Is this Rams Super Bowl hangover season the worst of all time?
After eight games the Los Angeles Rams, who were Super Bowl LVI champions back in February, are 3-5 heading into Sunday’s home game against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Rams have sagged out of the NFC West race. They have been sniping at each other in the media, Jalen Ramsey calling out the offense after its failure at the end of the Bucs loss. The Rams offense has been pounded by injuries and ranks 21st in passing in the NFL, 31st in rushing.
The Rams defense has been better, so maybe Ramsey has a point. It’s third in the NFL against the run, 11th against the pass.
But Super Bowl teams don’t usually just drop off like this, especially when they bring back core stars like the Rams did with quarterback Matthew Stafford, wide receiver Cooper Kupp, stud defensive lineman Aaron Donald and Ramsey.
MyLASports did a deep dive on the last 25 Super Bowl champions and how they performed the following year.
The Rams are the first defending Super Bowl champs since the 2013 Ravens to have a losing record after eight games the following year. Four other Super Bowl champs were 4-4 at this point. Of the 25, 17 made the playoffs.
Here’s what happened to the last 25 Super Bowl champions the following year and what kind of Super Bowl hangover they had.
2021 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record after 8 games (the following year): 6-2
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Ram fans know the answer to this one. The Rams went down to Tampa Bay and overcame some late turnovers to beat the Bucs in the divisional round. The Bucs finished 14-5.
2020 – Kansas City Chiefs
Record after 8 games: 7-1
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? No way. Patrick Mahomes guided the Chiefs back to the Super Bowl, but the offensive line fell apart and they lost to the Bucs.
2019 – New England Patriots
Record after 8 games: 8-0
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Maybe. This was the year everyone knew Tom Brady’s contract was up and wondered if he would return to New England. Spoiler alert – he didn’t. The Patriots were upset by Tennessee in the wild card round.
2018 – Philadelphia Eagles
Record after 8 games: 4-4
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? The Eagles just couldn’t figure out the QB spot with Carson Wentz and Nick Foles splitting time. The Eagles made playoffs, beat the Bears on the Double Doink, but lost the next week in New Orleans.
2017 – New England Patriots
Record after 8 games: 6-2
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? No way. Brady and the Patriots were in their prime but lost in the Super Bowl to the fired-up Eagles.
2016 – Denver Broncos
Record after 8 games: 6-2
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? More like a Peyton Manning retired hangover. The Broncos collapsed after a good start and finished 9-7 and out of the playoffs. Trevor Siemian wasn’t the answer at QB.
2015 – New England Patriots
Record after 8 games: 8-0
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Nope. The Pats just couldn’t get past Manning and the Broncos on the road in the AFC Conference Championship Game.
2014 – Seattle Seahawks
Record after 8 games: 5-3
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Russell Wilson and company got back to the Super Bowl the next year, and got all the way down to the 1-yard line with a chance to beat the Patriots. You know the rest. They threw a pass. The franchise has never been the same.
2013 – Baltimore Ravens
Record after 8 games: 3-5
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Kind of. The Ravens let superstar safety Ed Reed go. Joe Flacco lost his elite status and threw 22 picks. The Ravens didn’t make the playoffs.
2012 – New York Giants
Record after 8 games: 6-2
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Totally. After shocking the Patriots in the Super Bowl, the Giants couldn’t find the magic again the next year. They failed to make the playoffs.
2011 – Green Bay Packers
Record after 8 games: 8-0
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? This team doesn’t get remembered for how good it was. Aaron Rodgers was young and the Packers finished the regular season 15-1. But the Giants stomped them at Lambeau in the first round of the playoffs. The Packers were cocky.
2010 – New Orleans Saints
Record after 8 games: 5-3
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Kind of. Special teams woes hurt the Saints who went to the playoffs as a wild card, only to lose to the Seahawks in the infamous “Beastquake” game.
2009 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Record after 8 games: 6-2
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Totally. After their hot start, the Steelers lost five in a row, including two in overtime and didn’t make the playoffs.
2008 – New York Giants
Record after 8 games: 7-1
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? The Giants were big favorites heading into the playoffs, but the offense froze at the wrong moment and they were beat by the Eagles in the divisional round.
2007 – Indianapolis Colts
Record after 8 games: 7-1
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? The Peyton Manning Dynasty never came about in Indianapolis. The Colts lost to the Chargers in the playoffs, beat by back-up quarterback Billy Volek.
2006 – Pittsburgh Steelers
Record after 8 games: 2-6
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Totally. The Steelers rallied to finish 8-8 but didn’t make the playoffs. Their 2-6 record after eight games is the worst for any defending Super Bowl champion the following season in the last 25 years.
2005 – New England Patriots
Record after 8 games: 4-4
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? The Patriots were attempting to win their third straight Super Bowl, but just ran out of gas. Jake Plummer and the Broncos stopped them in the playoffs.
2004 – New England Patriots
Record after 8 games: 7-1
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? No way. The Patriots repeated as Super Bowl champs, beating the Eagles.
2003 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Record after 8 games: 4-4
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? This team reminds me a lot of today’s Rams. Quarterback Brad Johnson suddenly looked old and threw 21 picks, the team couldn’t make any big plays. They finished 7-9.
2002 – New England Patriots
Record after 8 games: 4-4
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? This may sound hard to believe now, but after the Patriots won the Super Bowl in 2001, people still weren’t sure that they were any good. The truth was they still weren’t. Brady was young and this team didn’t make the playoffs.
2001 – Baltimore Ravens
Record after 8 games: 5-3
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? The Ravens were still good, but the defense was starting to show some age. They lost in the divisional round to Kordell Stewart and the Steelers.
2000 – St. Louis Rams
Record after 8 games: 7-1
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? The Rams fell apart after the hot start, won the wild card and had to go on the road in the first round of the playoffs and lost to the Saints. Definite hangover.
1999 – Denver Broncos
Record after 8 games: 2-6
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? John Elway had retired. Terrell Davis got hurt. These Broncos were dead.
1998 – Denver Broncos
Record after 8 games: 8-0
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Nope. The Broncos capped Elway’s career with back-to-back Lombardi trophies.
1997 – Green Bay Packers
Record after 8 games: 6-2
Was it a Super Bowl hangover? Brett Favre and company got back to the Super Bowl but looked disjointed in the loss to the Broncos. It was just the Broncos time.
