The San Francisco 49ers are the last team standing without a loss in the NFL now that the New England Patriots have taken an “L.” How have the final undefeated teams in the league fared since the year 2000?
2000: Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings started the season 7-0 with an offense led by Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss. They wound up 11-5 and defeated the New Orleans Saints in a Divisional round game. The dreams of a Purple Reign ended in the next round as the Vikings were shellacked by the New York Giants, 41-0.
2001: St. Louis Rams
The Rams reeled off six straight wins to open the season. They saw their undefeated dreams go up when John Carney kicked a last-second field goal to give the New Orleans Saints a 34-31 victory. St. Louis finished its season 14-2 and advanced to the Super Bowl via victories over the Packers and Eagles. Their dreams of a championship went up when Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal as time expired to give the New England Patriots the title.
2002: Oakland Raiders, San Diego Chargers
A pair of AFC West teams lasted the longest without a loss in 2002. The Chargers won their first four games before falling to the Denver Broncos. The fast start did not help as San Diego finished 8-8 and did not make the playoffs. The Oakland Raiders, meanwhile, won their first four and wound AFC West champs at 11-5. They advanced to the Super Bowl by downing the Jets and Titans before being blasted by the Buccaneers.
2003: Kansas City Chiefs
Dick Vermeil had his Chiefs in high gear as they won their first nine games of the season. They suffered their first loss when the Cincinnati Bengals topped the Chiefs, 24-19. Kansas City finished the season 13-3, but was quickly bounced from the playoffs, 38-31, in the Divisional round.
2004: Philadelphia Eagles
Andy Reid’s Eagles won their first seven games before heading to Pittsburgh for a PennsylMania showdown with the Steelers. The Eagles took their first loss, 27-7. They finished 13-3 and scored 27 points twice in the playoffs, downing the Vikings and Falcons, respectively, to gain the Super Bowl. Philadelphia fell in the title game to the New England Patriots, 24-21.
2005: Indianapolis Colts
Indianapolis was a terror in 2005. The Colts posted 13 straight victories before allowing a Nate Kaeding field goal and an 83-yard run by Michael Turner as San Diego overcame a 17-16, fourth-quarter deficit in a 26-17 victory. The Colts trailed 16-0 before rallying. They finished 14-2 but were doused in the Divisional round by the Steelers, 21-18.
2006: Indianapolis Colts
The Colts were back at it again, winning their first nine games before a trip to Texas to face the Cowboys. Dallas got a pair of Marion Barber TDs in the final quarter for a 21-14 victory. Peyton Manning wound up leading Indy t a 12-4 season and the Colts went on to win the Super Bowl over the Chicago Bears.
2007: New England Patriots
Oh, the pain. New England won all 16 of its regular season games and marched into the Super Bowl with an 18-0 record. The NFL’s second perfect season was not to be as the New York Giants thwarted Tom Brady & Co., 17-14.
2008: Tennessee Titans
Tennessee opened the season with 10 consecutive victories. In Week 12, the Titans already had their bye, Tennessee met 7-3 New York Jets team coached by Eric Mangini. Brett Favre led Gang Green to victory over Kerry Collins and Tennessee, 34-13. The Titans finished 13-3 and were ousted in the Divisional round by the Baltimore Ravens, 13-10.
2009: Indianapolis Colts
Jim Caldwell took over for Tony Dungy and Indianapolis won its first 14 games for the new coach. In Week 16, the 7-7 New York Jets visited and Thomas Jones ran for 105 yards and a score as Gang Green posted a 29-15 victory. The Colts wound up 14-2, defeated the Ravens and Jets in the AFC playoffs before falling to the Saints in a Super Bowl thriller.
2010: Steelers, Chiefs, Bears
Three teams made it to 3-0 before suffering a loss. The Chiefs were downed by the Colts, 19-9, in Week 5 after their bye. KC finished 10-6 and lost in the Wild-Card round to Baltimore. The Bears took a trifecta of victories before losing to Giants, 17-3. Chicago wound up 11-5 and was bounced by Green Bay in the NFC Championship, 10-3. Pittsburgh was upended by the Baltimore Ravens after its 3-0 start. The Steelers were 12-4 in the regular season before beating Baltimore and the Jets and losing to Green Bay in the Super Bowl.
2011: Green Bay Packers
The Packers were 13-0 when they made a road trip to Kansas City in Week 15. The Chiefs came in 5-8 and were double-digit underdogs. Kyle Orton outplayed Aaron Rodgers, who was sacked four times, and KC came away with a 19-14 victory. Green Bay went on to finish 15-1 and was stunned by the New York Giants in the Divisional round.
2012: Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons started with eight straight victories before heading to New Orleans in Week 10. Drew Brees threw three TD passes as the Saints came away with a 31-27 victory. The Falcons finished 13-3, defeated Seattle in the Divisional round before falling to the 49ers in the NFC Championship.
2013: Kansas City Chiefs
Andy Reid and the Chiefs started 9-0 before hitting the bye week. It derailed their momentum as the Denver Broncos toppled KC, 27-17, in a Sunday nighter at Arrowhead. The Chiefs never regained their momentum, finishing 11-5 and blowing a 38-10 lead in a 45-44 loss to the Colts in the Wild-Card round.
2014: Cincinnati Bengals, Arizona Cardinals
It did not take long for every team to wind up with a loss in 2014. The Bengals and Cardinals each were 3-0 before falling. Cincinnati had a bye and then was crushed by New England, 43-17. Marvin Lewis and the Bengals finished 10-5-1 and were ousted by the Colts in a Wild-Card game. Arizona, meanwhile, also had a bye in Week 4 and came back only to lose against Denver, 41-20. The Cardinals also fell in the Wild-Card round, losing to the Carolina Panthers.
2015: Carolina Panthers
Cam Newton and the Panthers were a juggernaut in 2015. They won their first 14 games before meeting the Atlanta Falcons in Week 16 and losing, 20-13. The Panthers ousted the Seahawks and Falcons in the playoffs before falling to the Denver Broncos in the Super Bowl.
2016: Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings reeled off five straight victories to start the season heading into their bye week. When they returned in Week 7, the Vikings were beaten by the Philadelphia Eagles, 21-10. That was the beginning of the downfall as Minnesota finished 8-8 and did not make the playoffs.
2017: Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City got off to another fast start, winning its first five games. The Pittsburgh Steelers came to Arrowhead in Week 6 and sacked Alex Smith three times en route to a 19-13 victory. KC finished 10-6 and was eliminated by Tennessee, 22-21, in the Wild-Card round.
2018: Los Angeles Rams
Sean McVay continued to work his magic in his second season in LA. He led the Rams to eight victories before a journey to the Big Easy and a meeting with the Saints. It was a wild one as New Orleans came away with a 45-35 victory that was in doubt until Michael Thomas caught a 72-yard TD pass from Drew Brees with less than four minutes left. The Rams finished 13-3 and gained the Super Bowl, where they lost to New England, 13-3.
2019: San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers remain unbeaten after nine weeks. How will they wind up? Running the table has to be a long shot as they face Seattle (twice), Green Bay, Baltimore, New Orleans and the Los Angeles Rams in the rest of the regular season.
