The Kansas City Chiefs are now in elite company as back-to-back Super Bowl champions. They’re one Super Bowl win away from becoming the first team to win three-peat.
Prior to the Chiefs, eight teams had won back-to-back titles, but none of them were able to win three straight Super Bowls. In the 104-year history of the NFL, only the 1929-31 and 1965-67 Packers have won three straight titles.
Here’s a look at how the previous eight back-to-back champions fared in their three-peat attempt, starting with the ’68 Packers.
Packers
1968
6-7-1
None
Dolphins
1974
11-3
Lost to Raiders in Divisional Round
Steelers
1976
10-4
Los to Raiders in AFC Championship
Steelers
1980
9-7
None
49ers
1990
14-2
Lost to Giants in NFC Championship
Cowboys
1994
12-4
Lost to 49ers in NFC Championship
Broncos
1999
6-10
None
Patriots
2005
10-5
Lost to Broncos in Divisional Round
As you can see, only three of the previous back-to-back champs made it back to the conference championship round. There was one specific reason why each team came up short in their three-peat quest. Let’s take a look at each team and that one reason.
1976 Steelers: Injuries
Pittsburgh started 1-4 but won nine straight games on the strength of 1,000-yard rushers Franco Harris and Rocky Bleier and a defense that allowed just 28 points over that span. Considered by many to be the greatest Steelers team ever, Pittsburgh punched its ticket to Oakland for the AFC title game after pummeling a talented Colts team in the divisional round.
Injuries to Harris and Bleier in that game, however, left the Steelers without their top two backs. The Raiders, who lost just one game that season, took full advantage (and took great pleasure) in dethroning the team that had beaten them in the previous two AFC title games by a score of 24-7.
To be fair to the Raiders, they did defeat the Steelers in an epic game to open the season with Harris and Bleier healthy….
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/1990s-cowboys-among-nfls-best-back-to-back-super-bowl-champions-who-got-closest-to-historic-three-peat/
Author : Bryan DeArdo
Publish date : 2024-02-15 20:07:48
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