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Does practice make perfect?

Broncos, Seahawks, Ravens look to build on undefeated preseasons

The preseason doesn’t mean everything. The Lions most famously went 0-16 after finishing undefeated in August. But it also doesn’t mean nothing. When teams dominate against opponents in the practice games, that’s usually an indicator that those teams have better personnel.

Consider the chart below, which shows the 41 teams that have outscored opponents by at least 40 points in the preseason in the last 20 years. Only 11 of those teams in the regular season then finished with losing records.

If you look only at teams that have outscored opponents by at over 55 points, there have been 15 of those teams. One finished with a losing record, two finished 8-8, and the remaining 12 all finished with winning records.

(On the chart below, if the team went on to finish with a losing record, there’s a black dot by the name.)

Which brings us to 2017. Three teams really kicked butt in the preseason: Denver, Seattle and Baltimore. I like the look of the Seahawks. I think they’re going to be the Super Bowl team from the NFC side – I think they’re going to win at Green Bay this week.

With Denver, I’m not sure. The AFC West is a tough division, so I could see them finishing anywhere from 6-10 to 10-6. That division is up for grabs. But they have some players.

The Ravens are the team I can’t sign up for. I don’t like their personnel. Joe Flacco has never been able to get over the hump and has a bad back. I don’t like any of the players they have on that offense, who are mostly castoffs from other teams. I don’t care what they did in the preseason – will be surprised if they finish with a winning record.

DOMINANT PRESEASON TEAMS (last 20 years)
Year TeamWLTPFPADiffReg. Sea.
1998Minnesota400129507915-1-0
2012Seattle400122447811-5-0
2006Cincinnati40013154778-8-0
2013Seattle400110367413-3-0
1997Green Bay500121477413-3-0
1999Tampa Bay400108377111-5-0
2009New Orleans310107386913-3-0
2011Detroit400114476710-6-0
1998Tampa Bay4008926638-8-0
2014Denver31099376212-4-0
1997Pittsburgh500155965911-5-0
2006New England220117605712-4-0
2017Denver4001075057?-?-?
2002NY Jets40010145569-7-0
2002Denver3108428569-7-0
2015• Philadelphia31013377567-9-0
1999Green Bay40011762558-8-0
2002• Washington410164109557-9-0
2017Seattle4001115655?-?-?
2003New England400108545414-2-0
2013San Francisco31096435312-4-0
2003Dallas220100475310-6-0
2013• Washington40010653533-13-0
2003Carolina40081315011-5-0
2003Tennessee40097484912-4-0
2017Baltimore400813249?-?-?
2008• Detroit4008032480-16-0
2015Kansas City400106594711-5-0
2012• Philadelphia40010660464-12-0
2009Baltimore4008439459-7-0
2000• San Diego40010661451-15-0
2013• Detroit31010763447-9-0
2013Cincinnati310106634311-5-0
2006Dallas3017027439-7-0
2016• Philadelphia4008138437-9-0
2014Baltimore400105634210-6-0
2003• Tampa Bay41011068427-9-0
2015• Chicago3108442426-10-0
2007Pittsburgh41087464110-6-0
2001• Minnesota40010059415-11-0
2014Green Bay310102624012-4-0
2014Seattle220122824012-4-0
2014• Minnesota4008949407-9-0

—Ian Allan

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