Defense, defense, defense.....

[ρħϊηάτϊς°³]

It happens every season. In the regular season, offenses shine, records are broken and teams like Indy, KC, Seattle, San Diego and Cinncinnati are all over Sportscenter and ESPN. As soon as those teams get into the playoffs, they are outmatched by fantastic defenses. Teams like Carolina and Denver never get the credit in the regular season and will continue not to. Seattle will be the appealing team going into next week but I think it's clear (or it is to me) that a defense will win this Superbowl. As much as I dislike the Denver Broncos, they should be the frame for what we are trying to do. Go out there, get a decent qb like Plummer, get a fantastic safety like Lynch (my hope is Michael Huff), grab a playmaker CB like Bailey (doesn't have to be a shutdown but someone who can make a play when it counts, my choice is Clements) and be solid on the OL and DL. You do not need to score 40 pts a game to win in the NFL and while offenses are appealing, defenses win. I think Saban buys this thinking. :dolphins:

 

[wazzy]

It happens every season. In the regular season, offenses shine, records are broken and teams like Indy, KC, Seattle, San Diego and Cinncinnati are all over Sportscenter and ESPN. As soon as those teams get into the playoffs, they are outmatched by fantastic defenses. Teams like Carolina and Denver never get the credit in the regular season and will continue not to. Seattle will be the appealing team going into next week but I think it's clear (or it is to me) that a defense will win this Superbowl. As much as I dislike the Denver Broncos, they should be the frame for what we are trying to do. Go out there, get a decent qb like Plummer, get a fantastic safety like Lynch (my hope is Michael Huff), grab a playmaker CB like Bailey (doesn't have to be a shutdown but someone who can make a play when it counts, my choice is Clements) and be solid on the OL and DL. You do not need to score 40 pts a game to win in the NFL and while offenses are appealing, defenses win. I think Saban buys this thinking. :dolphins:

Good points nice breakdown but I think were a little far away from being Super Bowl contenders!

 

[ρħϊηάτϊς°³]

Good points nice breakdown but I think were a little far away from being Super Bowl contenders!

Oh I agree, but we aren't far away from being in the playoffs and once you make it there, anything is possible, especially with a good defense.

 

[whatsburning]

But don't forget that an awesome defense alone cannot win that championship. Last I remember, Chicago had the best D this year, and Indy wasn't that far behind the Bears. Just the fact that probably the two top D's in the league (with one of them paired up with the best O in the league) are now going to be sitting at home watching the big game throws your analysis out the window.

 

[Basileus777]

But don't forget that an awesome defense alone cannot win that championship. Last I remember, Chicago had the best D this year, and Indy wasn't that far behind the Bears. Just the fact that probably the two top D's in the league (with one of them paired up with the best O in the league) are now going to be sitting at home watching the big game throws your analysis out the window.

But the bears lost cause their defense played terrible, and indie's d played pretty poorly too.

 

[infiltrateib]

Coaching wins playoff games. Manning was neutralized by blitzing. You can throw records out the window in the playoffs: they're all capable of beating any time on any given Sunday. It's about who's more prepared, and who executes a better gameplan.

That's why for a couple years you could plug anyone into the Patriots team and come out with a win. They always found a way to foil Manning.

Defense is indeed key, because your "game plan" is inevitably going to involve some sort of blitzing, leaving corners on islands. I'd say that the most important aspects of playoff teams are: coaching, QB, CBs. Because it's clear that if you made it to the playoffs, you can beat people. Nothing else explains how a team like SD can go from getting pounded by us to beating the Colts (pretty convincingly, despite the late points). You want pressure, however you can get it, to force turnovers (hey, even Reggie Howard can blitz) and you just need CBs to back you up. Sure, there's run defense and all that, but I'm assuming if you can get to a playoff game you can stop the run somehow.

You create favorable matchups. I guarantee you if you play out this weekend's games over 10 times, you get different outcomes (tough to prove, but I believe it). We need a heady QB and one more CB/DB before we start thinking about the SuperBowl.

 

[ρħϊηάτϊς°³]

But don't forget that an awesome defense alone cannot win that championship. Last I remember, Chicago had the best D this year, and Indy wasn't that far behind the Bears. Just the fact that probably the two top D's in the league (with one of them paired up with the best O in the league) are now going to be sitting at home watching the big game throws your analysis out the window.

The Colts defense played: Baltimore, Jacksonville x 2, Cleveland, Tennessee x 2, St. Louis (who put pts on the board), Houston x 2, New England, Cinncinnati (who lit up that D), Pittsburgh, San Diego (who beat them), Arizona and Seattle (who beat them).....now with those offensive juggernauts, are you really going to throw out that arguement??? I think, and keep in mind this is my opinion, the media completely inflated a defense that really wasn't as good as stated.

On to Chicago, don't get me wrong, I think they have a good defense but just look at the teams: Washington, Detroit x 2, Cinncinnati (gave up 24 and lost), Cleveland, Minnesota x 2, Baltimore, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Green Bay x 2, Pittsburgh, Atlanta.....once again, I really see the Bengals as the only clear offense that was good and they lost 24-7. They are a good, young defense who relies on the front seven to pressure the QB to make up for the average secondary they have.

So, really, I don't think my analysis is thrown out the window

 

[Basileus777]

On to Chicago, don't get me wrong, I think they have a good defense but just look at the teams: Washington, Detroit x 2, Cinncinnati (gave up 24 and lost), Cleveland, Minnesota x 2, Baltimore, New Orleans, San Francisco, Carolina, Tampa Bay, Green Bay x 2, Pittsburgh, Atlanta.....once again, I really see the Bengals as the only clear offense that was good and they lost 24-7. They are a good, young defense who relies on the front seven to pressure the QB to make up for the average secondary they have.

