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Factoid

Practice makes perfect

Ravens complete another undefeated preseason

Three teams went undefeated in the preseason. Is that an indication that they’re more likely to win their divisions?

That hasn’t been the case recently. Especially in recent years, with more teams following the lead of Sean McVay, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy. All of those coaches have won division titles the last two years, and none of them give a hoot about the preseason. Better to keep players safely packed away for the real games.

In the last five years, 13 teams have gone 4-0 in the preseason. Only two of those teams went on to win their division, and only two others made the playoffs.

So while the Bills, Ravens and Giants all ran the table in August, probably best in each case to stick with what you thought of those teams a month ago.

Baltimore has been the king of preseason football. In five of the last six years it has gone undefeated. But only two of those teams then made the playoffs (and none of those teams actually won a playoff game).

4-0 TEAMS IN THE PRESEASON
Year TeamWLTPctComment
2014Baltimore1060.625wild card
2014Minnesota790.438
2014NY Giants6100.375
2015Kansas City1150.688wild card
2016Houston970.563AFC South
2016Baltimore880.500
2016Minnesota880.500
2016Philadelphia790.438
2017Baltimore970.563
2017Seattle970.563
2017Denver5110.313
2017Cleveland0160.000
2018Baltimore1060.625AFC North
2019• Buffalo????
2019• Baltimore????
2019• NY Giants????

Similarly, the Jaguars and Lions both went winless in the preseason, but nobody should be giving up on them just yet.

Over the last five years, 12 teams have gone 0-4 in preseason games, and their success rate in the regular games has been pretty similar. Three of those teams won their divisions, and two others were wild cards.

0-4 TEAMS IN THE PRESEASON
Year TeamWLTPctComment
2014Dallas1240.750NFC East
2014Indianapolis1150.688AFC South
2015St. Louis790.438
2015New Orleans790.438
2016New Orleans790.438
2016Cleveland1150.063
2017Atlanta1060.625wild card
2017Oakland6100.375
2018Seattle1060.625wild card
2018Dallas1060.625NFC East
2018Tennessee970.563
2018Atlanta790.438
2019• Jacksonville????
2019• Detroit????

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index