4) 1996 Jacksonville Jaguars. The 1996 Jaguars weren’t expected to compete for the playoffs. Jacksonville was an expansion team in 1995 and predictably won just four games. After starting the 1996 season at 3-6, the Jaguars were meeting expectations as a below-average team devoid of talented and experienced players.A 28-3 thrashing in Pittsburgh sank the Jaguars to 4-7, and the season was on the brink when they fell behind, 25-10, in the fourth quarter the next week against the Ravens. Jacksonville rallied and won that game in overtime, and won its next three games by a touchdown or less as well. At 8-7, the Jaguars could earn the wild card with one more win. With Jacksonville up by 19-17 in the final minute of the final quarter of the regular season, things once again looked bleak for the Jaguars. But when Morten Andersen pushed a 30-yard field-goal attempt wide left, Jacksonville had clinched one of the N.F.L.’s most surprising playoff appearances. What’s even more surprising? Once in the playoffs, Jacksonville won its first two games, knocking off the Bills and Broncos on the road before falling to the Patriots in the A.F.C. championship game. They’re the only team to fall three or more games under .500 and then win multiple playoff games. http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/12/15/the-most-unlikely-playoff-participants-in-nfl-history/
