What do preseason records mean? Every year some team wins a bunch of games in the preseason and is magically transformed into a playoff contender. Conversely, a playoff contender will struggle through the preseason and fans and media won't be able to jump off its bandwagon fast enough.

The Rams just finished the preseason without a win (0-4). Does that mean the Rams are headed for a disasterous fall from the NFL's elite? Not if you look at ESPN.com's predictions for 2002, but it also calls for a closer look at preseason records and how they translate into regular-season results.

Below is a table with all the undefeated and winless teams in preseason over the last 12 years and their regular-season records.

Of the 26 teams that finished the preseason undefeated, 16 went on to finish over .500 for the season, with 15 of those teams making the playoffs. So in other words, a little under 60 percent of the teams that have finished the preseason undefeated since 1990 have made the playoffs. While 60 percent is pretty good, an undefeated preseason is clearly not an absolute ticket to the playoffs. Of the two undefeated teams this preseason (N.Y. Jets and Atlanta), the odds say that one of them probably won't make the playoffs.

On the other hand, of the 19 teams with winless preseasons since 1990, only three have made the playoffs (or even finished with winning records). Clearly a winless preseason historically doesn't bode well for a team's playoff future. In fact, of those 19 teams, seven of them won five games or less.

Does that mean the Rams won't make the playoffs? That seems unlikely. The Rams remain a playoff favorite and seem more likely to finish the season like the 1990 Bills (13-3 after an 0-4 preseason) than the 1990 Patriots (1-15 after an 0-4 preseason).

So back to the question of whether preseason records matter. There are clearly some numbers to back up the idea that an undefeated or winless preseason does have an impact on a team's playoff chances. Clearly, teams with winless preseasons have historically turned out to be bad teams. However, there is nothing strong enough to suggest Falcons fans should make playoff plans or that Rams fans should start booking tee times for Dec. 31.

Preseason matters?
Year	Undefeated	Preseason record	Regular record	Winless	Preseason record	Regular record
2002	Atlanta	4-0	--	Buffalo	0-4	--
	N.Y. Jets	4-0	--	St. Louis	0-4	--
2001	Minnesota	4-0	5-11	None	--	--
2000	Baltimore	4-0	12-4*	Dallas	0-5	5-11
	Denver	4-0	11-5*	Carolina	0-4	7-9
	San Diego	4-0	1-15	Kansas City	0-4	7-9
				N.Y. Giants	0-4	12-4*
1999	Baltimore	4-0	8-8	Cincinnati	0-4	4-12
	Green Bay	4-0	8-8	San Diego	0-5	8-8
	Tampa Bay	4-0	11-5*
1998	Baltimore	4-0	6-10	Chicago	0-4	4-12
	Miami	4-0	10-6*	Dallas	0-5	10-6*
	Minnesota	4-0	15-1*
1997	Green Bay	5-0	13-3*	Baltimore	0-4	6-9-1
	Pittsburgh	5-0	11-5*	Tennessee	0-4	8-8
	Jacksonville	4-0	11-5*	Carolina	0-4	7-9
	N.Y. Jets	4-0	9-7
1996	None	--	--	None	--	--
1995	Philadelphia	4-0	10-6*	Houston	0-3	7-9
1994	Indianapolis	4-0	8-8	L.A. Rams	0-4	4-12
	Chicago	4-0	9-7*
1993	Detroit	4-0-1	10-6*	N.Y. Jets	0-4	8-8
				L.A. Rams	0-4	5-11
1992	N.Y. Jets	5-0	4-12	None	--	--
	S.F.	5-0	14-2*
	Minnesota	4-0	11-5*
1991	S.F.	5-0	10-6	None	--	--
	Phoenix	4-0	4-12
1990	N.Y. Giants	4-0	13-3*	Buffalo	0-4	13-3*
	Detroit	4-0	6-10	Indianapolis	0-4	7-9
	Atlanta	4-0	5-11	New England	0-4	1-15
				Phoenix	0-4	5-11

* made the playoffs