The 2009 season
The New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl after the 2009 season, beating the Indianapolis Colts 31-17 at Dolphin Stadium.
They went 13-3 in the regular season and won the NFC South. The conference championships: the New Orleans Saints beat the Minnesota Vikings 31-28; the Indianapolis Colts beat the New York Jets 30-17.
The Indianapolis Colts had the best record at 14-2 and lost the Super Bowl; the St Louis Rams finished bottom at 1-15.
The New Orleans Saints scored the most points (510) and the New York Jets conceded the fewest (236). The longest winning run: the Indianapolis Colts, 14 in a row (weeks 1-15).
The biggest upset: the Oakland Raiders, 14.5-point underdogs, beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-24 in week 13, one of 20 wins by teams getting 7 or more points. The widest margin: the New England Patriots beat the Tennessee Titans 59-0 in week 6. The most points in one game: 83, when the Philadelphia Eagles beat the New York Giants 45-38 in week 14.
47% of games were decided by one score (8 points or fewer). 13 games went to overtime.
Play-offs
Wild card round
- Baltimore Ravens 33-14 New England Patriots · upset, 3.5-point underdog won
- Green Bay Packers 45-51 Arizona Cardinals (OT)
- New York Jets 24-14 Cincinnati Bengals
- Philadelphia Eagles 14-34 Dallas Cowboys
Divisional round
- Arizona Cardinals 14-45 New Orleans Saints
- Baltimore Ravens 3-20 Indianapolis Colts
- Dallas Cowboys 3-34 Minnesota Vikings
- New York Jets 17-14 San Diego Chargers · upset, 9-point underdog won
Conference championships
- Minnesota Vikings 28-31 New Orleans Saints (OT)
- New York Jets 17-30 Indianapolis Colts
Super Bowl
- New Orleans Saints 31-17 Indianapolis Colts · upset, 4.5-point underdog won
Final standings
AFC
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New England Patriots · Lost wild card round | 10 | 6 | .625 | +142 |
| New York Jets · Lost conference championship | 9 | 7 | .563 | +112 |
| Miami Dolphins | 7 | 9 | .438 | -30 |
| Buffalo Bills | 6 | 10 | .375 | -68 |
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Bengals · Lost wild card round | 10 | 6 | .625 | +14 |
| Baltimore Ravens · Lost divisional round | 9 | 7 | .563 | +130 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 9 | 7 | .563 | +44 |
| Cleveland Browns | 5 | 11 | .313 | -130 |
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts · Lost Super Bowl | 14 | 2 | .875 | +109 |
| Houston Texans | 9 | 7 | .563 | +55 |
| Tennessee Titans | 8 | 8 | .500 | -48 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 7 | 9 | .438 | -90 |
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Chargers · Lost divisional round | 13 | 3 | .813 | +134 |
| Denver Broncos | 8 | 8 | .500 | +2 |
| Oakland Raiders | 5 | 11 | .313 | -182 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 4 | 12 | .250 | -130 |
NFC
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas Cowboys · Lost divisional round | 11 | 5 | .688 | +111 |
| Philadelphia Eagles · Lost wild card round | 11 | 5 | .688 | +92 |
| New York Giants | 8 | 8 | .500 | -25 |
| Washington Redskins | 4 | 12 | .250 | -70 |
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings · Lost conference championship | 12 | 4 | .750 | +158 |
| Green Bay Packers · Lost wild card round | 11 | 5 | .688 | +164 |
| Chicago Bears | 7 | 9 | .438 | -48 |
| Detroit Lions | 2 | 14 | .125 | -232 |
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans Saints · Won Super Bowl | 13 | 3 | .813 | +169 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 9 | 7 | .563 | +38 |
| Carolina Panthers | 8 | 8 | .500 | +7 |
| Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3 | 13 | .188 | -156 |
| Team | W | L | Pct | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Cardinals · Lost divisional round | 10 | 6 | .625 | +50 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 8 | 8 | .500 | +49 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 5 | 11 | .313 | -110 |
| St Louis Rams | 1 | 15 | .063 | -261 |
Regular season only. Pct counts a tie as half a win. Div, Conf, Non-Conf: records against division, conference and other-conference opponents. Strk: current run of wins (W), losses (L) or ties (T). Last 5: oldest to newest. Teams level on Pct are ordered by division record, then points difference, which can differ from the official standings. Data: nflverse.
Season in numbers
| Measure | 2009 | Average since 2002 |
|---|---|---|
| Points per game | 42.9 | 44.7 |
| Home win rateNeutral-site games excluded; a tie counts as half. | 57% | 56% |
| One-score gamesDecided by 8 points or fewer. | 47% | 51% |
| Favourites wonAgainst the closing line; pick’ems and ties left out. | 70% | 67% |
| Overtime games | 13 (5%) | 6% |
Regular season only. Average: every completed season since 2002 except this one. Data: nflverse.