Longest NFL losing streaks in history, Cardinals hold active streak at home originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
The Arizona Cardinals are on the wrong side of history heading into Thursday’s Week 7 game against the New Orleans Saints.
It’s now been exactly one year – Week 7 of the 2021 season – since the Cardinals won at home. The franchise is riding an eight-game losing skid at State Farm Stadium, which is its longest since 1958.
While eight straight home losses is a lot, the Cards’ current streak still isn’t near the NFL record.
Here’s a look at all the biggest losing streaks in the NFL:
What is the longest losing streak in NFL history?
Coincidentally, the Chicago Cardinals hold the longest overall losing streak in NFL history at 29 games. The franchise – which later moved to St. Louis and then Arizona – saw this losing streak last over parts of four seasons from 1942 to 1945. They lost their final six games in 1942 before going winless (0-10) in 1943 and 1944. Chicago finished 1-9 in 1945, but won its fourth game of the season to end the streak at 29.
Here are the five longest losing streaks in NFL history:
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Chicago Cardinals, 29 games, 1942-45
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 26 games, 1976-77
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Jacksonville Jaguars, 20 games, 2020-21
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Oakland Raiders, 19 games, 1961-62
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Detroit Lions, 19 games, 2007-09
What is the longest current NFL losing streak?
Through Week 6 of the 2022 NFL season, every team in the league has at least one win.
Seven teams are tied for the longest active losing streak, which is just three games: Jaguars, Dolphins, Bears, Broncos, Browns, Lions and Panthers.
What is the longest NFL losing streak at home?
The Cardinals’ eight-game home losing streak is the longest active streak in the NFL. The Cards lost 14 straight home games from 1941 to 1945, while the Buccaneers lost their first 13 home games in franchise history from 1976 to 1977 as part of their 26-game skid.
In more recent times, the Jaguars lost 10 straight at home from 2020 to 2021 and the Lions with nine straight home defeats from 2008 to 2009.
Which quarterback has the worst prime-time record?
For all the Cardinals bashing in this story so far, here’s the other side of things…
Saints starting quarterback Andy Dalton has lost 11 straight starts in prime-time, which is the longest streak by any quarterback since the 1970 NFL-AFL merger. To pile on, Dalton’s last five prime-time losses have all come by at least 17 points.
Since 2000, Dalton’s prime-time record stacks up as one of the worst among all quarterbacks:
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Kerry Collins, 5-16, .238 win percentage
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Andy Dalton, 6-18, .250 win percentage
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Ryan Fitzpatrick, 5-10, .333 win percentage
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Matthew Stafford, 10-18, .357 win percentage
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Kirk Cousins, 10-18, .357 win percentage
Something has to give on Thursday Night Football. Will Dalton snap his 11-game prime-time losing streak? Or will the Cardinals win their first home game in a year?