So, does defense still win games?

[pulaski74]

No one is factoring in the players, carolina receivers stunk the place up, qb overthrowing I don't know how many times, the bronco players just seemed more intense to me. Mike Shula for whatever reason did not use cm for lets say qb draw to slow down the rush, carolina did not stick w/ what got them there, broncos did.

 

[OrangePA]

I believe I heard on ESPN or Fox Radio that 10 of the last 13 Super Bowl winners have led the League in defense.

I have always accepted the idea that a team needs to play defense to win. And I have found it to be torture watching the Orange give up chunks and chunks of yardage and time of possession the last two years.

The UVA and Pitt games in particular were painful to watch on the defensive side of the ball.

 

[Millhouse]

I believe I heard on ESPN or Fox Radio that 10 of the last 13 Super Bowl winners have led the League in defense.

I have always accepted the idea that a team needs to play defense to win. And I have found it to be torture watching the Orange give up chunks and chunks of yardage and time of possession the last two years.

The UVA and Pitt games in particular were painful to watch on the defensive side of the ball.

we will have to get incredibly lucky to win a conference championship much less a national championship

i would rather build around offense because I think that's more sustainable for a school like us and cross our fingers that the stars align and we luck into a very good defense here and there.

i think the broncos got lucky. if antonio brown doesn't get his head taken off, they probably lose to the steelers. (if if if, i know)

 

[OrangePA]

we will have to get incredibly lucky to win a conference championship much less a national championship

i would rather build around offense because I think that's more sustainable for a school like us and cross our fingers that the stars align and we luck into a very good defense here and there.

i think the broncos got lucky. if antonio brown doesn't get his head taken off, they probably lose to the steelers. (if if if, i know)

Maybe.

The offense wasn't that bad last year - at least when Dungey was healthy.

The defense was just plain awful and painful to watch.

It will be interesting to see how Babers does on that side of the ball.

I have little doubt that he will be fine on the offensive side.

 

[Czar]

I can't believe people are seriously comparing NFL level defense to college level defense.

College defense is terrible, stop doing this.

 

[blizz]

Defense in football is the equivalent of being black in chess, you're at a natural (and significant) disadvantage. A defense that can routinely impose it's will is more difficult to acheive, and far more impressive to see in action. Football fans who don't appreciate good defense are like people who say they're boxing fans and then say Floyd Mayweather is boring - they make me laugh, and then they make me go deaf.

 

[Scooch]

I believe I heard on ESPN or Fox Radio that 10 of the last 13 Super Bowl winners have led the League in defense.

I have always accepted the idea that a team needs to play defense to win. And I have found it to be torture watching the Orange give up chunks and chunks of yardage and time of possession the last two years.

The UVA and Pitt games in particular were painful to watch on the defensive side of the ball.

The stat is that the league's #1 ranked defense is 10-2 in Super Bowls. Which means that the league's #1 ranked defense didn't make the Super Bowl 38 times.

Going back 10 years to when the major defensive rule changes were implemented here are the defensive rankings for Super Bowl champs...

2015: Broncos #1
2014: Patriots #13
2013: Seahawks #1
2012: Ravens #17
2011: Giants #27
2010: Packers #5
2009: Saints #25
2008: Steelers #1
2007: Giants #7
2006: Colts #21

As many teams have won a Super Bowl with a sub-20th ranked D as have teams with the #1 ranked D. Average rank is 12th.

Interesting to look at offensive rank too, and see that the average rank is... 12th.

2015: Broncos #16
2014: Patriots #11
2013: Seahawks #18
2012: Ravens #16
2011: Giants #8
2010: Packers #9
2009: Saints #1
2008: Steelers #22
2007: Giants #16
2006: Colts #3

The team's that won the SB and had #1 ranked D's had the luxury of having mediocre offenses (16, 18, 22). Remove those and the average O was ranked 9th.

So I think the point is that you can win a title if you have a league leading defense. But you also can win a title with a pedestrian defense too. Lots of ways to skin a cat, essentially.

