NFL: The Top 30 teams of the modern era

1. 1976 Oakland Raiders

The Raiders had been one of the most consistent teams in football for a decade at the start of the 1976 season, but they had yet to win a Super Bowl because they had been beaten by championship teams like the Packers, Chiefs and Steelers. However, head coach John Madden knew there would be no stopping his team in ’76 since the Raiders had been through so many pressure situations in the past.

The Raiders had an exceptional regular season, and lost just one game. Ken Stabler’s remarkable leadership and passing accuracy had allowed the team to pass every fourth-quarter test it had, and the Raiders were loaded with confidence.

After beating the Patriots and the Steelers in the postseason, they advanced to Super Bowl XI against the Minnesota Vikings. Both teams had fallen short in the Super Bowl before, and most thought this was a dead-even game between two dominant teams.

However, the Raiders offensive line – led by Gene Upshaw and Art Shell – overpowered Minnesota’s Purple People Eaters on the defensive line and rolled to a 32-14 triumph.

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