The Greatest Teams: 1999 Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars are one of the younger teams in the NFL, being founded in 1995. With recent rumors swirling that the team could soon be moving on to greener pastures, this once proud franchise is now reeling from a lack of success in the regular season and beyond. The peak of Jacksonville's prominence may very well be its 1999 campaign, in which the Jags came up just one win short of their first Super Bowl berth.

Pro Bowl quarterback Mark Brunell, in his fifth year with the team, managed to throw nearly 3,000 yards and 14 touchdowns. The receiving duo of Jimmy Smith and Keenan McCardell combined for nearly 2,500 yards and 11 touchdowns. However, even more impressive was the pair of rushers that Jacksonville had. The lethal rushing attack of James Stewart and Fred Taylor combined for over 1,500 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns on the ground, vaulting the rushing offense of the Jags to second in the league. Tight end Kyle Brady, drafted 9th overall in the same year the Jaguars were created, also contributed, as well as backup  Damon Jones. The offensive line was anchored by 3-time Pro Bowl left tackle Tony Boselli, Jacksonville's first ever draft pick (2nd overall in 1995). On the opposite side, veteran Leon Searcy made his first Pro Bowl protecting Brunell's blind side.

The Jaguars boasted one of the league's most elite defenses. Defensive linemen Renaldo Wynn, Joel Smeenge, Gary Walker, Seth Payne, and Tony Brackens combined for 29 sacks, with Walker and Brackens recording 10 or more sacks. At linebacker, Kevin Hardy was a perennial All-Pro, recording 10.5 more sacks on opposing quarterbacks. The secondary group was exceptional as well. Rookie Fernando Bryant recorded 2 interceptions and 3 fumble recoveries, while his partner on the opposite side, Aaron Beasley, played like a stud, recording 1.5 sacks and 6 interceptions. Strong safety Donovin Darius was an interception machine (4 picks) while free safety Carnell Lake managed to cause enough havoc in the backfield for 3.5 sacks. On special teams, kicker Mike Hollis missed only 7 field goals on the season, while punter Bryan Barker consistently put the opposing team in bad field position.

The Jaguars got off to a strong start, demolishing the Steve Young led 49ers 41-3. They would follow up with 6 games on the season where their opponents would fail to score double digits. The dominant Jags, coached by Tom Coughlin, easily earned a first seed berth in the playoffs with a 14-2 record, where they would utterly destroy the Miami Dolphins in the Divisional Round, 62-7. Unfortunately, the Jaguars faced their division rivals in the Tennessee Titans in the Conference Championship Game. The Titans had previously defeated the Jaguars in both of their regular season divisional games, so the Jaguars were seeking revenge. Unfortunately, the Titans, who were also on a quest to make their first Super Bowl, defeated the Jags once again (33-14), ending one of the most successful seasons in franchise history (and making the Titans the only team to have beaten Jacksonville on the season). The Jaguars have not made it back to the AFC Championship since then, making this 1999 squad particularly impressive, and the best team in Jaguars history.

The Franchise: Drew Brees

With the extraordinary success that Drew Brees has had with the New Orleans Saints since signing as a free agent in 2006, its easy to forget his Chargers career. In his tenure in San Diego, Brees was an above average QB but was overshadowed by his future Hall of Fame tailback in LaDainian Tomlinson. When Brees needed shoulder surgery in 2005, the Chargers decided to cut ties with the gunslinger and the Saints have reaped the benefits of that decision. Few free agents have the kind of effect that Brees had on the Saints when he arrived and turned the team around from 3-13 before his arrival to 10-6. Only years later, the Saints were Super Bowl Champions by defeating the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV. Brees has been nothing less than spectacular having thrown at least 4000 yards and 26 TDs in each of seasons in the The Big Easy. At 32 years of age, Brees is in the prime of his career and with the Saints offense looking as dangerous as ever, New Orleans could be throwing a few more February parades in the near future. For the New Orleans Saints, Drew Brees is the franchise. Whodat!

