A recent statistic on social media awarded the 1991 Washington Redskins the top spot for best Super Bowl team in NFL history. While many fans would like to argue against this metric, several facts support this decision as very reasonable.

The 1991 Redskins accomplished the following:

• 14-2 Record
• Scored 485 Total Points
• Only Gave Up 224 Total Points
• Beat the Bills 37-24 in Super Bowl XXVI
• Had 3 Top Players Reach Over 1,000 Yards on the Season

If you’re interested in the statistical formula that was used to determine this ranking, it was the DVOA score.

You might wonder, what is DVOA?

Well, DVOA, or Defense-adjusted Value Over Average, measures a team’s efficiency by comparing its success on each play to the league average, taking into account the situation of down-and-distance. Fancy stuff honestly, but there is a website that goes into immense detail if you’re the type of individual who is interested in statistics and finding out the reason why of certain rankings.

Aaron Schatz from FTNFantasy.com has put together a detailed analysis of DVOA. You can check it out here.

In addition to the 1991 Redskins, several other franchises have consistently been ranked as top Super Bowl teams:

• 1972 Dolphins
• 1985 Chicago Bears
• 1992 Dallas Cowboys
• 1984 San Francisco 49ers
• 2000 Baltimore Ravens
• 1999 St. Louis Rams

These are just several teams that are on the list each year and as we continue to head into 2024 and beyond, those 2010’s Super Bowl teams may start to get into play as the time has significantly passed to evaluate them. I always think about the 2011 New York Giants and what they accomplished that season. However, with just a 9-7 record, it is extremely hard to pick them as the best Super Bowl team of all time. Wins certainly matter the most, but also how many points scored for and against, is also extremely important to judge such a prestigious award.

If I had to choose out of the above franchise list for the best Super Bowl of all time, based on statistics, wins to losses, and overall domination per opponent, I would have to choose the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

The 1972 Miami Dolphins accomplished the following:

•  17-0 Record
•  Scored 385 Total Points
•  Only Gave Up 171 Total Points
•  Beat the Washington Redskins 14-7 in Super Bowl VII
• Only undefeated and untied season in NFL history

2nd Place: 1985 Chicago Bears

The 1985 Chicago Bears accomplished the following:

• 15-1 Record
• Scored 456 Total Points
• Only Gave Up 198 Total Points
• Beat the New England Patriots 46-10 in Super Bowl XX
• Had a Laundry List of Players Impact and Change the Game
• Changed the Way Defense Was Played (46 Defense)

Your Choice: 

If you had to pick one Super Bowl team in NFL history to take the title of best ever, which team would you pick and why? Statistics such as DVOA only tell part of the story. If one looks at the bigger picture and really delves into the statistics and wins to losses, it is extremely hard to not pick the 1972 Miami Dolphins.

I’m looking forward to hearing your thoughts in our comment section below.