Ranking NFL Teams Since the Merger: Kings of the Hill

The Miami Dolphins and the Denver Broncos both have the same 2-3 Super Bowl record. Broncos fans are complaining right now that I put Miami ahead of them, but really, it came down to one thing.

1972 - Miami Dolphins became the only team in the history of the NFL to post an undefeated regular season, and follow it up by winning the Super Bowl.

To me, that accomplishment trumps anything Broncos fans could say.

The biggest shame on the Dolphins is that Dan Marino, who is arguably the best to ever play the QB position never got to add to that win total.

Yes Colts fans, I put your beloved team in the Top 10. Surprised?

After one of the most shocking upsets in the history of the NFL, losing to the New York Jets is Super Bowl III, it took the Baltimore Colts just two years to capture their first Lombardi.

In 1971, Baltimore beat the Dallas Cowboys 16-13, to become the fourth Super Bowl Champion.

Then on that fateful night in 1984, the Colts packed up the Mayflower trucks and headed to Indianapolis.

It was not until 2006, when the Colts would face the Chicago Bears for the chance to win their second Lombardi, and Peyton Manning would not be denied.

Indianapolis is one of only two teams that have won Super Bowls playing in different cities, Baltimore and Indianapolis.

In the 10 year span of 1983-1993, the Washington Redskins won three Super Bowls, with three different starting Quarter Backs.

Jeo Theisman won the first one in 1983.

Doug Williams became the first black QB to win the Super Bowl in 1988, when Williams led the Redskins to five touchdowns in the second quarter, setting the record for most points scored in one quarter.

Mark Rypen would then lead the Skins to their third Super Bowl in 1992.

The New York Giants have won three Super Bowls in three different decades. One in the 80's, one in the 90's, and one in the 00's.

They have built their team with stellar defenses, and a power running game.

In their first two Super Bowls, Bill Parcells used mad man Lawrence Taylor to abuse QB's all over the league. The current version does the same thing pounding offenses with one of the strongest defenses in the NFL.

The Giants have placed 15 players in the Hall of Fame in Canton, OH.

When Robert Kraft purchased the New England Patriots in 1994, he started the transition that would change the way the Patriots were seen by the rest of the league.

Prior to that, the Pats had been to one Super Bowl, losing Super Bowl XX to the Chicago Bears 46-10.

In 1997, the Pats again made it to the Super Bowl XXXI against the Green Bay Packers, losing 35-21.

In 2000, Kraft signed coach Bill Bilichick and the Patriots history would be forever changed.

The Pats would go on to win the Super Bowl XXXVI, XXXVIII and XXXIX, to become only the second team to win three Super Bowls in four years.

The Pats came as close to matching the 1972 Dolphins as any team ever, posting an undefeated season in 2007, only to fall to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.

Al Davis, has owned the team since 1962, when he was the head coach and general manager. Over the years, the Raiders "Committment to Excellence" has been questioned, but to this day, Al Davis is the kind of owner that is willing to do what ever he has to to "Just Win Baby".

Other than the Colts, the Raiders are the only team to win the Super Bowl while playing home games in different cities. Los Angeles and Oakland.

The Raiders are 3-2 in Super Bowls. Had it not been for the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Raiders could have possibly been the team of the decade in the 70's.

There were epic battles with the Raiders and Steelers in the 1970's, between the immaculate reception and the Ice Bowl. These teams still hate each other today.

Al Davis and the Raiders are good for the NFL. Every story needs a bad guy, and Davis plays that part perfectly.

Posting a 3-1 Super Bowl record is impressive. Two of those came in the first two Super Bowls.

The 60's Packers team is known as the team of the decade. They were so dominate in those first two Super Bowls, winning by a combined 68-24. that the trophy awarded to the Super Bowl winner is named after the coach, Vince Lombardi.

The Packers again won the Super Bowl in 1997 defeating the New England Patriots 35-21, in Brett Favres only Super Bowl Championship.

The San Francisco 49ers became the first team in the NFL to win five Super Bowls.

Winning four Super Bowls in the 80's, made them the team of the decade, then they won their fifth with Steve Young in 1995.

The 49ers are the only team in the top 10 that have not lost a single Super Bowl.

There is not a team in the NFL that has been to the big dance as many times as the Dallas Cowboys.

The year after the 49ers won their fifth Super Bowl, Dallas matched them, defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XXX, handing the Steelers their only Super Bowl loss.

Dallas became the team of the 90's by winning Super Bowls XXVII, XXVIII and XXX. They also won Super Bowls in 1972 and 1978.

Losing twice to the Steelers in the 70's kept the Cowboys from being the only team with two "Team of the Decade" designations.

Even though the team has not won a playoff game in over 10 years, the Cowboys are still the second best team in the history of the NFL since the merger.

It should come as a shock to no one that I have put the Steelers on the top of this list. I honestly believe that regardless of which team I rooted for, the Steelers deserve the top spot.

In the 1970's, the Steelers were the team of the decade by winning four Super Bowls. They were the first team to win three, then the next year they won their fourth.

After a 16 year absence from the big game, the Steelers played the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XXX, suffering their only Super Bowl loss is Steelers history.

10 years later, is Super Bowl XL, the Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks to win their fifth, tying them with the Dallas Cowboys and the San Francisco 49ers.

Then last year against the Arizona Cardinals, the Steelers took their rightful place in line, winning an NFL record sixth Lombardi trophy.

There arent many teams in the NFL that are run like the Steelers. They build from the draft, signing only few free agents. To look at the greatness of the Steelers draft history, you have to look no further than 1974, when the Steelers drafted four players that are in the Hall of Fame today.

They keep their coaching staff in place, having only three head coaches in the last 40 years. The Rooney family believes that when you fire a head coach, you have to rebuild, so they dont do it.

Mike Tomlin is the new man in charge, and in his second season with the team, he already has his first Lombardi.

The Steelers are built for the present and the future. If I had to bet, I would say the Steelers have a better shot at number seven than the Cowboys and 49ers have at number six.

At this moment, the Steelers are the Kings of the Mountain. And until someone knocks them off, they are here to stay.