I guess it depends on how you view run defense.
To me there's really one great measure of run defense, and that is yards per carry. The next best measure IMO is rushing touchdowns.
Yardage is so diluted. If a team runs the ball more times on you than against team Y simply because team Y has a better offense and forces their opponents to play catchup, how does that reflect on run defense? It doesn't.
On the other hand, the fewer rushing TDs given up is a better reflection that not only is your team good at stopping the run in the red zone, but other teams don't even bother trying to run against you near the goal line because they know they'll have no luck. In this way the Seahawks and Jaguars had excellent rush defense that doesn't commonly get recognized.
In terms of yards per carry, only 6 defenses allowed fewer yards per carry than Miami in 2005. The Bears, Ravens, and Eagles tied us at 3.7 ypc. But the Eagles allowed far more rushing touchdowns than Miami, 15 to our 11...where the Ravens only allowed 8 and the Bears 9.
All in all, I'd say Miami had the 10th best rush defense in 2005. The Steelers, Bucs, Chargers, Seahawks, Patriots, Panthers, Ravens, Bears, and probably the Jags all deserved to be higher than us in 2005.
Miami's run defense really shouldn't get any WORSE, if anything it should get better. Traylor still around, Carter & Holliday still here. Zach still here. Channing a year older and a year better. Spragan still here. JT still here. Roth and Manny Wright look to take steps up as rotators this year and that should be a boost to the ground defense. If we get Ahmad Brooks it should get even better. I dunno...we allowed 3.7 ypc last year and I really wouldn't be surprised if it was 3.6 ypc this year, or even 3.5 ypc if we get Brooks.