So, really, I don't think my analysis is thrown out the window

Orton thre 5 ints in that cinci game that why the bengals scored so much. The Bears secondary is hardly average in any way. Vasher is a pro bowler, tillman and azumah are good, Mike Brown is one of the best safetys in the league, and Chris Harris is a great rookie. There ar maybe two teams that have a secondary even close to the bears in term of talent.

 

[ρħϊηάτϊς°³]

Orton thre 5 ints in that cinci game that why the bengals scored so much. The Bears secondary is hardly average in any way. Vasher is a pro bowler, tillman and azumah are good, Mike Brown is one of the best safetys in the league, and Chris Harris is a great rookie. There ar maybe two teams that have a secondary even close to the bears in term of talent.

Even if I agreed with you (which I tend not to because a front seven can make a secondary look fantastic), can you dispute that these "top" defenses played some really weak offenses and when they did play good offenses, they got smoked??? Where was this great pro bowl secondary today against Smith? The front seven didn't get pressure and Carolina embarrased that secondary as a result. Keep in mind that it was a good defense vs. a good defense. Last I checked, Carolina has a pretty good defense too (Shutout against the Giants last week)

 

[Basileus777]

Even if I agreed with you (which I tend not to because a front seven can make a secondary look fantastic), can you dispute that these "top" defense played some really weak offenses and when they did, they got smoked??? Where was this great pro bowl secondary today against Smith? The front seven didn't get pressure and Carolina embarrased that secondary as a result.

You are right that the bears secondary doesn't look great without pressuring the qb. The Cover 2 scheme that the bears use makes pressure from the defensive line a neccesity, and without this the defense does not work well. No secondary is going to do well without a good pass rush. This said the bears D as a whole, especially the secondary played poorly against Carolina. Two of those tds by Smith were the result of the bears corners falling down. The Bears weak schedule did make their D look better, but the Bears are not the first team with a weak schedule, but they are the first to give only 61 points at home in a 16 game schedule.

 

[ρħϊηάτϊς°³]

You are right that the bears secondary doesn't look great without pressuring the qb. The Cover 2 scheme that the bears use makes pressure from the defensive line a neccesity, and without this the defense does not work well. No secondary is going to do well without a good pass rush. This said the bears D as a whole, especially the secondary played poorly against Carolina. Two of those tds by Smith were the result of the bears corners falling down. The Bears weak schedule did make their D look better, but the Bears are not the first team with a weak schedule, but they are the first to give only 61 points at home in a 16 game schedule.

You are correct, cover 2 can be exposed if the offense has a good OL....just look at our team in the past. We heavily relied on our front seven to get pressure so Madison and Surtain could thrive. This is exactly the opposite thinking that Saban believes. He believes in blitzing, blitzing, blitzing. From the corners to the safties, blitz and make plays (much like a Denver and Pittsburgh). Blitz guys like Polamalu (sp) and Lynch, let your athletic corners make plays, confuse offenses and stop the run with the front seven. The Bears will be successful most of the time (much like we were when Bates was the DC) but when you face a good OL, you need more than the front 4 to get pressure and I like the versatility of Denver and Pittsburgh and soon us.

 

[dominizzo]

But the bears lost cause their defense played terrible, and indie's d played pretty poorly too.

imagine KC gets Sam MAd

 

[ρħϊηάτϊς°³]

Also take a look at the safety position....since 2000, the Superbowl winning teams have had Ed Reed, Harrison, Lynch, Harrison, Harrison and this year looks promising at least in the AFC with Lynch and Polamalu. These are guys who hit big and make plays. Now I know it's skewed with New England winning 3 times, but man do I love safties who can wreck havoc.

 

[finsruleurlife]

It happens every season. In the regular season, offenses shine, records are broken and teams like Indy, KC, Seattle, San Diego and Cinncinnati are all over Sportscenter and ESPN. As soon as those teams get into the playoffs, they are outmatched by fantastic defenses. Teams like Carolina and Denver never get the credit in the regular season and will continue not to. Seattle will be the appealing team going into next week but I think it's clear (or it is to me) that a defense will win this Superbowl. As much as I dislike the Denver Broncos, they should be the frame for what we are trying to do. Go out there, get a decent qb like Plummer, get a fantastic safety like Lynch (my hope is Michael Huff), grab a playmaker CB like Bailey (doesn't have to be a shutdown but someone who can make a play when it counts, my choice is Clements) and be solid on the OL and DL. You do not need to score 40 pts a game to win in the NFL and while offenses are appealing, defenses win. I think Saban buys this thinking. :dolphins:

Yea, the Denver Broncos are a team to look up to. But i think Saban has a different direction with this team. Hes making it into a New england patriots type team. :dolphins: :dolphins: :dolphins:

 

[bigmiamifan]

Sorry, I see it as crappy offenses and or coaching as to the reason most playoff teams have lost. Chicago, Jax, Cincy and such had inexperienced playoff QBs. Indy just shows Dungy can't coach playoff games, he thinks God will help him too much I guess. He got the boot in Tampa for not winning in the playoffs, I wonder how many great season early playoff exits he'll get in Indy.

Don't get me wrong, you do need a great defense to win. Fine. But if your offense can't score more then the other team it doesn't matter. Indy has a great offense, but it choked, again. Chicago is green on their O. Look at the teams that won, they can all score. Great defenses cancel out, so you need your offense to score enough points for the lead and have your defense hold it.