Teams that qualify for the NFL Playoffs are usually competitive or at least above average, but the key word is "Usually". Whether it be because of an awful division, uncompetitive conference, or just good luck, one way or another, teams that are mediocre or worse occasionally sneak into the postseason. So here are 10 of those teams, the worst NFL teams to make the playoffs since 2000:
2010 Seahawks: 7-9, 1 playoff win
The 2010 Seahawks are by far the most fascinating team on this list. With their offense and defense both ranking in the bottom ten, this team was even worse than their already subpar record indicated. And the Seahawks only made the postseason after a do-or-die week 17 matchup against the Rams, where they squeezed out a defensive win, 16-6.
But their first playoff game was far from defensive, being a 41-36 shootout where Seattle edged out the heavily favored Saints. But while Marshawn Lynch scored one of the most iconic touchdowns in NFL history, the Seahawks fans were so loud that the noise caused seismic activity. This game and specifically that touchdown is where Lynch got his nickname, "Beast Mode". However, the Seahawks' 7-9 magic was stopped abruptly by a far superior Bears team in the divisional round, with a 35-24 loss.
2004 Rams: 8-8, 1 playoff win
The 2004 Rams were statistically a bad team, ranking below league average in scoring offense and defense, and a point differential of -73. However, that didn't stop them from snagging a wild card spot in a weak NFC and even winning a playoff game. Despite most of this Rams' roster formerly being part of "The Greatest Show on Turf", Marshall Faulk had a disappointing season, thus there being virtually no running game, and the defense had declined significantly since that era of St. Louis Football.
Fortunately, the Rams were gifted a rather mild matchup in the Wild Card Round against the 9-7 Seahawks who also had no business being in the postseason. It was still a close game though, with St. Louis finishing on top, 27-20. Nevertheless, The Rams were soon defeated by a much stronger opponent, in the Atlanta Falcons, by a score of 47-17.
2020 Washington Commanders: 7-9
The first entry on this list features a 2020 Commanders team who squeezed into the playoffs with a crisp seven wins. After holding the NFL's worst record in the prior season, the Commanders' defense, led by rookies Chase Young and Montez Sweat, shocked many by ranking 4th in the league in scoring and is the primary reason for the team's unexpected playoff berth.
The offense, on the other hand, was a different matter, ranking 25th in scoring thanks to a revolving door at quarterback and a lack of young talent outside of Terry McLaurin. The 2020 Commanders even broke an NFL record with four different starting quarterbacks throughout the season. The Commanders were surprisingly competitive in the Wild Card round against the eventual Super Bowl Champion Bucs but were outlasted by a score of 31-23.
2008 Chargers: 8-8, 1 playoff win
It's funny how the 2010 Chargers didn't make the playoffs win the no.1 offense and no.2 defense, and yet the '08 Bolts qualified with just eight wins and a 15th-ranked defense. But this Chargers' team even dealt some damage in the playoffs, sending Peyton Manning and the 12-4 Colts home early with a wild card stunner. Nevertheless, the Chargers' 8-8 magic didn't quite translate to their subsequent playoff matchup, falling 35-24 to the eventual Super Bowl champion Steelers.
2022 Buccaneers: 8-9, 0 playoff wins
The new playoff format and extra game of the season make making the postseason as a mediocre team much easier, and the 2022 Bucs are certainly a culprit of this. At age 46, Tom Brady didn't have much left in the tank, and the absence of Rob Gronkowski and any sort of running attack didn't help matters. But what did help matters was playing in a horrendous NFC South and having a halfway decent defense, which was just enough to propel Tampa Bay into the playoffs. However, losing a playoff game to the Cowboys is a telling sign that you don't belong in the postseason, and Tom Brady's last career game featured a 34-11 blowout loss.
2006 Giants: 8-8, 0 playoff wins
In early November of 2006, the Giants sat atop the NFC East at 6-2, but they decided to make things more interesting by losing four straight games. If the '06 Giants hadn't made the playoffs, it would have been the collapse of the season, but New York snuck in thanks to an easy week 17 win against Washington, a 5-11 team that was probably tanking.
However, the Giants soon regretted not winning their division due to the losing streak, because the Eagles' fans in Philly showed no mercy. Playing the dominant Eagles of the 2000s is difficult enough, but it's even harder when you can't hear over the crowd noise what your quarterback is saying. Despite those obstacles, the Giants came close against their division rivals, but to no avail in a 23-20 Wild Card round defeat.
2022 Vikings: 13-4, 0 playoff wins
The 2022 Vikings' 13-4 record is a bit misleading, considering that this team had a negative point differential, and 11 of their wins came in one-score games. This Vikings' team even completed the biggest comeback in NFL history this season, which sounds impressive until you realize they did it against Matt Ryan. If the Vikings had actually won a playoff game or performed similarly during the following season, they would be off the hook, but they did neither. Once January rolled around, the Vikes lost in the Wild Card Round to the Giants, a team that also probably didn't deserve to be in the playoffs. The Vikings then went 7-10 in 2023.
2014 Carolina Panthers: 7-8-1, 1 playoff win
The NFC South is once again a culprit of letting undeserving teams make the playoffs, and this time it's the 2014 Panthers reaping the benefits of a subpar division. Led by a young Cam Newton at quarterback, and two 1,000+ yard receivers in Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olson, the offense ranked 12th in the league and was the focal point of the team. The defense wasn't as dominant, but linebacker Luke Kuechly kept the group from ranking in the bottom five. But what makes this group really stand out is that they actually won a playoff game, with an unexpected 27-16 win over Arizona. However, they did fall to the Seahawks in the following week.
2013 Packers: 8-7-1, 0 playoff wins
The Packers should have won more games in 2013, but their playoff berth did not come easy thanks to Aaron Rodgers missing seven games. But Rodgers was healthy for a do-or-die week 17 matchup against the division rival Bears where the victor would be granted a playoff berth, and the loser would go home. Losing by 1 point with just 38 seconds left of regulation, Aaron Rodgers threw a 48-yard hail mary touchdown to Randall Cobb to end what was an already contentious game. Though the Packers' run was short-lived, however, ending with a close 23-20 wild card loss to San Francisco.
2004 Vikings: 8-8, 1 playoff win
In 2004, the Vikings pulled off a rare wild card berth with just eight wins and even won a playoff game. This '04 Vikings' team had the league's best offense, even with hall-of-fame receiver Randy Moss missing three games. However, they also had the 3rd-worst defense, making every game a shootout, and the Vikings won enough of them to qualify for the postseason. Being the 6-point underdogs in the Wild Card round and playing in Green Bay didn't bother the Vikings, who stunned the Packers with a 31-17 playoff victory. However, things didn't run as smoothly in the Vikings' next playoff game, as they got steamrolled by the Eagles in a 27-14 divisional-round loss.
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