The Greatest Teams: 1958 Baltimore Colts

The Colts are one of the many NFL franchises with a long and storied history. From the days in Baltimore to the days in Indianapolis (after a controversial move from Baltimore in the middle of the night), the Colts can be characterized by two resounding eras: the era of Johnny Unitas and the era of Peyton Manning (one could also make a case for Bert Jones, but we'll overlook that for now). This decision was no easy one. The Colts have had many recent successful seasons, most notably in 2005. Although this recent string of successes could have biased us immensely, we decided to go with an old-timer squad. With best regards to the 1964 and 1968 teams, the greatest Colts team ever, in our minds, is the 1958 Baltimore Colts. One game in particular defined this team's greatest accomplishments, but we'll get to that later.

First up, the offense, led by none other than star quarterback Johnny Unitas. Unitas passed for over 2,000 yards and 19 touchdowns, a league high. He also ran for nearly 300 yards and 3 more touchdowns, showing that he could not only do it in the air but with his feet as well. All Pro runningback Lenny Moore ran for 598 yards and 7 touchdowns while also coming in second on the team in receptions, with 50 receptions for 938 yards and 7 more scores. Fullback Alan Ameche also made big contributions to the offense, leading the backfield with 791 yards and 8 touchdowns. L.G. Dupre carried the load as well, rushing for nearly 400 yards and 3 more scores. The receiving options were deadly, with Hall of Fame left end Raymond Berry and Jim Mutscheller flanking on the right. Berry led the league in receiving touchdowns with 9 and also came in fourth for yardage. The offensive line boasted the talented left tackle Jim Parker, who was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career. Parker once remarked that Unitas had practically "five minutes" in the backfield to look for an open man.

On defense, the fearless Pro Bowl defensive end Gino Marchetti caused problems in offensive protection, while the All-Pro defensive tackles Art Donovan and Gene Lipscomb kept rushers to just 1291 yards on the season. Linebackers Don Shinnick and Leo Sanford combined to record 4 interceptions, but it was really the secondary that kept opposing quarterbacks on their toes. With a league high of twenty combined interceptions, the antics of Carl Taseff, Milt Davis, Andy Nelson, and Ray Brown go widely unrecognized, but the managed to contribute when it counted. Brown was also the team's punter and one of the league's best. Kicker Steve Myrha, although erratic, pulled up big performances in big games.

Under the leadership and guidance of coach Weeb Ewbank and owner Carroll Rosenbloom, the Colts dominated the NFL early in the season. After opening the season 6-0, the Colts finally lost to the New York Giants, 21-24. The chance for revenge would come soon, however, as the Colts again met the Giants in the 1958 NFL Championship game. A record crowd of 64,185 showed up for the game at Yankee Stadium, with several million more watching the game on TV. Originally up 14-3 at halftime, the Colts were reeling near the end of the 4th quarter after a touchdown pass from New York quarterback Charlie Conerly to halfback Frank Gifford. A downfield rally by the Colts and an incredible Steve Myrha field goal tied the game. With no time left in regulation, the game went into the first sudden death overtime game in NFL playoff history. The Giants quickly punted the ball after a three-and-out, thinking their all star defense led by Sam Huff could stop the Colts. However, Unitas got to work, moving the ball downfield nearly 80 yards, culminating in an exciting 1 yard touchdown run by Alan Ameche. The Colts sealed a victory, 23-17, becoming champions of what has become known as "The Greatest Game Ever Played". In the years after the 1958 NFL Championship Game, popularity in pro football surged, and the Colts also continued their dominance, beating the Giants once again in the 1959 NFL Championship, 31-16. However, the 1958 Baltimore Colts remains one of the strongest and most important teams in NFL lore, and gets our vote as the greatest Colts team of all time.

The Franchise: Tom Brady

When Tom Brady's name was called eleven years ago in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft, nobody remotely familiar with the game of football could have predicted the type of success the former-Michigan Wolverine would have in the NFL. Since taking over for an injured Drew Bledsoe in the early stages of the 2001 season, Brady has been nothing short of spectacular, winning Super Bowls XXXVI, XXXVIII, XXXIX, two Super Bowl MVP awards, and two regular season MVP awards. He also led the Pats to a 18-1 record for the 2007 season, though they fell to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. One of the most remarkable things about Brady's immense success is that until the arrivals of Randy Moss and Wes Welker in 2007, the QB dominated the rest of the league with the likes of Troy Brown, Deion Brach, and Reche Caldwell. At 33 years of age, Brady is fresh off his second MVP and perhaps the finest season of his career stats wise (36 TDs, 4 INTs) and remains in the elite upper echelon of NFL quarterbacks. Though the Patriots chose to draft Arkansas QB, Ryan Mallett in the third round of this year's draft, there isn't an ounce of doubt as to who will be under center for the Patriots for years to come. For the New England Patriots, Tom Brady is the franchise.

