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While the New Orleans Saints chase the 2007 New England Patriots’ record for regular-season perfection, they also can join exclusive company in another category. Having outscored their opponents 440-251, they are headed for one of the 10 best point differentials since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978.

Historically, that’s a super position. Really Super.

The 1983 Washington Redskins and 1994 San Francisco 49ers are tied for 10th at plus-209, leaving the Saints only 20 points behind with four games left. Both teams followed their dominant regular seasons with devastating playoff openers en route to the Super Bowl. The Redskins eviscerated the Atlanta Falcons 51-7, and the 49ers clobbered the Chicago Bears 44-15.

Nothing unusual there. Ten of the top 11 teams in point differential reached the Super Bowl, and six won. The lone exception was the 1998 Minnesota Vikings, who outscored their opponents by 260 and went 15-1 before losing a heart breaker to the 14-2 Falcons in the NFC Championship Game. Gary Anderson, the first NFL kicker to make all of his field goals in the regular season, missed a 38-yarder that would have given the Vikings a 10-point lead with a few minutes left. They lost 30-27 in overtime.

The rest of the list is a who’s who of the NFL’s all-time best teams.

New England, which scored a league-record 589 points two years ago, is a runaway No. 1 at plus-315.

The 1999 St. Louis Rams, with Kurt Warner directing the Greatest Show on Turf, are No. 2 at plus-284.

The 1985 Chicago Bears of Mike Ditka and Buddy Ryan outscored opponents by more (plus-258) than they allowed (198).

Also represented: the 1984 San Francisco 49ers (plus-248) and Miami Dolphins (plus-215), who faced each other in the most anticipated Super Bowl ever (the 49ers won easily, 38-16), and the 1996 Green Bay Packers (plus-246), who gave Brett Favre his only Super Bowl ring.

homerj07

Hoo-ray!! Keep scoring!!

hagan714

nice write up. good job by our b&g buddy