Greatest NFL Defense of all time!!!!

[skydog71]

Gotta go with da Bears. #1 in yards, points, turnovers. Not included in those stats are their 3 playoff games where they caused as many turnovers as they allowed points (10).

[J0nnD0ugh]

Quote: Originally Posted by titansftw

I dont understand how having a bad offense somehow makes a defense "look better."

Because when this question is asked, people think Ravens D was great. Ravens O was pathetic. Ravens still won the SB. Therefore, they must be the GOAT. Just because you had a touger road to hoe, doesn't mean you were better.

Vinny Testaverde passed for over 400 vs the Ravens that year. You could pass vs Baltimore that year. You couldn't run worth a crap. Teams didn't try to pass on the Ravens until they had to & that helped them. Because they knew you had to throw & they could just tee off on the pass rush.

The 4-6 & Curtain dominated all expects of the game.

'85 Chicago had 7 of their 19 games in which they didn't give up a TD. 2 others where the TD gave up was a single bomb. You weren't driving the ball on those guys. Especially amazing is how they did against the best in the NFL that year. They gave up 91 pts total in 9 games vs teams w/10 or more wins. Keep in mind, they gave up 38 to Miami alone.

That's a shutout vs wild card Dallas, 183 yds total to Joe Montana & the Niners w/zero TD's, 159 yds & 2 fg's to the wild card Jets, shutouts of division winners Giants & Rams, 123 yds in the SB to NE.

'74 Pittsburgh was 2nd in PA, 1st in ydsA despite their offense turning the ball over forty times. Nine times, the Steelers gave up under 106 net yds passing. Just twice did they give up 20 pts or more that season. In those games, they had to defend against 8 turnovers. Three made 1st team All-Pro, a 4th made the Pro Bowl. None of those were FS Glen Edwards (5 INT's, 3 FR's), CB Mel Blount, LB Jack Lambert or CB Donnie Shell.

Again, the Ravens were impossible to run against. They are probably the best rush defense ever. In 20 games, only twice did anyone run for 120 or more yards. Ten times, only 51 yds or less. An avg per carry of 2.7. Unreal. And they were terrific in creating turnovers. 49 total.

I felt all through that season, the opposing teams just came w/the wrong gameplan vs the Ravens. Establishing the run first was stupid. Cause you were never going to run against those guys. You had to throw them off balance by throwing early & get the back 7 to play on their heels a bit. It wasn't going to be easy. But it would allow them some kind of chance. Pounding the ball was going to get you nowhere.

[titansftw]

Quote: Originally Posted by J0nnD0ugh

[...] Again, the Ravens were impossible to run against. They are probably the best rush defense ever. In 20 games, only twice did anyone run for 120 or more yards. Ten times, only 51 yds or less. An avg per carry of 2.7. Unreal. And they were terrific in creating turnovers. 49 total. I felt all through that season, the opposing teams just came w/the wrong gameplan vs the Ravens. Establishing the run first was stupid. Cause you were never going to run against those guys. You had to throw them off balance by throwing early & get the back 7 to play on their heels a bit. It wasn't going to be easy. But it would allow them some kind of chance. Pounding the ball was going to get you nowhere.

Yeah, but throwing against Rod Woodson as a safety (all pro), Chris McAlister and Duane Starks in their heyday while getting pressure up the middle from Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams in their prime wouldnt exactly be a smart move either.

Also, teams attempted 528 passes and only 361 runs against them, so im not so sure teams just tried to pound the rock. in fact it looks like that teams ran the third least against the Ravens. seems more like teams abandoned the running game early since they knew it was futile. then again i could be reading this wrong.

http://www.pro-football-reference.co...s/rav/2000.htm

[J0nnD0ugh]

Quote: Originally Posted by titansftw

Yeah, but throwing against Rod Woodson as a safety (all pro), Chris McAlister and Duane Starks in their heyday while getting pressure up the middle from Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams in their prime wouldnt exactly be a smart move either. Also, teams attempted 528 passes and only 361 runs against them, so im not so sure teams just tried to pound the rock. in fact it looks like that teams ran the third least against the Ravens. seems more like teams abandoned the running game early since they knew it was futile. then again i could be reading this wrong. http://www.pro-football-reference.co...s/rav/2000.htm

Teams gave up on pounding it in the 2nd half after not finding success & falling behind. But as I watched that year, teams seemed to be stubborn & tried to establish the run early. It just wasn't happening. They were just beyond dominant in that area. Trying to run just ran you at their strength. It was foolhardy.

And in no way do I claim throwing against them was easy. I'm saying coming in w/a pass first plan would have been smarter & most OC's didn't do that. Vinny went for 400 plus, but he also had 4 picks (seems like McAlistar had 3, but I can't remember. wwharton probably knows.) Jax averaged 300+ in the air against them in 2 games, but had 10 total TO's. You were likely to get your butt whipped either way. That's why they are an all-time defense.

But they did give up yards in the air. I don't see how anyone could move the ball & score vs the '85 Bears & the '74-5 Steelers. Plus, they were way more intimidating. Ray Lewis was the only scary guy on the Ravens. HOFers still shudder when you mention Lambert, Mean Joe & Forty-6.

[CW McGraw]

This year's Steelers defense was pretty good. Is it too early to put them in these discussions?

[mKoz26]

I've only seen a few tapes of games played by the '85 Bears, a few highlights of the Steel Curtain, and a few games of the 2000 Ravens, so I'm no expert by any means. But from what I've seen, the '85 Bears were the most dominant. The turnovers, the sacks, the intimidation, just amazing.

Then when I factor in the circumstances surrounding each defense, the title goes to the Steel Curtain (whatever year). Their offense hurt them big time with all the turnovers. A fresh D is key for victory, and without one it is VERY hard to win. The Ravens had a ball control offense, which helped keep the fatigue down.

But quite honestly, I have no problem choosing any of the big 3 (Ravens '00, Bears '85, Steelers '74). All were phenomenal.

[deaduck]

Quote: Originally Posted by J0nnD0ugh

I don't see how anyone could move the ball & score vs the '85 Bears & the '74-5 Steelers.

Actually the Bears 46 D proved to be vulnerable to the west coast style of passing when you could protect the QB long enough.

[J0nnD0ugh]

Quote: Originally Posted by deaduck

Actually the Bears 46 D proved to be vulnerable to the west coast style of passing when you could protect the QB long enough.

They shut down the achitects of the WC, SF w/Joe Montana. The one TD scored was an INT return & they held them to under 200 yds total.