re: Obviously we know which was the best season, but

there were so many it's hard to pick. That one is certainly among the top though. 2000 was a tease, then that collapse against those teams is what sealed it for me that Haslett didn't have what it took to be a NFL head coach. That was very similar to another coaching landmark-

In the way back machine, another that sticks out painfully poignant was in 1979...
Into the 13th season and the team still had never broke .500 yet. This was the apex of Thunder & Lightning. Manning was NFC Player of the Year. Wes Chandler! They started 0-3 but then made a run. They were 7-6. A big MNF was next and if they won they were going to start selling playoff tickets. They were ahead 28-14 at half but were dominating more than that score. The offense completely shutdown and misfired in the 2nd half. Oakland came back and won 42-35. It was devastating not only for playoffs but psychologically they way it ended. I stated at that game that was the end of Dick Nolan. He didn't finish the next year when the bags came out. Right on the cusp of playoffs and turning the corner! But instead turned into another burrow of the Mecom ownership era.