Which NFL team has the longest playoff winning drought?
The Cincinnati Bengals entered the NFL postseason looking to make history. They had not won a playoff game in 31 years, marking the longest such streak in the league.
But things are different with Joe Burrow at quarterback as the team came together for a close 26-19 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday in the team's Wild Card game. The win ended a painfully long drought for the franchise and lets the Bengals start a new era.
However, this turn of events raises the question, who holds the unwanted record now?
Which NFL team has gone the longest without a playoff win?
The honor now belongs to the Detroit Lions. Just how bad is their drought? The Lions last won a playoff game in the 1991 Divisional Round. The team then fell in the NFC Championship, likely expecting to continue competing for years to come.
Yet the Lions have eight consecutive losses in the Wild Card Round and last made the postseason during the 2016 season. Two historic NFL franchises are behind the Lions on this unfortunate list. The Miami Dolphins have gone 21 years without a playoff victory and the Raiders are at 19 seasons.
The #Lions (1991) now have the longest active playoff win drought in the NFL.
Detroit's streak is particularly brutal because of all the talent that has passed through the franchise. Barry Sanders is one of the best players in NFL history and decided to call it a career early, likely because of the team's direction. The same was true for legendary receiver Calvin Johnson, who put up Hall of Fame numbers, only to retire when he was still in his prime.
The best shot the team has had at success in recent years is when Jim Caldwell was head coach. He had three winning seasons in four years and made the playoffs twice. But ownership wanted more and fired him, only to hire Matt Patricia and endure three losing seasons in a row.
After the Bengals' win on Saturday, the longest active NFL playoff win drought belongs to ... the Detroit Lions.
(via @EliasSports) https://t.co/0nELX7NVaM
Dan Campbell is now the new potential savior, but got off to a rough start with a 3-13-1 record. His team was at least playing hard, which was a good sign as he tries to instill a winning culture in one of the NFL's most historic organizations. That is not going to be easy given the history of losing inherent in the organization.
The craziest thing about the Lions is that this drought is not unheard of in Detroit. Before winning in the 1991 playoffs, the last playoff win before that came in the 1962 postseason. So it is not rare for Lions fans to wait decades and generations to enjoy postseason success.
Also check out: Pittsburgh Steelers Playoff History, Appearances, Wins and more