Since 1996, at least one conference finalist has failed to make playoffs the following year

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

Initial credit on this goes to someone on Twitter who mentioned this; I haven't been able to track down the original tweet, but I have now done the research to verify it myself.

 

If Bills make playoffs, it would buck 24-year trend of at least one conference finalist from prior year not reaching playoffs the next year. This has happened every year since 1996.

 

Last year, the conference finalists were TB, GB, KC, and BUF. This year, TB and GB are 10-3, and KC is 10-4. These three teams are going to the playoffs, leaving only the Bills at 7-6. The question now becomes: Will the Bills buck the 24-year trend and make the playoffs, or will the streak continue to 25 years?

 

Listed below are the conference finalists from the year prior who failed to make the playoffs the next year. (Year listed is year playoffs were missed.)

 

1997: CAR
1998: PIT
1999: ATL, DEN, NYJ
2000: JAC
2001: NYG, MIN
2002: STL, NE
2003: TB, OAK
2004: CAR
2005: PHI, ATL
2006: CAR, PIT, DEN
2007: CHI, NO
2008: GB, NE
2009: PIT
2010: MIN
2011: CHI, NYJ
2012: NYG
2013: ATL, BAL
2014: SF
2015: IND
2016: CAR, ARI, DEN
2017: GB
2018: MIN, JAC
2019: LAR
2020: SF
2021: ?

 

Turns out, missing the playoffs after reaching the conference title game is very common. Since 1996, it has happened 4x to PIT, 3x to ATL, DEN, and MIN, and 2x to numerous other clubs.

 

So what's going to happen? Will the Bills be the exception or the rule?

[Dr. Who]

Well, you're always good for a joyful thought.

[Patrick Duffy]

That streak ends in 4 weeks...

[atlbillsfan1975]

This topic was started a couple weeks ago on here. 

[uticaclub]

🙁

[Mr. WEO]

17 minutes ago, atlbillsfan1975 said:

This topic was started a couple weeks ago on here. 

 

the repeat threads are multiplying....

[LeGOATski]

Considering this is the first year that 7 teams go, it's a fitting year to end the streak.

[Stank_Nasty]

1 minute ago, LeGOATski said:

Considering this is the first year that 7 teams go, it's a fitting year to end the streak.

But it’s not the first year 

[LeGOATski]

7 minutes ago, Stank_Nasty said:

But it’s not the first year 

I stand corrected.

 

But it's an expansion year nonetheless, so it's fitting.

[BuffaloBillyG]

It'll be interesting to see how the Chiefs, Packers or Bucs miss the playoffs. 

[Giuseppe Tognarelli]

3 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

I stand corrected.

 

But it's an expansion year nonetheless, so it's fitting.

Huh?

[MJS]

These stats aren't predictive, though. They literally have no bearing at all on the future.

 

The Bills have a good shot to make the playoffs. They might not, sure, but they still have a good shot.

 

Yes, we all expected them to be better and easily take the division, but oh well. They aren't as good as we thought, but they are still good.

[djp14150]

6 hours ago, Giuseppe Tognarelli said:

Initial credit on this goes to someone on Twitter who mentioned this; I haven't been able to track down the original tweet, but I have now done the research to verify it myself.

 

If Bills make playoffs, it would buck 24-year trend of at least one conference finalist from prior year not reaching playoffs the next year. This has happened every year since 1996.

 

Last year, the conference finalists were TB, GB, KC, and BUF. This year, TB and GB are 10-3, and KC is 10-4. These three teams are going to the playoffs, leaving only the Bills at 7-6. The question now becomes: Will the Bills buck the 24-year trend and make the playoffs, or will the streak continue to 25 years?

 

Listed below are the conference finalists from the year prior who failed to make the playoffs the next year. (Year listed is year playoffs were missed.)

 

1997: CAR
1998: PIT
1999: ATL, DEN, NYJ
2000: JAC
2001: NYG, MIN
2002: STL, NE
2003: TB, OAK
2004: CAR
2005: PHI, ATL
2006: CAR, PIT, DEN
2007: CHI, NO
2008: GB, NE
2009: PIT
2010: MIN
2011: CHI, NYJ
2012: NYG
2013: ATL, BAL
2014: SF
2015: IND
2016: CAR, ARI, DEN
2017: GB
2018: MIN, JAC
2019: LAR
2020: SF
2021: ?

 

Turns out, missing the playoffs after reaching the conference title game is very common. Since 1996, it has happened 4x to PIT, 3x to ATL, DEN, and MIN, and 2x to numerous other clubs.

 

So what's going to happen? Will the Bills be the exception or the rule?

 

in this streak…how many of those were not division winners ?

[Bills Analyst]

The Bills are nowhere on that list and I don’t expect the, to be there this year either.

[US Egg]

[BillsFan619]

6 hours ago, LeGOATski said:

Considering this is the first year that 7 teams go, it's a fitting year to end the streak.

 

8 hours ago, Sheneneh Jenkins said:

That streak ends in 4 weeks...

Yup! It’s another “drought” that this regime can break.

 

Go Bills. The division is ours for the taking.

[Nelius]

Interesting dig, but the 17 game regular season is going to throw all of this and much more out of wack. Pretty much draw a line after 2020 as you would for stat records or any other 16 game season obscure facts.

[Aussie Joe]

Appears this year will break that trend so thanks for pointing that out 

[Motorin']

9 hours ago, MJS said:

These stats aren't predictive, though. They literally have no bearing at all on the future.

 

The Bills have a good shot to make the playoffs. They might not, sure, but they still have a good shot.

 

Yes, we all expected them to be better and easily take the division, but oh well. They aren't as good as we thought, but they are still good.

 

Stop with the logic, would ya? 🤣

[chongli]

Buffalo has made the AFC Conference Championship Game five times in the past before last season (1988, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993). We made the playoffs the next year in four of those five years, so we have a pretty good track record. Just saying...