Comparing dynasties, '01-'16 New England Patriots vs '81-'96 San Francisco 49ers

As the 2001-2016 New England Patriots continue their climb up the ladder of football royalty, let's take a look at how they compare with the other dynasty in the Super Bowl era, the 1981-1986 San Francisco 49ers.

Let's look at a quick tale of the tape of the two teams.

Criteria	Advantage	Patriots ('01-'16)	49ers ('81-'96)	Advantage
Reg Season record	√	(196-60-0, .759)	(182-65-1, .736)
Playoffs	√	(25-9, .735)	(20-9, .690)
Avg Finsh - Division	√	1.13	1.38
Avg Conference seed	√	1.7	1.7	√
Made playoffs	√	14 of 16	14 of 16	√
Made Conference finals	√	11 of 16	9 of 16
Made Super Bowl	√	7	5
Won Super Bowl	√	5	5	√
Avg Rank - Offense		5	4	√
Avg Rank - Defense		8	5	√
Avg Rank - SOS	√	20	20	√
Avg of SOS	√	0.485	0.474
vs Playoff teams (reg/post)	√	(76-40, .655)	(72-41, .637)
vs teams w/win record (reg/post)		(88-50, .638)	(82-44, .651)	√
QB Rating	√	95.3	94.9

Now let's look at the details.

New England Patriots during the regular season.

Season	Tm	G	W	L	T	%	Div	Seed	Playoffs
2016	Pats	16	14	2	0	0.875	1	1	Won SB
2015	Pats	16	12	4	0	0.750	1	2	Lost Conf
2014	Pats	16	12	4	0	0.750	1	1	Won SB
2013	Pats	16	12	4	0	0.750	1	2	Lost Conf
2012	Pats	16	12	4	0	0.750	1	2	Lost Conf
2011	Pats	16	13	3	0	0.813	1	1	Lost SB
2010	Pats	16	14	2	0	0.875	1	1	Lost Div
2009	Pats	16	10	6	0	0.625	1	3	Lost WC
2008	Pats	16	11	5	0	0.688	2	0	No Playoffs
2007	Pats	16	16	0	0	1.000	1	1	Lost SB
2006	Pats	16	12	4	0	0.750	1	4	Lost Conf
2005	Pats	16	10	6	0	0.625	1	4	Lost Div
2004	Pats	16	14	2	0	0.875	1	2	Won SB
2003	Pats	16	14	2	0	0.875	1	1	Won SB
2002	Pats	16	9	7	0	0.563	2	0	No Playoffs
2001	Pats	16	11	5	0	0.688	1	2	Won SB
16 Years	Pats	256	196	60	0	0.759	1.13	1.7	14 of 16

San Francisco 49ers during the regular season.

Season	Tm	G	W	L	T	%	Div	Seed	Playoffs
1996	49ers	16	12	4	0	0.750	2	4	Lost Div
1995	49ers	16	11	5	0	0.688	1	2	Lost Div
1994	49ers	16	13	3	0	0.813	1	1	Won SB
1993	49ers	16	10	6	0	0.625	1	2	Lost Conf
1992	49ers	16	14	2	0	0.875	1	1	Lost Conf
1991	49ers	16	10	6	0	0.625	3	0	No Playoffs
1990	49ers	16	14	2	0	0.875	1	1	Lost Conf
1989	49ers	16	14	2	0	0.875	1	1	Won SB
1988	49ers	16	10	6	0	0.625	1	2	Won SB
1987	49ers	15	13	2	0	0.867	1	1	Lost Div
1986	49ers	16	10	5	1	0.656	1	3	Lost Div
1985	49ers	16	10	6	0	0.625	2	5	Lost WC
1984	49ers	16	15	1	0	0.938	1	1	Won SB
1983	49ers	16	10	6	0	0.625	1	2	Lost Conf
1982	49ers	9	3	6	0	0.333	3	0	No Playoffs
1981	49ers	16	13	3	0	0.813	1	1	Won SB
16 Years		248	182	65	1	0.736	1.38	1.7	14 of 16

Now the New England Patriots in the post season.