And to Millhouse's point, offense is more predictable and sustainable year-to-year. Take a look at Denver's current odds to win the SB next season as evidence of that.

 

[ssbriefcase]

Take a look at Denver's current odds to win the SB next season as evidence of that.

12/1 right now. It's obvious by looking at who has better odds, they took the best qb's pretty much and all of them with pretty good defenses, in other words all around teams. For Denver to be in that grouping is actually pretty good considering they have the only qb that is an unknown.

 

[Millhouse]

Defense in football is the equivalent of being black in chess, you're at a natural (and significant) disadvantage. A defense that can routinely impose it's will is more difficult to acheive, and far more impressive to see in action. Football fans who don't appreciate good defense are like people who say they're boxing fans and then say Floyd Mayweather is boring - they make me laugh, and then they make me go deaf.

 

[Millhouse]

Maybe.

The offense wasn't that bad last year - at least when Dungey was healthy.

The defense was just plain awful and painful to watch.

It will be interesting to see how Babers does on that side of the ball.

I have little doubt that he will be fine on the offensive side.

we get old and we have a thousand games to compare it to from prior years and we think, it's not that bad. older you get, the less time you have to watch a million games happening right now. so it's just natural to maybe not keep up with what is good or bad right now. i'm such a dork about spreadsheets, so i know not to trust my old memory. i'm not watching all these no name teams get 500 ypg, i have to pick my battles.

but i agree the defense was way worse than the offense, i think that just happens sometimes. i like shafer as a defensive coach.

 

[OrangeJohn]

You can score 70 points and still lose if your defense gives up 71.

 

[blizz]

 

[TheCusian]

You can score 70 points and still lose if your defense gives up 71.

And you can still win if you score 72. Get ready for this to be our mantra.

 

[blizz]

So now, we don't like what someone has to say and instead of attacking the merits of their argument we play the race card? Thats a new low for you Millhouse...

 

[Millhouse]

So now, we don't like what someone has to say and instead of attacking the merits of their argument we play the race card? Thats a new low for you Millhouse...

usually, i just ignore this kind of stuff because it cracks me up but this time I'll fill you in that I was kidding and it was obvious that you were talking about the chess pieces aye yi yi

if i actually thought you were being racist, i wouldn't have used that ridiculous gif to say so

 

[blizz]

usually, i just ignore this kind of stuff because it cracks me up but this time I'll fill you in that I was kidding and it was obvious that you were talking about the chess pieces aye yi yi

if i actually thought you were being racist, i wouldn't have used that ridiculous gif to say so

We are sorely in need of a sarcasm font around here.

I understood it was in jest. Dont think that it's gone unnoticed that you are, without qualification, one of the most substantive posters when it comes to backing up your assertions. I was trying to respond in kind. All respect, man. Its all love.

 

[SWC75]

We are sorely in need of a sarcasm font around here.

I understood it was in jest. Dont think that it's gone unnoticed that you are, without qualification, one of the most substantive posters when it comes to backing up your assertions. I was trying to respond in kind. All respect, man. Its all love.

:rolling:

 

[Millhouse]

We are sorely in need of a sarcasm font around here.

I understood it was in jest. Dont think that it's gone unnoticed that you are, without qualification, one of the most substantive posters when it comes to backing up your assertions. I was trying to respond in kind. All respect, man. Its all love.

damn it, you got me

 

[upperdeck]

I think the stats just show that in college a dominant team has 0-1 losses in the nfl they have 1-5 losses . a 5 loss team loses 30% of the time so just winning 3 games to get the SB is a crap shoot

 

[bnoro]

Maybe.

The offense wasn't that bad last year - at least when Dungey was healthy.

The defense was just plain awful and painful to watch.

It will be interesting to see how Babers does on that side of the ball.

I have little doubt that he will be fine on the offensive side.

Yes, yes it was. We were a painful team to watch last year as a whole.