The Philadelphia Eagles are one of the oldest teams in the NFL beginning their history since 1933. Bert Bell and Lud Wray purchased the Frankfort Yellowjackets for only $2,500. The Eagles first season produced a 3-5-1 record and they didn’t have a winning season until they merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers to form the Steagles in 1943. Do to the shortage of players because of World War II the Steagles finished third in the NFL East with a 5-4-1 record. After the Eagles became the Philadelphia Eagles again in 1944 they continued to improve with a 7-1-2 record and finishing second in the east.In 1947 the Eagles took the next step by reaching the NFL Championship game but came up short losing to the Chicago Cardinals 28-21. The following year the Eagles would get their redemption beating the Chicago Cardinals in the rematch and won the NFL Championship 7-0. The next season produced the same result when the Eagles defeated the Los Angeles Rams 14-0 to claim their second NFL Championship. After that championship.

After a drought of ten seasons the Eagles return to their championship ways they had in the 1940′s by defeating the Green Bay Packers 17-13 in the NFL Championship game in 1960. After their championship win the Eagles went on their worst stretch in franchise history only having two winning seasons in the eighteen seasons. Coach Dick Vermeil once again brought winning back to the Eagles and his third season as coach the Eagles reached the playoffs but lost to the Atlanta Falcons 14-13 in the first round. The Eagles would make the playoffs from 1978-1981. In The Eagles made it to Super Bowl XV but eventually lost to the Oakland Raiders 27-10. There 1980 season ended with a 12-4 record, their best regular season ever up to that point.

From 1988 to 2006 the Eagles made the playoffs twelve times with six division titles and a Super Bowl XXXIV appearance and became one of the more consistent teams in the NFC. Also, from 2001 to 2004 the Eagles played in four NFC Championship games.

The Eagles have had their share of Hall of fame players and coaches who made their franchise successful which include defensive end Reggie White, wide receiver Tommy McDonald, Head Coach Earle “Greasy” Neale, and current quarterback Donovan McNabb. McNabb has been one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL for the last decade with over 25,000 passing yards, a five time Pro Bowl selection, and second in the Most Valuable Player award in 2000.

The Eagles play in most would consider the toughest division in football, the NFC East with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, and Washington Redskins. In winning that division would surely make the Philadelphia Eagles a favorite to win the NFC and maybe even the Super Bowl.

The Tampa Bay became the 27^th NFL franchise in 1974 and in 1976 went 0-14 in their first season. The Bucs are the last team in the NFL to go winless in an entire season. The Buc initially started in the AFC South but was moved to the NFC Central, which is now the NFC South. In their first two years in the league the Bucs lost twenty-six consecutive games which is the NFL record. The Bucs finally won their first game on December 11, 1977 against the New Orleans Saints. Only three seasons removed from the winless season the Bucs won the NFC Central division with a 10-6 record and found themselves in the NFC Championship game but lost to the Los Angeles Rams 9-0. The Bucs have complied six division championships over the course of their history.

The Bucs prided themselves on great defense play since their beginnings. With the likes of great defensive players such as defensive end Lee Roy Selmon who was the Bucs very first draft choice in 1976. Despite the Bucs early history woes Selmon had great individual success being named to the Pro Bowl team six times, Defensive Player of the Year in 1979, and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Bucs would win the NFC Central again in 1982 with a 9-7 record which enabled them to make the playoffs three times out of the last four seasons.

After a very long drought of unsuccessful seasons in the 1980′s and early 1990′s the Buc regain there old form from the late 1970′s acquiring future Hall of Fame player defensive tackle Warren Sapp. Sapp was drafted in 1995 and had his most productive seasons with the Bucs making seven Pro Bowls and being a very important player on their 2002 Super Bowl XXXVII winning team. Coach John Gruden helped the Bucs get over the hump with their Super Bowl victory which the previous coach Tony Dungy couldn’t do. The Bucs with their stellar defense finished with a 12-4 regular season record and a blow out of the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII. Key players of their Super Bowl run were linebacker Derrick Brooks, who became a ten time Pro Bowl selection, defensive end Simeon Rice, who lead the entire NFL in sacks with a 121 among active players upon retirement in 2007, safety John Lynch, and running back Michael Pittman.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers play in the NFC South with the Carolina Panthers, New Orleans Saints, and the Atlanta Falcons. The division has been one by each team in the last five season. Since their Super Bowl victory in 2002 the Bucs have been poor to average to good but never making an significant impact within the NFC. With a NFC that had been improving with the overall quality of teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to develop and acquire talent before they revert back to an insignificant team once again.

Formally the Baltimore Colts, the Indianapolis Colts have a successful history dating back when they first came into the AAFL in 1953. Shortly after their existence in the AAFL they merged with the NFL in 1950 but it failed. The franchise collapsed but Baltimore was given a second chance in 1953. The Baltimore Colts took the place of another failing Franchise the Dallas Texans, In 1953, selling more then 15,000 tickets in four weeks the Baltimore Colts were born.As the 1950′s continued on, the Colts would improve on each season and had their first winning season in 1957 and didn’t have another season under .500 for the next fourteen years. Johnny Unitas, one of the great quarterbacks of all-time lead the Colts to the NFL Championships in 1958 defeating the New York Giants 23-17 in the NFL’s first overtime game, 1959 defeating the Giants again 31-16 (winning the leagues Most Valuable Player award in 1959, 1964, 1967), and 1968 winning the NFL Championship but losing to the New York Jets 16-7 in ” Super Bowl” III. The Cots were heavily favored and were suppose to destroy the New York Jets, but that is why they play the games. The 1958 championship game helped popularize football in American again and was the largest audience ever to watch a football game on television at the time.

Johnny Unitas wasn’t the only Hall of Fame player who helped in the teams success. Artie Donovan, Lenny Moore, Raymond Berry, Gino Marchetti, and Jim Parker all contributed to the Colts on field success. The Baltimore Colts won Super Bowl V against the Dallas Cowboys in 1970 24-3 after the AFL/NFL merger once again.

As all good things must come to end, so did the winning nature of the Colts. From 1978-1982 the Colts had a terrible record of 19-53-1 making it one of the worst franchises in the NFL. In1984 the Colts would move from Baltimore to Indianapolis.

They would have mediocre success until the quarterback Peyton Manning was drafted the number one overall pick by the Colts in 1998. Manning would once again bring back the winning ways of the Colts just as Unitas did many years before. Manning’s first season was a learning experience one could say with his team going a dismal 3-13. The Colts success would continue to improve over the coarse of the last decade and Peyton Manning grew into one of the all-time great quarterbacks of this or any other generation. Winning two Most Valuable Player awards in 2003 & 2004 Manning will further the debate of who was better Manning or Unitas when Manning’s career finally concludes.

In 2004 Manning set the all-time touchdown passing record with 49 passing Dan Marino’s previous record of 48 set in 1984. The record is now held by Tom Brady of the New England Patriots who set the mark in 2007 throwing 50 touchdown passes in a season.

With heart breaking loses to the Colts rivals the New England Patriots in the playoffs in the previous years, Manning finally over came the “can’t win the big game” moniker by defeating the Patriots in the AFC Championship game in the 2007 playoffs thus leading the Cots to a Super Bowl XLI victory over the Chicago Bears. With wide receivers Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne, and tight ends Dallas Clark, the Colts are one of the highest scoring teams of the last decade.

The Colts are always in contention with Manning at the helm and with his abundance of offensive weapons, the Indianapolis Colts will still continue to be a threat in the AFC.