Both SB teams with an L in week 1

After seeing both of the SB teams lose in week one, I was wondering if that had occurred before (OK I had some pent up energy to burn after that Steelers game yesterday...) At any rate, I only went back 20 years but this was the only time it has occurred in the past 20 seasons. So maybe it has happened at some point, but I lost interest after looking at past 20 seasons. Some other interesting observations:

16 of past 20 SB winners won their season opener the following season - 80% win rate
9 of past 20 SB losers won their season opener the following season - 45% win rate
6 times in past 20 seasons both SB teams won their season opener the following season - 30%
14 of past 20 seasons at least one SB team lost their opener the following season - 70%

 

It was the first time since 1999(broncos and falcons)!

 

Both of those teams took the easiest approach to training camp and preseason. The biggest competition that Burrow faced during those precious weeks was his daily ping pong tournaments. I am dead serious about that comment. He didn't make 1 pass. He didn't take 1 hit and his Offensive line with 4 out of 5 new personnel never played a single preseason game snap together. As I understand it, Zak Taylor took the exact same approach as his previous boss Sean McVay.

I'm not surprised at all that both those teams lost their first games.

 

It's an interesting idea, and going back 20 years does give some ideas, but I think more recent trends (and individual concerns) have a lot to do with it. Both Stafford and Burrow had summer physical concerns..both were limited or non existent in camp and pre games.

 

Camp cupcakes don't work.