Missed championship windows in NFL history

The following two words can make or break a team: championship window.

Some teams cash in on them, others sit back and have them closed as we wonder what could’ve been or how come a certain team didn’t win more. There’s plenty of those stories in the NFL, and I’ve the person to tell you about them.

Now before we start, I’ve got to lay down some ground rules here. First off, this will cover teams starting in the merger era of 1970 so sorry Los Angeles Rams of the 1960s.

Second, teams that have won a Super Bowl are eligible for making the list. OK, you’ve got the instructions now lets do this.

1970s

Minnesota Vikings

Championship Window: 1969-1977 (4 Super Bowl appearances, 7 NFC Central titles)

Best title opportunity: 1975 (12-2 record, MVP in QB Fran Tarkenton, offense and defense ranked in top five.)

This is pretty low-hanging fruit, possibly one of the biggest missed title windows on the list, the Vikings failed to win a Super Bowl in three attempts and missed out on another as the Cowboys stole a fourth back in the ’75 Divisional Round off of a Roger Staubach Hail Mary, you might remember that play.

San Francisco 49ers

Championship Window: 1970-1972 (2 NFC Title games, 2 NFC West titles)

Best title opportunity: 1970 (49ers QB John Brodie was MVP, hosted the first ever NFC Title Game.)

The 49ers went to the playoffs three straight times to start the decade and they lost to the Cowboys three straight times. Brutal. Just brutal.

Houston Oilers

Championship Window: 1978-1980 (three straight AFC Title games, 3 AFC playoff berths)

Best title opportunity: 1979 (Trailing 17-10, the Oilers appeared to score a game-tying TD, but it was ruled out of bounds. The Oilers kicked a field goal to make it 17-13 but Pittsburgh tacked on 10 points in the fourth to end the Oilers run.)

The Oilers finished second in the AFC Central to the Steelers and lost to them in back to back title games, before the Raiders ended their hopes in the ’80 Wildcard. Bum Phillips could never quite kick that door in.

Baltimore Colts

Championship Window: 1975-1977 (three straight AFC East titles)

Best title opportunity: 1977 (A season removed from Bert Jones MVP season of ’76, the Colts took the reigning Super Bowl champion Oakland to the brink and beyond, losing in two OTs 37-31.)

You can make the case that this was the last truly great football game in Baltimore until the Ravens in 2000. For a three year stretch the Colts were arguably the most compelling team in football.

Los Angeles Rams

Championship Window: 1973-1980 ( seven straight NFC West titles, Super Bowl Appearance.)

Best title opportunity: 1979 (After near misses in almost every year in the 70s, the Rams finally reached Super Bowl XIV against the Pittsburgh Steelers, leading the eventual Super Bowl champs going into the fourth quarter)

The decade’s biggest underachievers, the Rams, finally cashed in on its long awaited Super Bowl opportunity, even if it came in a loss.