The Greatest Teams: 2009 Houston Texans

We start off the AFC South teams with a look at the youngest NFL franchise, the Houston Texans. The Texans' history is a short one, spanning almost one decade of existence in the NFL. Unfortunately, the Texans have not been as dominant a team as other franchises have all been at one point or another, making this decision a relatively tough one. The 2009 Texans featured a team that was on the brink of reaching the playoffs for the first time in team history, and also featured the first winning season by the club. For these reasons, we have chosen this team as the greatest Texans team of all time.

On offense, quarterback Matt Schaub completed his first full season as a Texan since being traded from the Atlanta Falcons back in 2007. Schaub threw for a league-high 4,770 yards, with 29 touchdowns to boot. Runningbacks Steve Slaton and Ryan Moats primarily carried the load, with newcomers Chris Brown and Arian Foster also providing run support. Unfortunately, the rushing offense was ranked 30th in the league. However, the star power in the passing game bolted Houston to first in the league in passing offense. And by star power, we mean All-Pro Andre Johnson, arguably the best receiver in the league today. Johnson recorded his fourth 1,000 yard receiving season (leading the league), and a career high 9 touchdowns. Receiver Kevin Walter and Slaton contributed to the passing game as well, but not so much so as tight end Owen Daniels, who recorded 500 yards receiving and 5 touchdowns before tearing his ACL midway through the season. The O-line proved to be average at best, anchored by the young tackles Duane Brown and Eric Winston. Veteran center Chris Myers may have been the best lineman, but his flaws in pass protection frequently resulted in Schaub throwing quickly.

The right side of the defensive line was particularly menacing, featuring Amobi Okoye and Mario Williams. Defensive ends Williams and Antonio Smith combined for 13.5 sacks on the season. Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans continued his Pro Bowl form, while rookie linebacker Brian Cushing particularly stood out, recording 4 sacks and 4 picks (enough to earn him Defensive Rookie of the Year honors). Declining cornerback Dunta Robinson led the group of corners, while safety Bernard Pollard led the often injured safety core. On special teams, the veteran group of kicker Kris Brown and punter Matt Turk continued their consistency, while young receivers Jacoby Jones and Andre Davis earned respectable roles as return specialists.

The 2009 Texans, under coach Gary Kubiak, went 9-7, their first winning record in franchise history. They came 10th in the league in points scored, and managed to finish second in the AFC South. Unfortunately, after 4 straight losses to division opponents (primarily due to injuries that riddled this team), even 4 straight wins at the end of the season could not save the Texans, as the New York Jets won the tiebreaker and left the Texans out of the playoffs. Still, this '09 squad proved its worth, keeping the Texans as a preseason favorite for a surprise playoff pick.

The Franchise: Peyton Manning

If the phrase "Franchise Quarterback" was in the dictionary, then there would undoubtedly be an accompanying picture of Peyton Manning. Over the last decade plus, no other player in the league has meant more to his team than Manning. Since his rookie season in 1998, Peyton has thrown for at least 3700 yrds and 26 TDs in each season while making the playoffs in all but two years. And if the peripherals weren't enough for you, since the departure of Edgerrin James after the 2005 season and Marvin Harrison's retirement after the 2008 season, Manning has been without a reliable running game and an imposing receiver across from Reggie Wayne. All Peyton has done since losing these superstars is win two MVP awards and appear in two Super Bowls, winning Super Bowl XLI. At 35 years of age, Manning may be reaching the home stretch of his storied career though he shows no signs of slowing down. Ignoring age Manning would still the be the top franchise quarterback in the NFL for 2011 but taking it into account, Manning still sits in the second spot on our list. For the Indianapolis Colts, Peyton Manning is the franchise.

