Hapless Bills Fan Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 I was going to add this to pretty long thread, thought it deserved its own place. It's a truism "offense wins games, defense wins championships". I can't remember another season where it's worked out so neatly that the dvisional round could be predicted by the defensive Pts allowed/G ranking. Check it out. Then check out the offense statistics (bottom) - no correlation at all. This probably means it will be Jets vs Bears in the superbowl -- wouldn't want things to be too predictable!!!! Team Stats, Points per game allowed, defense: Rk Team Pts/G 1 Pittsburgh Steelers 14.5 2 Green Bay Packers 15 3 Baltimore Ravens 16.9 4 Chicago Bears 17.9 5 Atlanta Falcons 18 6 New York Jets 19 7 New Orleans Saints 19.2 8 New England Patriots 19.6 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19.9 10 San Diego Chargers 20.1 11 Kansas City Chiefs 20.4 12 St. Louis Rams 20.5 13 Cleveland Browns 20.8 14 Miami Dolphins 20.8 15 Tennessee Titans 21.2 Team Stats, Points per game scored, offense: Rk Team Pts/G 1 New England Patriots 32.4 2 San Diego Chargers 27.6 3 Philadelphia Eagles 27.4 4 Indianapolis Colts 27.2 5 Atlanta Falcons 25.9 6 Oakland Raiders 25.6 7 Dallas Cowboys 24.6 7 New York Giants 24.6 9 Houston Texans 24.4 10 Green Bay Packers 24.2 11 New Orleans Saints 24 12 Pittsburgh Steelers 23.4 13 New York Jets 22.9 14 Kansas City Chiefs 22.9 15 Detroit Lions 22.6 and #30: Da Bears 20.9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3rdand12 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 lotsa data that points to defense. Doesnt it? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills1960 Posted January 17, 2011 Share Posted January 17, 2011 The way I look at it is one side can be stronger than the other but it can't be by much. It's very rare that you get teams like the Bucs and Ravens earlier in the decade who won relying completely on defense. But even those teams won because Dilfer and Johnson made plays when they had to. Oh, an example of a one sided team that couldn't get it done, the 1999 Sabres. Different sport, same idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stealth Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 You obviously need balance with both. On offense you can't just be a passing team. Take the Packers for instance, yes an outside observer would say "they're not a running team" No statistically they're not a good rush offense. However they put in attempts, which often times can be just as effective especially keeping teams off balance. With the emergence of James Starks just look how it's helping AaRon Rodgers, who's just out of this world good. You have to have a consistent running game, with a passing offense capable of putting points on the board. Defensively you have to be able to stop the runm, and make teams one dimensional . 3 of the 4 teams remaining are the top 3 rush d's in the NFL. Pitt/Chi/Jets. All 4 teams are in the top 10 in scoring defense. Yeah you need to be consistently good on both sides of the ball. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 The way I look at it is one side can be stronger than the other but it can't be by much. It's very rare that you get teams like the Bucs and Ravens earlier in the decade who won relying completely on defense. But even those teams won because Dilfer and Johnson made plays when they had to. Oh, an example of a one sided team that couldn't get it done, the 1999 Sabres. Different sport, same idea. It seems pretty clear if you want to build a dynasty, you got to have strength on both sides of the ball. I never understood the Brad Johnson dissing. Once Minn let him off the practice squad and put him in to play, he posted some pretty decent numbers and had some decent games. He played a good season for Washington too before the superbowl season in Tampa. So yeah, he wasn't "Mr Franchise 1st Round Draftee", but he had a clear record of being a good QB over several seasons in several different systems. It's not like he was Tavaris Jackson just thrown in there, or Gus Frerotte or something. More like Jake Delhomme or Matt Hasselbeck Maybe it's 'cuz he would have been an UDFA today and spent 2 years on the practice squad, so everyone was predisposed to rate him as junk? Or maybe because he didn't do as well on his return trip - but he was in his late '30s by then. Trent Dilfer, on the other hand, is the dark horse he was said to be. The team ran well Unrelated rant: WTF with the Vikes, do they feel it's their mission to provide a rest home for aging "star QB" on their way out of the league? Favre, before that there were Moon, McMahon, Cunningham, George.... Check it out, they've only drafted 2 QB in the early rounds since 1999: Culpepper, and Tavaris Jackson (stretch in the 2nd). lotsa data that points to defense. Doesnt it? Thanks I think you gotta have it going on to some extent on both sides of the ball. Overall, though, the data says to me bring a very strong D, or Fahgettabout going too far these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clippers of Nfl Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I was going to add this to pretty long thread, thought it deserved its own place. It's a truism "offense wins games, defense wins championships". I can't remember another season where it's worked out so neatly that the dvisional round could be predicted by the defensive Pts allowed/G ranking. Check it out. Then check out the offense statistics (bottom) - no correlation at all. This probably means it will be Jets vs Bears in the superbowl -- wouldn't want things to be too predictable!!!! Team Stats, Points per game allowed, defense: Rk Team Pts/G 1 Pittsburgh Steelers 14.5 2 Green Bay Packers 15 3 Baltimore Ravens 16.9 4 Chicago Bears 17.9 5 Atlanta Falcons 18 6 New York Jets 19 7 New Orleans Saints 19.2 8 New England Patriots 19.6 9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 19.9 10 San Diego Chargers 20.1 11 Kansas City Chiefs 20.4 12 St. Louis Rams 20.5 13 Cleveland Browns 20.8 14 Miami Dolphins 20.8 15 Tennessee Titans 21.2 Team Stats, Points per game scored, offense: Rk Team Pts/G 1 New England Patriots 32.4 2 San Diego Chargers 27.6 3 Philadelphia Eagles 27.4 4 Indianapolis Colts 27.2 5 Atlanta Falcons 25.9 6 Oakland Raiders 25.6 7 Dallas Cowboys 24.6 7 New York Giants 24.6 9 Houston Texans 24.4 10 Green Bay Packers 24.2 11 New Orleans Saints 24 12 Pittsburgh Steelers 23.4 13 New York Jets 22.9 14 Kansas City Chiefs 22.9 15 Detroit Lions 22.6 and #30: Da Bears 20.9 actually based on these stats. it should be pitt vs green bay in the superbowl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 actually based on these stats. it should be pitt vs green bay in the superbowl. Yeppers. And I had NE vs GB My Bad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sllib olaffub Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 I think one thing that is obvious, though, if you are trying to build a winning team: you do it on both lines. If you devote all your energy first making sure you have an outstanding D-line, for instance, then that makes the rest of the unit better right away. A lot of times (Minnesota is a good example) a good D-line can stop the run itself, and can apply pressure to QB (Giants recent SuperBowl). Then, on the flip side, a very good O-line can make a mediocre RB look good, and can give the QB enough time to hit the second and third reads. I know if I were trying to right a team, that is where I'd apply all my initial attention and energy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clippers of Nfl Posted January 18, 2011 Share Posted January 18, 2011 Yeppers. And I had NE vs GB My Bad! no prob. man im wrong like 50% of the time. and i dont give a crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hapless Bills Fan Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 no prob. man im wrong like 50% of the time. and i dont give a crap. I admit it: I enjoyed watching NE get their a** handed to them. I'd prefer a GB-Stillers SB and think that's how it should be based on the stats. Which is why I'm thinking it will be Jets-Bears just ta larn me not to think I know somethin' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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