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#2 – 2010 Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
Pete Carroll’s time with the Seattle Seahawks will be remembered fondly for reaching two Super Bowls and winning one championship.
The work Carroll and his front office did to construct the infamous Legion of Boom and develop Russell Wilson into an MVP candidate was remarkable.
Yet, few remember the difficult early years of the project, including Carroll’s first season at the helm back in 2010, where the team ended the regular season with a 7-9 record.
Alas, this record was, somehow, enough for them to win the NFC West, as the San Francisco 49ers, St. Louis Rams and Arizona Cardinals all failed abjectly.
Marshawn Lynch had to try and carry an offense that was led by Matt Hasselbeck still, but the team didn’t have enough quality.
Having been viewed as the worst team to ever make the NFL playoffs, Carroll’s Seahawks were clearly building for the future.
Ironically, like the 2014 Panthers, this team would also win their Wildcard game once the NFL playoffs had begun.
In the first draft of the Carroll era, notable selections included Russell Okung, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor, all of whom would play in 2010, with it proving to be a vital year of learning and development.
#1 – 2020 Washington Commanders (7-9)
In a development that Ron Rivera is certainly looking to forget, his name appears on this list for the second time.
Having made the playoffs with the 7-8-1 Panthers, 2020 saw him win another divisional title with a losing record.
The fact that this has only been done three times since 2000, and Rivera has been the coach for two of them, is quite astonishing.
Having finished 3-13 in 2019, the 2020 season was an improvement for the Washington franchise.
However, it was mostly down to the lack of quality in the NFC East that allowed them to win their division.
At the time, many considered this division to be the worst to ever play in a single NFL season.
Chase Young’s emergence after being drafted by the team was tremendous. His pass-rushing ability was notable from the first snap of his NFL career, and he reached the pro-bowl in his rookie year.
Rivera, though, should be given credit for his achievements, given the fact he spent much of the season battling against cancer.
He was undergoing chemotherapy and was, sometimes, even treated on the sideline during NFL games.
Unsurprisingly, the Washington team wouldn’t last long in the postseason, losing their Wild Card matchup to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 31-23.
Alex Smith’s return from injury was a high point, although the team lacked a quarterback they could rely on, and this is still the case in 2022, although hopes are high for Carson Wentz.
Rivera’s roster was improving all the time in 2020, and while the fact they won their division somewhat pokes fun at their record, they were indeed on the correct path.
