The Atlanta Falcons were a worthy NFC representative. They've got an MVP quarterback, maybe the league's best wide receiver and tandem of running backs, and an underrated defense. But after losing Super Bowl LI, they're facing considerable odds to get back there again a year from now.

It's been almost 25 years since a Super Bowl loser got back to the game one year later -- since the Bills did it three years in a row. The last 23 Super Bowl losers haven't made it back to the Super Bowl. Only two of those teams even made it to the Conference Championship game. The majority either missed the playoffs entirely (like the Falcons themselves after their other Super Bowl loss) or lost their opening-round playoff game.

Maybe the Falcons will beat the odds, but there's a lot of history against them.

The table below shows how Super Bowl losers have fared one year later since the Bills four-year run.

SUPER BOWL LOSERS, ONE YEAR LATER
Super BowlLosing TeamOne Year Later?
XXIXSan DiegoLost in Wild Card
XXXPittsburghLost in Divisional Round
XXXINew EnglandLost in Divisional Round
XXXIIGreen BayLost in Wild Card
XXXIIIAtlantaMissed Playoffs
XXXIVTennesseeLost in Divisional Round
XXXVNY GiantsMissed Playoffs
XXXVISt. LouisMissed Playoffs
XXXVIIOaklandMissed Playoffs
XXXVIIICarolinaMissed Playoffs
XXXIXPhiladelphiaMissed Playoffs
XLSeattleLost in Divisional Round
XLIChicagoMissed Playoffs
XLIINew EnglandMissed Playoffs
XLIIIArizonaLost in Divisional Round
XLIVIndianapolisLost in Wild Card
XLVPittsburghLost in Wild Card
XLVINew EnglandLost in Championship Game
XLVIISan FranciscoLost in Championship Game
XLVIIIDenverLost in Divisional Round
XLIXSeattleLost in Divisional Round
50CarolinaMissed Playoffs
LIAtlanta???

--Andy Richardson