1996 NFL ATS Standings

Here are the final NFL standings for the 1996 professional football season. Included are the straight up records, ats records, points scored, points allowed, yards per play, and yards per play allowed for the teams.

REGULAR SEASON & PLAYOFFS

View ATS and straight up records for the previous NFL seasons below.

Recap of the 1996 NFL Football Season

The 1996 NFL draft is considered one of the best in terms of wide receiver selection as there have been many that have gone on to achieve greatness in the NFL. Keyshawn Johnson, Terry Glenn, Marvin Harrison and Eric Moulds were all taken in the first round and have all had stellar careers. Sometimes drama queen Terrell Owens was also taken by the 49ers with the 89th pick in the draft. Other notable players taken in the 1996 draft include: Eddie George (14), Ray Lewis (26), Mike Alstott (35), Brian Dawkins (61), Tedy Bruschi (86, Stephen Davis (102), Joe Horn (135) and Zach Thomas (154). This was certainly one of the best drafts in terms of talent in the history of the draft.

1996 definitely felt like a changing of the guard around the NFL as new faces were replacing old. The Cleveland Browns were relocated to Baltimore and set up shop as the Ravens. The Browns were able to keep their colors and name and the Ravens were treated as an expansion team. 1996 also marked the first year that since 1991 that neither the Cowboys or the 49ers played in the conference championships.

The Denver Broncos rose to the upper echelon of the AFC by going 13-3 in the 1996 campaign. Bill Parcels and his New England Patriots also had an impressive year as he turned the franchise around and getting them into the playoffs. Defending AFC champs, the Steelers, also walked into the postseason. The second year expansion team Jaguars also made it into the playoffs along with Buffalo and Indianapolis. The Green bay Packers went 13-3 behind Brett Favre and his arm. The other expansion team from a year ago, the Carolina Panthers rolled into the playoffs with an impressive 12-4 record. Dallas, San Francisco, Philadelphia and Minnesota all received playoff births.

Mark Brunell and his 2nd year team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, gave him much support as he threw for 4,367 yards in 1995. Vinny Testeverde of Baltimore and Drew Bledsoe of the Patriots also threw for over 4,000 yards. The year partly belonged to Favre, however, as he severed defenses and threw close to 40 touchdowns for the Packers. Barry Sanders sat atop the heap to gain the rushing crown again in 1996 running for 1,553 yards. Denver Broncos back, Terrell Davis, burst onto the scene running for 1,538 yards while new Steeler, Jerome Bettis , ran for 1,431. Washington’s Terry Allen bested everyone in the touchdown category by scoring on 21 occasions. Jerry Rice, Herman Moore and Carl Pickens all grabbed over 100 balls in 1996 with St. Louis Ram wide out, Isaac Bruce, gaining 1,338 yards.

The Green Bay Packers and the Carolina Panthers defense’s were blocks of granite as they picked apart their teams with great care and skill. Both teams made the playoffs.

Brett Favre won the MVP award for the 2nd year in a row in 1996. Denver Bronco’s tailback, Terrell Davis gained Offensive Player of the Year honors and Buffalo Bills defensive end, Bruce Smith, was named Defensive Player of the Year in 1996. Houston Oilers running back, Eddie George, was named Offensive Rookie of the Year as Arizona linebacker Simeon Rice was named Defensive Rookie of the Year.

The Green Bay Packers defeated the New England Patriots 35-21 in Super Bowl 31. Kick Returner Desmond Howard was named Super Bowl MVP after returning a 99 yard kick return for the game clinching touchdown.