After a terrible 4-8-2 season in 1969, the 49ers bounced back in 1970. The club had a 10-3-1 record in the regular season. After progressing to the postseason, the 49ers won the divisional playoffs 17-14 against the Vikings but succumbed to the Cowboys 17-10 in the NFC Championship Game.
1978 surely wasn't the year for the Bucs as they ended the regular season 5-11 and didn't qualify for the playoffs. However, they came back with a vengeance in 1979. With a 10-6 record in the regular season they won the NFC Central and their Divisional playoff clash against the Eagles (24-17). However, their good run soon ended at the Championship stage as the Rams shut them out 9-0.
The Cincinnati Bengals ended the 1987 regular season with a disappointing 4-11 record. In the very next season, they bounced back with a 12-4 record. They went on a winning spree and won both the Divisional Clash and the AFC Championship. But Bengals failed to replicate their success against the 49ers at the Super Bowl that year and faced a 20-16 defeat.
The Broncos ended the 1990 season with a 5-11 regular season record and failed to qualify for the playoffs. In 1991, they came back with a bang. The Broncos went 12-4 in the regular season as they made it to the playoffs. Although they won their Divisional round contest against the Oilers (26-24), they failed to record another win at the AFC Championship Game, falling to the Buffalo Bills (10-7).
After a 4-12 season in 1995, the Jags turned things around in 1996 with a 9-7 record in the regular season. As they stepped into the postseason, they won their Wild Card matchup against the Bills (30-27) and continued this success with another win over the Broncos (30-27) in the Divisional round. However, their good run was soon halted with a 20-6 loss against the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.
St. Louis Rams had a major meltdown in 1998 as they ended the regular season with a 4-12 record. However, they did turn things around in 1999. The team surprised everyone with an incredible 13-3 record. The Rams had a fairytale run at the playoffs, winning the divisional playoffs vs. Vikings (49-37), followed by the NFC Championship against the Bucs (10-6) and ultimately got their hands on the Super Bowl after their thrilling 23-16 win over the Titans.
Tom Brady's first season with the Pats in 2000 wasn't impressive as he sat on the bench the whole year. They ended the season 5-11 and missed the playoffs. But they turned the tides in the next season in 2001. Following Drew Bledsoe's injury, Brady took over and the rest, quite literally, is history. The Patriots cruised through the regular season with an 11-5 record. They made the playoffs, upset the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game, and then pulled off what was, at the time, the largest upset in Super Bowl history, taking down the Rams 20-17.
2003 wasn't the year for the Falcons. They ended the season with a 5-11 record and weren't eligible for the playoffs. However, they came back strong in 2004, and had a 11-5 record in the regular season. They kept their good run going with the Divisional Playoff win over the Rams (47-17). But soon were left heartbroken with a 27-10 loss against the Eagles in the NFC Championship.
New Orleans Saints ended the disastrous 2005 season with a 5-11 record. In 2006, however, they found their form, and earned a 10-6 record in the regular season. They won their Divisional Round matchup against the Eagles (27-24) but lost the NFC Championship against the Bears (39-14).
After a 5-11 season in 2007, the Ravens drafted franchise QB Joe Flacco and have been a perennial contender ever since. They reached the playoffs in Flacco's rookie year with an impressive 11-5 record. The Ravens kept their good form going, winning their Wild Card Game against the Dolphins (27-9) and their Divisional Round matchup against the Titans (13-10). But finally, their luck ran out and they faced a disappointing 23-214 AFC Championship defeat against the Steelers.
After a disastrous 3-13 season in 2016, the Jags needed to bounce back. In 2017, they were the surprise of the league, going 10-6 with Blake Bortles at quarterback, earning their first playoff appearance in nine years. They won their Wild Card clash with the Bills (10-3), and won a shootout over the Steelers in the Divisional Round (45-42). They gave Tom Brady a run in the AFC Championship Game, but fell short 24-20.
2018's 4-12 season was an alarm bell for the 49ers. They rebounded in 2019, storming to a 13-3 record and claiming a spot in the playoffs. They went on to win their Divisional Round matchup over the Vikings (27-10) and the NFC Championship against the Packers (37-20). Unfortunately, they came up short in the Super Bowl, falling to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs 31-20.
The Bengals's 2020 season was a disaster that almost got Zac Taylor fired. However, the young head coach was given a pass due to Joe Burrow's season ending injury. In 2021, they went from 4-11-1 to 10-7. The Bengals took down the Raiders in the Wild Card round (26-19), won their the Divisional showdown against the Titans (19-16), and the AFC Championship against the Chiefs (27-24). However, they ended up losing the Super Bowl to the Rams (23-20).
After multiple years of failure, winning just four games in 2023, the Commanders have found their footing in 2024. Behind franchise rookie QB Jayden Daniels, Washington surged to a 12-5 record. They've already pulled upsets over the Bucs and the top seeded Lions (45-31) They are set to face Jalen Hurts and Eagles for the NFC Championship. No rookie QB has ever made the Super Bowl.