The Greatest Teams: 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers

Rounding out the AFC North's "Greatest Teams" are the Steelers, perhaps one of the most iconic teams in football lore. The Steelers have won 6 Super Bowl titles, more than any other team, and have perpetually remained a force in the NFL. This made the decision tough, but the 1978 Steelers team decisively showed the peak of the 70s Pittsburgh dynasty.

This team was, in all positions, loaded. Terry Bradshaw manned the helm at quarterback, throwing for 2,915 yards on the season and 28 touchdowns. In the backfield was the commanding duo of Rocky Bleier and Franco Harris. Harris had a 1,000 yard season and was entering his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl season. The Hall of Fame wide receiver duo of Lynn Swann and John Stallworth combined for 20 touchdowns, with tight end Randy Grossman contributing for nearly 500 yards and another score. The offensive line was commanded by 4th year Hall of Fame center Mike Webster (who coincidentally joined the team the same year as Swann, Stallworth, and Grossman).

On defense, the Steel Curtain was stacked with powerhouse players. The left side of the line was brutal-featuring All Pros L.C. Greenwood and "Mean" Joe Greene. At linebacker, the two "Jacks" (Jack Ham and Jack Lambert) patrolled the field like two angry men, providing a mean hit on whoever was foolish enough to go their way. The illustrious secondary of Mel Blount, Ron Johnson, Donnie Shell, and Mike Wagner provided 13 interceptions, which, along with the linebackers' 8 picks, was seventh in the league. The Steel Curtain proved to be especially dominant against the run, allowing teams to run only 1,774 yards on them, second best in the league.

The 1978 team managed to get 14 wins on the season, second most all time among Steelers teams (the 2004 team won 15 games). Perhaps the most enduring moment of the '78 Steelers was their chance at regaining their title as reigning NFL champions in Super Bowl XIII. In a rematch of Super Bowl X, the Steelers faced off against the rival Dallas Cowboys in perhaps one of the greatest games in Super Bowl history. Under the guidance of legendary coach Chuck Noll, the Steelers offense scored five touchdowns, with four coming from Super Bowl and regular season MVP Terry Bradshaw. Perhaps the most defining moment of the game was Dallas tight end Jackie Smith's dropped pass in the endzone, that undoubtedly sealed a Cowboys loss. With a defeat over a Cowboys team that was first in the league in scoring and second in total yards accumulated, the 1978 Pittsburgh Steelers clinched their spot on our list as the greatest Steeler team ever.

The Greatest Teams: 1988 Cincinnati Bengals

This was another tough choice. The 1981 and 1988 Cincinnati Bengals were both up for consideration here. Both featured notable coaches in Forrest Gregg and Sam Wyche. Both also featured franchise signal callers in Ken Anderson and Boomer Esiason. Coincidentally, both teams also made it to the Super Bowl, losing to the dynasty that was the San Francisco 49ers. However, the 1988 Bengals not only featured many perennial all pros, but it was also one of the most unstoppable teams that undoubtedly would have, had it not been for several unfortunate circumstances, won Super Bowl XXIII.

The Bengals offense was led by quarterback Boomer Esiason, a fourth year Pro Bowl lefty out of Maryland. Esiason led the league in passer rating, supported by a ferocious running attack. A trio of backs in James Brooks, Ickey Woods, and Stanley Wilson led the league in rushing yards with nearly 2700 yards, and also combined for a league high 27 touchdowns. Receivers Eddie Brown, Tim McGee, and Rodney Holman combined for 18 touchdowns, with Brown recording his first 1,000 yard season. All Pro Hall of Fame left tackle Anthony Munoz anchored the offensive line unit.

On defense, nasty nose tackle Tim Krumrie (pictured) constantly demanded attention, while fellow lineman Jim Skow recorded 9.5 sacks. Beyond the play of the defensive line, the defense wasn't particularly stellar, although the secondary did manage to get 22 interceptions on the season.

