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Taking a look at the Bears playoff record over the last 20 years I was able to get a good understanding of just how unsuccessful they have been.
People believe that Bears fans are upset over a bad season, to the point of over reacting. The truth is that a simmering boil of incompetence, has now raged into a roaring boil as Bears fans will again not be watching the playoffs.
The Bears are the charter franchise, in the 2nd largest media market and have a proud nearly century long history. There playoff record indicates that they are closer to being an expansion team than they are to being the proud face of the NFL.
This is not a one season reaction. It is a lifetime reaction.
Since the Superbowl
1 of 7
The Bears have been to the playoffs once in the last 7 years. This led to Lovie being fired at 10-6 and the optimism of change. The optimism of change has led to an 11-13 record and no playoff appearances. The Vikings, who are largely seen by Bears fans as the worst team in the division, have been to the playoffs 3 times in the last 8 years. The "worst team" in the division goes to the playoffs 3 times more often than the Bears in the last 8 years. My argument is that the Bears are in fact the worst team in the division.
NFC North Since 2006
Packers 6/7 86%
Vikings 3/7 43%
Lions 1/7 14%
Bears 1/7 14%
The Last Decade
3 of 10
In the last decade the Bears have been to the playoffs 3 times, granted with a Superbowl appearance. The Bears followed a Superbowl appearance by not making the playoffs for 3 consecutive seasons. Over the last 10 years that is an incredible feet of incompetence accomplished by only the Bears.
The Bears post Superbowl incompetence is actually fairly impressive.
Since 2004 Superbowl Participants
New England [9 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Wins, 2 More Superbowl Appearances]
Pittsburgh [6 Playoff Appearances, 2 Superbowl Wins, 1 More Superbowl Appearance]
Indianapolis [9 Playoff Appearance, 1 Superbowl Win, 1 More Superbowl Appearance]
New York Giants [5 Playoff Appearances, 2 Superbowl Wins]
Baltimore [6 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win]
New Orleans [5 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win]
Green Bay [7 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win]
Seattle [7 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win, 1 More Superbowl Appearance]
Philadelphia [6 Playoff Appearances]
Denver [5 Playoff Appearances]
San Francisco [3 Playoff Appearances]
Chicago [3 Playoff Appearances]
Arizona Cardinals [2 Playoff Appearances]
*None of these teams, other than the Bears, failed to qualify for the playoffs in 3 consecutive seasons after their Superbowl appearance.
*All but San Francisco, Arizona, and Chicago made the playoffs 50% of season in the last 10 years.
*5 teams made multiple Superbowl Appearances in that time.
The Last Twenty Years
5 of 20
In the last 20 years, the majority of my lifetime, the Bears have been in the playoffs 5 times. 25% of seasons the Bears have made a playoff appearance. To add context in the 18 year history of the Jacksonville Jaguars they have been to the playoffs 6 times, making the playoffs 33% of the time. The Bears have a worse record making the playoffs than the Jaguars who are a perennial laughing stock.
The Bears have made the playoffs at a worse rate than the expansion teams that have formed in that time.
Jacksonville Jaguars 6/18 [33%]
Houston Texans 2/12 [16%]
Carolina Panthers 5/19 [26%]
The Bears, the oldest franchise in the NFL, gets to the post season about as often as an expansion team, which started from scratch, over the last 20 years.
The anger of Bears fans this season is not just about the Bears not living up to their potential in 2014, but instead, it is about 20 years of not having success.
People believe that Bears fans are upset over a bad season, to the point of over reacting. The truth is that a simmering boil of incompetence, has now raged into a roaring boil as Bears fans will again not be watching the playoffs.
The Bears are the charter franchise, in the 2nd largest media market and have a proud nearly century long history. There playoff record indicates that they are closer to being an expansion team than they are to being the proud face of the NFL.
This is not a one season reaction. It is a lifetime reaction.
Since the Superbowl
1 of 7
The Bears have been to the playoffs once in the last 7 years. This led to Lovie being fired at 10-6 and the optimism of change. The optimism of change has led to an 11-13 record and no playoff appearances. The Vikings, who are largely seen by Bears fans as the worst team in the division, have been to the playoffs 3 times in the last 8 years. The "worst team" in the division goes to the playoffs 3 times more often than the Bears in the last 8 years. My argument is that the Bears are in fact the worst team in the division.
NFC North Since 2006
Packers 6/7 86%
Vikings 3/7 43%
Lions 1/7 14%
Bears 1/7 14%
The Last Decade
3 of 10
In the last decade the Bears have been to the playoffs 3 times, granted with a Superbowl appearance. The Bears followed a Superbowl appearance by not making the playoffs for 3 consecutive seasons. Over the last 10 years that is an incredible feet of incompetence accomplished by only the Bears.
The Bears post Superbowl incompetence is actually fairly impressive.
Since 2004 Superbowl Participants
New England [9 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Wins, 2 More Superbowl Appearances]
Pittsburgh [6 Playoff Appearances, 2 Superbowl Wins, 1 More Superbowl Appearance]
Indianapolis [9 Playoff Appearance, 1 Superbowl Win, 1 More Superbowl Appearance]
New York Giants [5 Playoff Appearances, 2 Superbowl Wins]
Baltimore [6 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win]
New Orleans [5 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win]
Green Bay [7 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win]
Seattle [7 Playoff Appearances, 1 Superbowl Win, 1 More Superbowl Appearance]
Philadelphia [6 Playoff Appearances]
Denver [5 Playoff Appearances]
San Francisco [3 Playoff Appearances]
Chicago [3 Playoff Appearances]
Arizona Cardinals [2 Playoff Appearances]
*None of these teams, other than the Bears, failed to qualify for the playoffs in 3 consecutive seasons after their Superbowl appearance.
*All but San Francisco, Arizona, and Chicago made the playoffs 50% of season in the last 10 years.
*5 teams made multiple Superbowl Appearances in that time.
The Last Twenty Years
5 of 20
In the last 20 years, the majority of my lifetime, the Bears have been in the playoffs 5 times. 25% of seasons the Bears have made a playoff appearance. To add context in the 18 year history of the Jacksonville Jaguars they have been to the playoffs 6 times, making the playoffs 33% of the time. The Bears have a worse record making the playoffs than the Jaguars who are a perennial laughing stock.
The Bears have made the playoffs at a worse rate than the expansion teams that have formed in that time.
Jacksonville Jaguars 6/18 [33%]
Houston Texans 2/12 [16%]
Carolina Panthers 5/19 [26%]
The Bears, the oldest franchise in the NFL, gets to the post season about as often as an expansion team, which started from scratch, over the last 20 years.
The anger of Bears fans this season is not just about the Bears not living up to their potential in 2014, but instead, it is about 20 years of not having success.
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