+ Win Seasons: 8 (1990-1993, 1995-1996, 1998-1999)
10+ Loss Seasons: 6 (1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2009)

Statistically, the only thing that the Detriot Lions are equal or greater than the Buffalo Bills are the number of Super Bowl victories. Other than that, Buffalo has been more successfull in the last 20 years than the Detriot Lions.

You can even narrow your focus closer and remove the 90's all together:

From 2000-2009:

Lions: 42-118 (.263 Win pct)
Bills: 66-94 (.413 Win pct)

Worst Lions Season: 0-16 (2008)
Best Lions Season: 9-7 (2000)
Lions Seasons at or over .500: 1 (2000)
Lions Seasons under .500: 9 (2001-2009)

Worst Bills Season: 3-13 (2001)
Best Bills Season: 9-7 (2004)
Bills Seasons at or over .500: 3 (2000, 2002, 2004)
Bills Seasons under .500: 7 (2001, 2003, 2005-2009)

The Bills have clearly not been as bad as the Lions have in last 10 AND in the last 20 years.

[Dave Gray]

There's no question that the Bills have been better, but do they have a brighter future? 

[Jim Gray]

While Detroit has enjoyed 15 years of major suckitude, I think they are on the rise.  Is the future of Detroit brighter than the future of Cincy or Arizona?  I believe that it is.......but I wouldn't bet money on it, given the Lions history.

[Sunstroke]

Is the future of Detroit brighter than the future of Cincy or Arizona?  I believe that it is.......but I wouldn't bet money on it, given the Lions history.

I probably would, just because I think that Detroit "really" has a lot more quality talent than either Cincy or the Cards. By this time next season, I expect any conversation about "who's the best defensive lineman in the NFL" to start with Ndamukong Suh. That dude is an absolute monster, and he's just going to get better. If you take the first and second round picks that Detroit has made the past two drafts, I see 5-for-5 in quality building blocks:

2009:
QB Matt Stafford - Has had injury issues, but I still see him as an outstanding NFL QB just waiting to happen
TE Brandon Pettigrew - Very talented young TE, only Calvin has more receptions or rec yds for Detroit
FS Louis Delmas - Has been Detroit's starting FS since game one of his rookie year...excellent two way safety who leads Detroit in tackles this season

2010:
DT Ndamuking Suh - See comment above...Mr House of Spears is a mutant freak and could very well accidentally kill someone on the field someday
RB Jahvid Best - Some injury concerns as well, but no arguing his talent when he's on the field. Kid knows where the end zone is every time the ball is in his hands.

[jtex316]

^This feels like the Houston Texans story to me. Every year they are "That next new team on the rise", and every year they disappoint.

Will the Lions be all hyped up like the Texans were this year and go 5-11 next season?

[Sunstroke]

Not sure...my crystal ball is in the shop for calibration.  Talent-wise, I expect them to get some hype next preseason, especially if all the young talent is healthy coming into the season.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Rumor has it the Redskins are thinking of changing their team name to the Generals. 

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Denver!

Denver may be getting close to bringing in Elway to be their equivalent of the Dolphin's Bill Parcells.  So you have an someone who is an untouchable God-like figure because of his abilities as a QB running the team who has zero knowledge of how to run a franchise just how to play QB.   2011 Denver finish last in the AFC!