In celebration of the Falcons going eightandoh, I decided to look up the fate of the other eightandoh teams in the SuperBowl era (1966 onwards). In the SuperBowl era, 20 teams started the season 8-0 including your 2012 Atlanta Falcons. The good news –all the other 19 eightandoh teams made the playoffs and 42% won the SuperBowl. The bad news – 32% went one-n-done in the playoffs. Here’s the fate of the last 19 teams to go eightandoh in the playoffs:

• 8 (42%) won the SuperBowl
• 4 (21%) lost in the SuperBowl
• 1 (5%) lost in the Championship game
• 6 (32%) went one-n-done in the playoffs

Additional note: I have been informed by various national media outlets that the Falcons have too many close wins , and are thus lucky and will thus be exposed in the playoffs by going one-n-done. So here’s the playoff fate of the 7 other eightandoh teams that won 4 or more games by a one-score margin.

• 2 (29%) won the SuperBowl (’06 Colts, ’91 Redskins)
• 1 (14%) lost in the SuperBowl (’09 Colts)
• 1 (14%) lost in the NFC Championship game (’90 Niners)
• 3 (33%) went one-n-done in the playoffs (’11 Packers, ’03 Chiefs, ’75 Vikings)

Additional note to additional note for the nitpicky: I am aware that the Falcons have won 5 games by a one score margin. I chose 4 or more because that represents half the games played at the eightandoh mark. If you are still unsatisfied, the fate of the 3 teams with 5 or more wins by one score margins is given below :

• 2006 Colts won the SuperBowl
• 1990 Niners lost in the NFC Championship game
• 1975 Vikings went one-n-done

Moral of story: No matter how I sliced it a third of the teams consistently went one-n-done. Falcoholics, you have been warned.

Additional more positive and possibly ironic moral of the story: Once, eightandoh teams have won their first playoff games they have been virtually assured of going to the SuperBowl. So... yeah...no pressure in the playoffs Falcons.