Under Wyche, the Bengals went 12-4, going 6-0 before losing to the Patriots in Week 7. Cincinnati then went on to beat Seattle and Buffalo in the playoffs, setting up a rematch of Super Bowl XVI nearly 7 years ago. The Bengals secured a narrow lead, 16-13, with less than four minutes left in the game. However, 2 minutes later 49er quarterback Joe Montana completed a touchdown pass to John Taylor that permanently secured a 49er win. Some believe that two key incidents might have affected the Bengals' chances of winning the game. Before the game, runningback Stanley Wilson disappeared after being discovered before the game in a cocaine high. Also, during the game, nose tackle Tim Krumrie suffered a severe leg fracture, crippling the Bengals' defense and title game hopes. Alas, we still believe that the 1988 Bengals was the best team in Cincinnati football history.

The Franchise: Aaron Rodgers

We kick off our list of franchise quarterbacks around the league with the most recent Super Bowl winner, Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers. Rodgers capped off his third year as the Packers starting Quarterback by bringing the Lombardi trophy home to Lambeau Field. The 2010 Packers offense flourished and floundered by the arm of Aaron Rodgers with their complete lack of an effective running game. In hopes of adding another dynamic to an all ready explosive offense, the Packers added Hawaii RB Alex Green and Kansas WR Randal Cobb in the draft to give Rodgers some shiny new toys to play with. As is the case with all Super Bowl winners, the Packers QB situation is crystal clear as they have one of the most enviable situations in the league. Their man is fresh of his first Super Bowl win and hungry for another at the ripe old age of 27. For the Green Bay Packers and Cheesehead Nation, Aaron Rodgers is the franchise.

The Franchise: 2011 Edition

Prominently regarded as the most important position on the gridiron, each team's starting quarterback for better or worse, represents the face of and carries the future of the franchise on his back. Most of the game's greatest stars have taken the snaps from under center and include names such as Bart Starr, Joe Montana, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, and Terry Bradshaw. Commonly referred to as the franchise, the position has become even more predominant in the past decade with the decline of the running back and explosion of highly talented gunslingers into the league. The number of elite QBs in the NFL varies from year to year, with only a handful being worthy of consideration as all-time greats. In this series, we look at each team's current quarterback situation, from most envious to least envious, and who the face of each NFL franchise will be in the upcoming season.

The Greatest Teams: 1964 Cleveland Browns

We dig deep in the record books to find the best Cleveland Browns team. The Browns franchise has long been the definition of mediocrity in the NFL (apart from the Detroit Lions), with their playoff appearances being mostly one-and-done affairs. However, the Browns of the late 1940s through early 1960s were dominant and commanded much respect as a club. Originally we had trouble making a selection, so we'd like to give honorable mentions to the 1946, 1948, and 1955 Browns.

The 1964 Browns were a talented team, particularly on the offensive side of the ball. Quarterback Frank Ryan led the squad, consisting of stellar rookies like runningback Leroy Kelly and split end Paul Warfield. Perennial Hall of Fame guard Gene Hickerson controlled the right side of the offensive line, with All-Pro tackle Dick Schafrath anchoring the left. Of course, the backfield was the main story about this team, which included halfback Ernie Green and fullback Jim Brown. Brown, one of the greatest runningbacks of all time, rushed for more than 1400 yards that season and scored a combined 9 touchdowns. The Browns vaulted to 3rd in the league in rushing offense, right behind the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. Overall, the Browns scored 415 points on the season, second in the league to the powerhouse Baltimore Colts.

The Browns defense was respectable enough, keeping the Browns in games but not providing overall dominance on the field. On special teams, Hall of Fame kicker Lou Groza continued his consistency as a kicker in the league, going 22 of 33 on field goals and a perfect 49 of 49 on extra points.

The Browns managed to get to a 10-3-1 season, earning a spot against the Baltimore Colts in the league's championship game. The Colts had gone 12-2, with a star-studded squad of quarterback Johnny Unitas, runningback Lenny Moore, split end Raymond Berry, tight end John Mackey, guard Jim Parker, defensive end Gino Marchetti, cornerback Bobby Boyd, and coach Don Shula. Surprisingly, this team was shut out by the Browns 27-0 on December 27, 1964 in the league championship. Browns wideout Gary Collins caught three Frank Ryan touchdown passes in a game that only began to get interesting in the 3rd quarter. The victory sealed the validity of the 1964 Cleveland Browns as NFL Champions, a title that would remain as the most recent championship to be brought back to the city of Cleveland in nearly 50 years.

