This might be a strange thing to say, but in one very specific way, the 2007 Patriots are kind of lucky. They’re remembered. For all else that happened for them at the end of the season, we’ll never forget the 2007 Patriots. There are a lot of great teams that are not so lucky. If you’re a great team and have a great season, but you lose in the playoffs, especially before the Super Bowl, your cultural impact largely just flies out the window. Sure, the fanbase will remember it. Some of the more dedicated history fans will remember it. But the culture at large will pass you by. I feel like the 1999 Jaguars are one such team. If the 1999 Jaguars have any lasting impact, it’s for two things. One, they pulverized the Dolphins 62-7 in what would become Dan Marino’s final game, sending him out in possibly the worst final game any player has ever had (barring injury ones). Two, and this is the deep cut, they only lost 3 games all year. Exclusively to the Titans.

This does a pretty good job explaining why the Jaguars fanbase despises the Titans so much.

The Jags were 14-2. They had a tough defense and a solid offense with players putting up some of their best work that year. Fred Taylor. Jimmy Smith. Mark Brunell and Jay Fielder. James Stewart. The massive Tony Boselli. Tony Brackens. Keenan McCardell. Those of you old enough probably got some nostalgic shivers on those names. The team was coached by Tom Coughlin. The season featured the blowouts you’d expect, but also some nailbiters. But good teams win those games. The Jaguars did outstanding all year and only suffered two losses: their division rival Titans. The Titans were no slouches, going 13-3. But they needed a miracle in music city to squeak past the Bills in the playoffs while the Jaguars sent Dan Marino to hell. It was pretty easy to look at the Jaguars as the AFC contenders to face the mighty Rams. Probably would have been a great super bowl.

Instead, the Titans handed them a big fat L. The Jaguars ended the season 15-3, with 3 losses to the Tits. The Titans went on to give us one of the more memorable super bowls in history while the Jaguars faded into mediocrity. They wouldn’t even make the playoffs next year. There is some discussion to be had that the ’99 team is overrated as they had an easy schedule, but 14 wins is no joke even with an easy schedule. They deserve to be remembered fondly. If anything, the legacy of nuking Dan Marino from orbit is a nice capstone.

Fun fact: not only was Tom Coughlin the coach of that team, but Perry Fewell was the defensive backs coach as well. They would be reunited for the 2011 Super Bowl run, where Fewell was the defensive coordinator and honestly deserves a bit of a shout out for putting together a solid D through injuries all year. Spags and Belichick are the well-known SB defensive coordinators for the Giants, but poor Perry has been forgotten. Not by me, Perry. You’re cool.