From the Pack to the Patriots: The Makings of a Dynasty

Every ten years or so, a special group of guys rocks the NFL and every other team that plays them. These teams, called dynasties, have a lot more in common then you might think. Here are a few similarities I noticed among the NFL's bonafide dynasties: The Abyss : One of the more surprising traits I have noticed in regards to the progression of a dynasty is a long stretch of mediocrity shortly before the dominance inherent in a dynastic franchise. For instance, in 1970, the Steelers went 1-13 and won the coin toss with Chicago that allowed them to pick QB Terry Bradshaw. Shortly thereafter, Bradshaw and the Steel Curtain put the "nasty" in dynasty. The first dynasty, the Packers of the late '60s, was also a terrible team before the hiring of Vince Lombardi. The Pack went 1-10-1 in 1958 under Ray Mclean with a team similar to the 13-1 1962 team coached by Lombardi. One reason for this may be that such a long stretch of losing seasons gives a team great opportunities to ... (link)