(May 25, 2007) -- Two years ago, the Indianapolis Colts cruised to a 13-0 start and finished the season an NFL-best 14-2. Those Colts were upset in the divisional round of the playoffs.
Inevitably, the Colts could not match that record in 2006 (finishing 12-4), but the team used the experience of the previous season's disappointment and got hot in the playoffs on the way to the Colts' first Super Bowl victory in 35 years.
Bill Cowher and Pittsburgh followed up a 15-1 year with a Super Bowl title.
Three seasons ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers crushed the opposition on the way to an even more impressive mark of 15-1. That team was also upset in the divisional round of the playoffs. But like the Colts, the Steelers followed up that disappointment with a worse record (11-5) but a much sweeter end result -- a victory in Super Bowl XL.
One might see where this is headed already. For three consecutive Super Bowls, the team with the best record in the league the previous season has gone on to win it all the next year (New England won Super Bowl XXXIX after finishing 14-2 in 2003). So if the trend holds up, that means the owner of last season's best record will win Super Bowl XLII this year.
That team happens to be the San Diego Chargers.
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