The 25 best NFL teams from the 1990s

The Panthers saw limited success early in their franchise, with their second year an exception. The team went 12-4 to win the NFC West, as Dom Capers' defense allowed only 13.6 points per game. Carolina's pass rusher generated 60 sacks, with Kevin Greene leading the way, and took down the defending champion Cowboys in the playoffs before losing at Green Bay in the Conference Championship.

The 49ers had the best record in the regular season at 14-2, though, unlike their usual trend in the 1980s and 1990s, their defense was superior to the offense with the second-fewest points allowed in the league. The offense was still plenty capable with Joe Montana and Jerry Rice, but the team lost to the Giants 15-13 in the NFC Championship in a field goal fest from New York kicker Matt Bahr.

Bill Parcells had a great chance to reach the Super Bowl with his third team after doing so with the Giants and Patriots. The 1998 Jets went 12-4 during the regular season, anchored by the second-best defense in the league and an efficient offense led by Vinny Testaverde and Curtis Martin. Their visit to Denver in the AFC Championship didn't go as hoped, losing 23-10 to the eventual Super Bowl champs.

San Francisco's 12-4 regular season record was only third-best in the loaded NFC during 1998 and wasn't good enough for the 49ers to win the NFC West over the Falcons. The team still scored the third most points in the league as Steve Young threw for 4,170 yards and 36 touchdowns, while Garrison Hearst ran for 1,570 yards. The 49ers lost 20-18 to Atlanta in the Divisional Round, who reached the Super Bowl.

Disappointing playoff failures were a theme for the Chiefs in the 1990s under head coach Marty Schottenheimer. Their most shocking playoff defeat came in 1995 in the Divisional Round against the Colts, though the 1997 squad was arguably more accomplished before losing to Denver in the Divisional Round. The Chiefs went 13-3 to earn the top seed in the AFC with an elite defense that allowed only 14.5 points per game, led by Derrick Thomas, Donnie Edwards, and Mark McMillian. The team could not muster enough offense against the eventual Super Bowl champs, losing 14-10 with Elvis Grbac under center.

Buffalo turned the page after falling just short in the Super Bowl one year prior, going 13-3 and averaging 28.6 points per game. After taking down the Chiefs and Broncos in the playoffs, the end result was the same for Buffalo, with a 37-24 defeat in the Super Bowl at the hands of the dominant Washington team. The team's offense was still one of the best of the decade, with great seasons from Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas, Andre Reed, and James Lofton.

Like much of the 1990s, the 49ers had an elite offense in 1993 that ranked first with 29.6 points per game. Steve Young finished second in the MVP balloting with over 4,000 yards passing and 29 touchdowns, with the historic Jerry Rice gaining 1,503 yards receiving and 15 scores. Unfortunately, the team declined late in the year, losing three of their final four regular-season games to finish 10-6, followed by a 38-21 loss to Dallas in the Conference Championship.

The Jaguars had an incredible accomplishment of making the playoffs four straight years after their inaugural 1995 season, peaking with a 14-2 regular season in 1999. Tom Coughlin's team was boosted by the top defense in the league, helping them go 14-2 during the regular season and roll into the AFC Championship before a 33-14 loss to Tennessee. The team did get terrific seasons from running back duo James Stewart and Fred Taylor and over 1,600 yards receiving from Jimmy Smith.

The defending Super Bowl champion Packers were clear favorites to win the Super Bowl in 1997, and didn't do anything to adjust expectations with Brett Favre winning his third consecutive MVP and Dorsey Levens running for over 1,400 yards. However, after a 13-3 regular season and a relatively easy march to the Super Bowl, Green Bay lost 31-24 to the Broncos in Super Bowl XXXII.

The Falcons were blown out by Denver in Super Bowl XXXIII, but the accomplishments of the 1998 team should be recognized. Atlanta went 14-2 in the regular season, ranking fourth in points scored and points allowed as Chris Chandler threw 25 touchdowns and Jamal Anderson ran for 1,846 yards and 14 scores. The Falcons also had a pair of 1,100-yard receivers with Terance Mathis and Tony Martin.

The first of four straight Super Bowl losses for the Bills came in 1990 with a heart-breaking Super Bowl that was lost 20-19 on a missed field goal. Buffalo's team is still marked in history as one of the best, leading the NFL in points scored as Jim Kelly threw for 24 touchdowns and Thurman Thomas rushed for nearly 1,300 yards. The defense was also no slouch, ranking sixth in points as Bruce Smith recorded 19 sacks and 101 tackles to win Defensive Player of the Year.

Barry Switzer took over the Cowboys after two straight Super Bowls, as Jimmy Johnson and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones had a falling out. No one can say for sure if the 1994 result would have been any different, but the Cowboys still had an outstanding season going 12-4 with a top-three offense and defense. Dallas was knockout out in the Conference Championship 38-28 by an explosive 49ers offense.