Season	Tm	G	W	L	%
2016	Pats	3	3	0	1.000
2015	Pats	2	1	1	0.500
2014	Pats	3	3	0	1.000
2013	Pats	2	1	1	0.500
2012	Pats	2	1	1	0.500
2011	Pats	3	2	1	0.667
2010	Pats	1	0	1	0.000
2009	Pats	1	0	1	0.000
2008	Pats	0	0	0	0.000
2007	Pats	3	2	1	0.667
2006	Pats	3	2	1	0.667
2005	Pats	2	1	1	0.500
2004	Pats	3	3	0	1.000
2003	Pats	3	3	0	1.000
2002	Pats	0	0	0	0.000
2001	Pats	3	3	0	1.000
16 Seasons	Pats	34	25	9	0.735

San Francisco 49ers in the post season.

Seasons	Tm	G	W	L	%
1996	49ers	2	1	1	0.500
1995	49ers	1	0	1	0.000
1994	49ers	3	3	0	1.000
1993	49ers	2	1	1	0.500
1992	49ers	2	1	1	0.500
1991	49ers	0	0	0	0.000
1990	49ers	2	1	1	0.500
1989	49ers	3	3	0	1.000
1988	49ers	3	3	0	1.000
1987	49ers	1	0	1	0.000
1986	49ers	1	0	1	0.000
1985	49ers	1	0	1	0.000
1984	49ers	3	3	0	1.000
1983	49ers	2	1	1	0.500
1982	49ers	0	0	0	0.000
1981	49ers	3	3	0	1.000
16 Years		29	20	9	0.690

Finally, the rankings of the New England Patriots in offense scoring (Off Rank), defense scoring (Def Rank), strength of schedule (SOS) and strength of schedule percentage (SOS %).

Season	Tm	Teams	Off Rank	Def Rank	SOS	SOS %
2016	Pats	32	3	1	32	0.439
2015	Pats	32	3	10	27	0.473
2014	Pats	32	4	8	10	0.514
2013	Pats	32	3	10	25	0.473
2012	Pats	32	1	9	21	0.496
2011	Pats	32	3	15	30	0.449
2010	Pats	32	1	8	14	0.504
2009	Pats	32	6	5	11	0.516
2008	Pats	32	8	8	22	0.480
2007	Pats	32	1	4	24	0.469
2006	Pats	32	7	2	18	0.496
2005	Pats	32	10	17	13	0.508
2004	Pats	32	4	2	17	0.492
2003	Pats	32	12	1	22	0.484
2002	Pats	32	10	17	6	0.525
2001	Pats	31	6	6	28	0.449
16 Years	Pats	32	5	8	20	0.485

The rankings of the San Francisco 49ers in offense scoring (Off Rank), defense scoring (Def Rank), strength of schedule (SOS) and strength of schedule percentage (SOS %).

Seasons	Tm	Teams	Off Rank	Def Rank	SOS	SOS %
1996	49ers	30	3	4	28	0.449
1995	49ers	30	1	2	14	0.504
1994	49ers	28	1	6	24	0.465
1993	49ers	28	1	16	24	0.469
1992	49ers	28	1	3	24	0.461
1991	49ers	28	3	4	10	0.512
1990	49ers	28	8	2	26	0.445
1989	49ers	28	1	3	25	0.457
1988	49ers	28	7	8	9	0.512
1987	49ers	28	1	3	21	0.473
1986	49ers	28	7	3	13	0.494
1985	49ers	28	5	2	7	0.520
1984	49ers	28	2	1	28	0.418
1983	49ers	28	4	4	17	0.494
1982	49ers	28	7	23	23	0.457
1981	49ers	28	7	2	26	0.457
16 Years		28	4	5	20	0.474