Give the Cards credit: They had a great run to the Super Bowl in 2008, but for many years (well, since 2000) almost every Super Bowl loser has fared far worse the next year.
In fact, seven of the last eight runner-ups have not even made the playoffs and have averaged just over seven wins in their respective following seasons.
In reality, it hasn't always been this way.
In 1999, the Titans lost Super Bowl XXXIV to the Rams. The following year they went 13-3 and returned to the playoffs. In those days, it was not an unheard-of thing.
A team that makes it to the Super Bowl is supposedly still a very good team, and making the playoffs the next year is a given.
This ideology held true after the Giants lost Super Bowl XXXV. They were favored to win their division in 2001, thus the curse would begin.
The Giants fell to 7-9 and out of the playoffs the next year. The following year the Rams would fall to 7-9.
Then came the Raiders, who went 5-11 after their Super Bowl appearance in 2002 and haven't recovered since.
In 2004, the Panthers also declined to 7-9.
In 2005, the Eagles, after reaching the playoffs in five straight years, including four straight NFC title games and the Super Bowl, inevitably fell to 6-10.
In 2007, the Bears slipped to 7-9 and, finally, the Patriots, despite a winning record and tie for division lead at 11-5, also missed the playoffs in 2008.
The lone exception to that curse was the Seahawks, who, after losing Super Bowl XL, were, in fact, able to reach the playoffs in 2006, but they did win an incredibly weak division that year.
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