Once again, a great 49ers team came to a halt in the playoffs, but this time it was the Packers that knocked them off in the Divisional Round. San Francisco did finish first in points scored and second in points allowed during the regular season while going 11-5 to lead the NFC West. The success was despite Steve Young missing five games and struggles in the running game, as Jerry Rice picked up the slack with 122 catches for 1,848 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Head coach Bill Parcells won his second Super Bowl with the Giants with the help of Bill Belichick's dominant defense. New York allowed a league-best 13.2 points per game during the regular season, helping them go 13-3 with a unit that included Lawrence Taylor and Carl Banks. The team was able to beat Buffalo 20-19 in Super Bowl XXV with the help of backup quarterback Jeff Hostetler and a Scott Norwood field goal that went wide right.

Jimmy Johnson was gone, but the Cowboys won their third Super Bowl in four years with Barry Switzer at the helm. The 1995 squad went 12-4 during the regular season and was arguably the most talented of their three Super Bowl teams with a secondary led by Deion Sanders and Darren Woodson. Emmitt Smith had a record-breaking 25 touchdowns during the regular season, while Michael Irvin had 1,603 yards receiving.

The Cowboys were back-to-back champs after a 12-4 regular season, featuring an offense and defense that both ranked second in points. After going 0-2 to start the season during Emmitt Smith's holdout, the team went 12-2 the rest of the regular season as Smith rushed for nearly 1,500 yards in 14 games. Troy Aikman completed 69% of his passes during the regular season, and the defense remained consistent.

The 49ers fell short of a playoff run after losing to the Cowboys in the NFC Championship, but the 1992 squad was still outstanding. They went 14-2 in the regular season, leading the NFL in points and finishing third in points allowed. Steve Young won MVP in relief of the injured Joe Montana, throwing for 3,465 yards and 25 touchdowns while Tim Harris recorded 17 sacks.

The Cowboys completed their turnaround under Jimmy Johnson by winning a Super Bowl in 1992, only three years after going 1-15. It all came together for Dallas with a stacked roster that went 13-3 and finished second in points scored and fifth in points allowed. Hall of Famers Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin all had terrific seasons, while the team's pass rush was formidable with Jim Jeffcoat, Charles Haley, Leon Lett, and Tony Tolbert. The team played their best football in the playoffs, outscoring opponents 116-47 in three games.

John Elway finally won his first Super Bowl with the help of a tremendous running game designed by Mike Shanahan and executed by Terrell Davis. Davis ran for 1,750 yards during the regular season, but the team finished second in the AFC West behind the Chiefs with a 12-4 record. After upsetting the Chiefs in the Divisional Round, Denver took down Pittsburgh and Green Bay to get Elway to the top of the mountain.

The 1998 Vikings are certainly one of the best teams ever to fall short of a title. Their historic offense averaged 34.8 points per game to go 15-1 during the regular season, as Randall Cunningham threw for 34 touchdowns and the pairing of Randy Moss and Cris Carter combined for 29 touchdowns. However, the defense showed some blemishes, and the team fell to the Falcons in a shocking 30-27 overtime loss in the NFC Championship.

Steve Young got the "monkey off his back" with his second MVP and first Super Bowl as the 49ers starter in 1994. He led the team to a 13-3 record during the regular season, averaging 31.6 points per game. San Francisco made relatively easy work of their three playoff opponents, including a 49-26 blowout of the Chargers in Super Bowl XXIX. Young completed over 70% of his passes for 35 touchdowns in the regular season, while Jerry Rice had 1,499 yards receiving. The defense was also loaded with talent, including Deion Sanders, Ken Norton Jr., Dana Stubblefield, Bryant Young, and Merton Hanks.

Denver won their second consecutive Super Bowl in what was John Elway's swan song. The team went 14-2 in the regular season as Terrell Davis rushed for over 2,000 yards. The Broncos made the 1972 Dolphins nervous due to a 13-0 start to the season before losing back-to-back games, but they got back on track to make easy work of their three playoff opponents.

The Packers were regularly atop the NFL during the Brett Favre era, but their only Super Bowl win was in 1996. That team was quite dominant, going 13-3 with a plus-246 point differential as the top offense and top defense in the league. Favre won his second MVP, throwing 39 touchdowns, while the defense was stacked with Reggie White, LeRoy Butler, and Eugene Robinson, among others. Green Bay won all three of their playoff games by at least 14 points.

One of the biggest surprises in NFL history, the Greatest Show on Turf Rams had an incredible turnaround after nine straight losing seasons with a 13-3 regular season and Super Bowl in 1999. Backup quarterback Kurt Warner replaced the injured Trent Green in the preseason, and the rest is history with an elite offense that averaged 32.9 points per game with Marshall Faulk, Isaac Bruce, and Torry Holt. The Rams did have two nail-biting playoff wins vs. Tampa Bay and Tennessee to win Dıck Vermeil a ring.

Washington got off to a fast start in 1991, with three shutouts in their first five games, and continued to make easy work of most opponents with the top offense and second best defense in the NFL. They finished the regular season 14-2 and won their three playoff games by a combined score of 101-41, culminating with a 37-24 win over Buffalo in Super Bowl XXVI. Mark Rypien threw for 3,564 yards and 28 touchdowns during the regular season, while the defense was a takeaway machine with Darrell Green, Wilber Marshall, and Charles Mann.