The Greatest Teams: 2000 Baltimore Ravens

Our series "The Greatest Teams" starts off with the Baltimore Ravens. The Ravens franchise has only been in existence since 1996, so this was a pretty easy choice. The 2000 Baltimore Ravens not only won the franchise's first Super Bowl, but also boasted one of the most stifling defenses in NFL history. The offense wasn't exactly as stifling, but still respectable, even though they went through 5 consecutive games without scoring a touchdown.

The defense was led by defensive tackles Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa, both of whom consistently demanded the attention of opposing offensive linemen. This gave the stellar linebacking core of Jamie Sharper, Ray Lewis, and Peter Boulware the chance to make plays. Boulware and Lewis were particularly exceptional, with Sharper playing under the radar but still playing well. The secondary featured the impeccable safety Rod Woodson, with a featured duo of Chris McAlister and Duane Starks at cornerback. The defense soon instilled fear in opponents. After a Week 2 win against Jacksonville, 39-36, the defense only allowed opponents to score over 20 points just twice more that season.

The offense was led by quarterback Trent Dilfer, who replaced the inconsistent Tony Banks. Veteran runningback Priest Holmes and rookie runningback Jamal Lewis carried the load, while receiver Qadry Ismail and tight end Shannon Sharpe did most of the work through the air. The offensive line, anchored by left tackle Jonathan Ogden, did their job as well.

The 2000 Ravens, coached by Brian Billick, boasted a terrific defense and respectable offense that led the team to a berth in Super Bowl XXXV against the New York Giants. The Ravens won, 34-7, cementing their place in history and on this list as the best Baltimore Ravens team of all time.

UTTQ's "The Greatest Teams"

This is a new series that we at UTTQ are willing to try out. Titled "The Greatest Teams", we'll try to find the greatest squad each franchise in the NFL has ever had, and maybe provide a few facts about them. We'll also take a brief look at the players that made those teams great. Undoubtedly multiple franchises have had multiple legendary teams from several years. Those will be challenging to pinpoint the greatest team, but all of this will be our opinions, of course. The main basis of this series is to provide an interesting look into NFL history. All in all, this should provide an escape to the upcoming lull that will be this year's offseason.

The Lockout and Draft Updates

By now many of you have heard of the NFL's failure to negotiate a new deal that resulted in the disenfranchising of the Players Union and the lockout of the NFL pertaining to team operations. A blink of hope came during draft week when U.S. District Judge Susan Nelson lifted the lockout under the assumption that a delayed or cancelled season would be very detrimental to NFL and non-NFL related business, among other things, including player opportunities and such. The NFL challenged this in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals, being granted a stay that essentially restarted the lockout and once again cut off communications between teams, coaches, and players. Now, players have begun to organize private collective workouts, as the traditional start of minicamps and OTAs draw near. Although some believe that the lockout will be resolved during the summer, the truth is that it has already been a painfully black stain on the league. The loss of any games would be especially distressing, especially the 10th anniversary September 11th games, considering the momentous feat that was achieved only a few days ago. At this point, the owners and players should try to settle their differences rather than stake out their claims and try to get the most bang for their buck. A supposed contingency plan (no division games in first few weeks and several bye weeks between conference finals and Super Bowl) that the NFL has put in place is still not enough, since any missed games would already be a failure to compromise. Screw the 18 game season, just give us 16 per team and I'm sure everyone will be fine. This lockout has undoubtedly hurt the fans the most, so once they return to the negotiating table, they'd better figure out a solution to earn our trust back as well.

Also, in other news, we at UTTQ watched the draft this weekend (our first round mock got 6 slots right). There were many surprises, as we would expect, but frankly we can't necessarily assign grades to each team. Who knows how many Marques Colstons or Tom Bradys are out there? Same goes for the Charles Rogers and Akili Smiths. It's impossible to know just how well a team will do with their draft prospects, since potentially better ones could come through free agency (once that begins). If we ever get to doing a team-by-team analysis before the start of next season, we may allude to the rookies who have made it that far and could have a great impact on their respective clubs. That is, if there is a next season....