The Baltimore Ravens just finished a 24-game preseason winning streak, but how does it stack amongst the most impressive streaks in NFL history?
Joey Slye’s game-winning kick sealed the Washington Commanders’ 29-28 upset of the Baltimore Ravens, snapping an NFL record 24-game preseason win streak.
It’s an impressive feat, considering that the NFL record for the longest win streak, including the regular season and playoffs, is 23 regular season victories in a row by the Indianapolis Colts from 2008-2009. Preseason or not, it’s a historic achievement. But that’s where the credit ends. The reality is, despite how long it lasted and as impressive as it was, there’s a reason that preseason records don’t count.
Long win streaks are just part of NFL History, but some have more significance than others.
So, how do you rate a winning streak by a team? For one, they had to be good, and second, within the streak, something miraculous had to have been accomplished, like say, a Super Bowl title. That said, let’s break down the Top 5 most impressive win streaks in NFL history. Size doesn’t matter as much as quality. We start our countdown off with a streak from way back in the ’70s.
No. 5 most impressive NFL win streak: 1972-1973 Miami Dolphins, 18 consecutive victories including playoffs.
Within this streak, Miami captured a Super Bowl title against Washington and completed the NFL’s first and only undefeated season. While the Super Bowl MVP was awarded to safety Jake Scott, a legitimate argument could be made that the entire “No Name Defense” could have received the award. That’s not how it works, however. Scott played a good game and deserved the award, but there’s a reason this group was and still is, the perfect team.
Under Earl Morrall and Bob Griese, the Dolphins offense rode a running game of Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris to a 14-0 regular season record in 1972 and three straight playoff wins including the big game. Miami would then win the season opener in 1974 before the streak ended against Oakland in Week 2. The Dolphins went on to win the Super Bowl against Minnesota that season to go back-to-back, so the late great Don Shula still got the last laugh.