Yes, a 3 and 6 team have indeed made the playoffs in the past, although it’s a fairly rare occurrence. The first time it happened was in 2013 when the San Diego Chargers finished the season at 9-7, having started the year 3-6.
In fact, the Chargers were the first team since the Cleveland Browns in 1985 to make the playoffs after starting the season at or below .500 with six games left to play. Most recently, the Houston Texans also started 3-6 in 2018 before storming back to win the AFC South division with an 11-5 record, earning them a playoff berth.
Ultimately, while it is possible for a 3-6 team to make the playoffs, there have only been two such instances in the last three decades.
What is the lowest record to make the NFL playoffs?
The lowest record to make the NFL playoffs depends on the number of teams in the playoffs each year. Generally, the team with the lowest record to make the playoffs since 2010 has had at least 7 wins, with an exception in the 2020-21 season due to the expanded playoffs.
In 2020, due to the shortened season and pandemic, the lowest-ranked team to make it to the playoffs was the Washington Football Team, whose record was 7-9.
In 2019-20, it was the Tennessee Titans, who had 9-7 record.
In 2017-18, it was the Buffalo Bills with a 9-7 record.
In 2016-17, it was the Lions who had a 9-7 record.
In 2015-16, it was the Texans with a 9-7 record.
In 2014-15, it was the Panthers who had a 7-8-1 record.
In 2013-14, it was the Eagles with a 10-6 record (the Eagles actually tied a team they were competing against and lost out on the tie breaker).
In 2012-13, it was the Vikings with a 10-6 record.
In 2011-12, it was the Broncos who had an 8-8 record.
In 2010-11, it was the Seahawks with a 7-9 record.
How many times has 3 teams from the same division made the playoffs?
This has happened multiple times in the National Football League (NFL). Three teams from the same division making the playoffs has occurred in seven seasons since the NFL expanded the playoffs in 1990.
The first three-team postseason was in 1993 when the AFC Central, now known as the AFC North, sent all three teams to the playoffs. The Pittsburgh Steelers, the Cleveland Browns, and the Houston Oilers all made the playoffs in that season.
The AFC East had the same occurrence in 2002 when the New England Patriots, the Miami Dolphins, and the New York Jets all made the playoffs. In the NFC West, three teams made the playoffs in both 2004 and 2005 when the Seattle Seahawks, the St. Louis Rams, and the San Francisco 49ers competed in the postseason.
The same situation was mirrored in the AFC West in 2006 when the Denver Broncos, the Oakland Raiders, and the San Diego Chargers all made the playoffs. In 2008 and 2013, the NFC North sent all three teams to the playoffs.
The Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears, and the Minnesota Vikings were the three teams. The most recent occurrence of three teams from the same division making the playoffs was in 2018, when the AFC South sent all three teams to the postseason.
The Jacksonville Jaguars, the Tennessee Titans, and the Houston Texans all made the playoffs.
When did NFL have 3 wildcard teams?
The National Football League (NFL) implemented the wildcard system in 1978, which added three additional wild card teams to the playoff tournament. These teams competed in the first round of the playoffs alongside the three division winners from each conference.
The seeds were determined by the regular-season records of the teams. Before the wildcard system was implemented in 1978, the only teams that could compete in the playoffs were the three division winners from each conference.
The wildcard system not only added more teams to the playoff tournament, but it also increased competition for the other teams and expanded the fan base, since more teams were now competing in the post-season playoffs.
The wildcard system has since become an important and successful part of the NFL and it has allowed teams with less-than-stellar regular season records to compete for the championship.
How many times has an NFL team beat the same team 3 times in one season?
The National Football League is unique in that teams generally only play each other twice in a single season, so any team that has managed to beat the same opponent three times in one season has accomplished a rare feat.
According to research conducted by Pro Football Reference, there have only been a handful of teams that have accomplished this feat in the history of the NFL. The first team to do it was the Oakland Raiders in 1967 against the Denver Broncos, followed by the Los Angeles Rams in 1974 against the New Orleans Saints.
In 1984, the Washington Redskins managed three wins against the Dallas Cowboys and the 1991 Detroit Lions repeated the feat against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. There were also three teams to do it in the 2004 NFL season, with the Cincinnati Bengals beating the Pittsburgh Steelers three times, the Pittsburgh Steelers beating the Cleveland Browns three times and the New England Patriots beating the New York Jets three times.
Subsequent seasons have seen teams manage three consecutive wins against their opponents but with the introduction of the Wild Card format, it has become increasingly rare to see teams face the same opponent three times in any one season.
