[SplitPersonality1]

Which NFL team is the best of all-time?

That is a question that has been debated in stadiums, bars and living rooms across the country since the beginning of time. OK, maybe that is overstating it a bit, but I think you know what I mean.
Some people say that the best team would be the ’85 Bears or the ’72 Dolphins. Maybe it is one of the great 49ers teams of the 80’s or the Packers of the 60’s. What about the America’s Team, the Purple People Eaters, the Steel Curtain or the “Greatest Show on Turf”? Could the greatest team of all-time be one that did not hoist the Lombardi Trophy or win an NFL Championship? (2007 Patriots anyone?)
This dynasty will attempt to answer this most basic question by running the Ultimate64 Tourney, a March Madness style tournament pitting the greatest NFL teams against each other until just one remains…The Ultimate NFL Champion.

Now the question is; how to decide which teams will participate in the Ultimate64.

I decided to dump all NFL, AAFL & AFL teams since 1941* into a tournament. Chronicling all 6,888 games in this tourney would be mind-numbingly boring at best, so I have already run all of the early rounds and the Ultimate League of 576 teams is set. The league is broken into 64 divisions of 9 teams. Each division winner will move on to the Ultimate64 Tourney.

* I am using WhatIfSports to play the games and they do not simulate any teams before 1941.

For this dynasty, I will be following one particular team in detail. That team ----- The 1998 Minnesota Vikings.

Why the Vikes?
Well, I grew up in Minnesota in the 70’s. Fran “The Man” Tarkenton & the Purple People Eaters always had a good team that just couldn’t seem to win the big game. Fast forward to the 90’s and I had since moved to Packer country, watched Green Bay go from basement dwellers to Super Bowl champs with Brett Favre at the helm. Although I had become a Packers fan, my first love was still the purple and gold.

1998 was a great football year for me. The Vikings couldn’t seem to lose and destroyed other teams with the offensive exploits of Randall Cunningham, Robert Smith and some rookie named Randy Moss. The Vikings finished 15-1 and was well on their way to going to the Super Bowl. I had to work the day of the NFC Championship but it was no big deal. I had already planned ahead to be off the day of the big game. My VCR was set and I would watch the game as soon as I got home.

I got home and flipped on the TV, ready to rewind my tape. Wait a second. It looks like Atlanta is lining up to kick a field goal. Huh? The game should have been over, what the heck. The kick went…and it was good. Atlanta wins the game in overtime. I took out the tape, stomped on it and immediately put it in the trash. The rest is history. Atlanta went on to get destroyed in Super Bowl XXXIII by the Broncos and all the Vikings had was what might have been. Sixteen years later; I am still PO’d about that game.

The Ultimate League
So, I hope to follow this team through the Ultimate League and deep into the Ultimate64 tourney. I figure that they probably won’t win, but of course I want them to redeem themselves and do well and maybe finish in the top 10.

The ’98 Vikings are members of Division 1967. The teams in D1967 are:

1967 Green Bay Packers (9-4-1) – 1st NFL Central - beat Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl II
1971 Miami Dolphins (10-3-1) – 1st AFC East - lost to Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl VI
1998 Minnesota Vikings (15-1) – 1st NFC Central - lost to Atlanta Falcons in NFC Championship Game
2000 Oakland Raiders (12-4) – 1st AFC West – lost to Baltimore Ravens in AFC Championship Game
2013 Kansas City Chiefs (11-5) – 2nd AFC West – lost to Indianapolis Colts in AFC Wildcard Game
1990 Philadelphia Eagles (10-6) – 2nd NFC East – lost to Washington Redskins in NFC Wildcard Game
1992 Miami Dolphins (11-5) – 1st AFC East – lost to Buffalo Bills in AFC Championship Game
2013 San Diego Chargers (9-7) – 3rd AFC West – lost to Denver Broncos in AFC Divisional Game
1989 Kansas City Chiefs (8-7-1) – 2nd AFC West – did not make the playoffs

Looking at these teams, I think the Vikes have a very good shot of winning the division and making it to the Ultimate64. However, unlike real life, they have to go through an entire season playing playoff caliber teams. Finishing 15-1 will be very tough and probably unlikely. Still, they were an offensive juggernaut and will be very tough to stop. I wish them luck.

In addition to chronicling the ’98 Vikings in detail, I will be following the obvious favorites (’85 Bears, ’72 Dolphins etc.) If you readers, hopefully there will be readers, have any teams you love, let me know and I will give you weekly updates.