How Bad Can It Get For an NFL Team?

Ok, most people know the Detroit Lions are looking at a record no one wants.

Most people of course know the record for consecutive losses goes to the Tampa Bay Bucs, for their 26 straight losses.

Now, let's dig a little deeper...and figure out just how bad, any team can be.

First of all, how'd you like to never Win, in the NFL?

Dating back to 1920, the Rochester Jeffersons played in the NFL's precursor league, the APFA. In two seasons, they weren't bad, going 8-5-2 in two years. In 1922, they joined the teams moving to the NFL, thinking, hey, this can't be that bad.

Hmm....try 0-20-2. After the 1925 season, they no longer existed.

How about the bad way to end a season?

Carolina Panthers fans (and Mike, forgive me), would cringe at the 2001 season, for good reason. They went into the season with some hope, only to lose the next 15 games in a row.

A number of teams have gone 1-15 in the NFL. The Dolphins, for example last year, joined:

New Orleans, 1980
Dallas, 1989
New England, 1990
Indianapolis, 1991
N.Y. Jets, 1996
San Diego, 2000
Carolina, 2001
Miami, 2007

Of course, the Lions this year, already own one record, the longest drought to start a season. They broke the mark previously held by New Orleans in 1980, and then Tampa Bay, who didn't have the extra two games now on schedules.

Of course, there's other records that make people wonder. Take the Dallas Cowboys. They own the record for the most consecutive home games without victory, at 14. Or, almost two straight years. And then the opposite number, for road losses, goes to the Lions one more time, losing 24 games on the road.

And lastly, if you think you're having a bad day, try out the 1922-1924 span for the Rochester Royals. It's one thing to lose 20 games.

How'd you like to lose eight straight games, without scoring a single point?

(information from http://www.nfl.com/history/randf/records/team/gameslost)