It was the most topsy-turvy season of the modern era - and maybe ever. Take everything you knew about the NFL at the end of '98, and throw it away, because it didn't help in understanding this season at all. Consider:

* Indianapolis won 10 more games this year than they did last year, going from 3-13 to 13-3. This has never been done before.

* In '99, teams finished with a record that was (on average) 3.5 wins different from their '98 record. This is the easily the highest ever (not counting the '82 strike year). In most cases, the year-to-year delta is under 2.5 wins.

* The defending super bowl champs, the Denver Broncos, posted an 8-game (negative) turnaround from '98 to '99, going 14-2 in '98 to 6-10 in '99. Impressive skid - with the exception of 10-game dive by the Houston Oilers from '93 to '94 (12-4 in '93 to 2-14 in '94), there has been no larger turnaround - positive or negative - before this year, since the strike year of '82. And yet, this 8-game turnaround was only tied for fourth place this year, with San Francisco matching it, and Atlanta, Indianapolis, and St. Louis exceeding it.

* The two teams that played in the Super Bowl in '98, Denver and Atlanta, both opened the '99 season at 0-4. Statistically, not only will you not see that again in your lifetime - neither will your grandkids, and neither will their grandkids.

* The four teams that played in the AFC and NFC championships (Jets, Broncos, Vikings, Falcons) were a combined 0-11 against the rest of the league after week three. Statistically... well, that just doesn't happen!

* 4 teams (Jacksonville, St. Louis, Tennessee, and Indianapolis) finished the season with 3 or fewer losses. This has never happened before in a 16-game season.