Offense Versus Defense

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O VS D

Offense, offense, offense. We certainly are hearing a lot about offense here on Arrowhead Addict. Todd Haley, an offensive coordinator, is a hot name for the Chief’s head coaching job. The Cardinals are on a big roll in the playoffs. Can an offensive dominant team win the Super Bowl? Sure, it can and does happen. The old adage is that defense wins. Let’s put some of this to the test. Let’s look at what happened to the top ten offenses and defenses in terms of making the playoffs. In honor of the Cardinal’s run, let’s choose this year.

Here are the top ten offenses this year, as measured by total offense.

New Orleans
Denver
Houston
Arizona
New England
Atlanta
New York Giants
Green Bay
Philadelphia
Carolina

Here are the top ten defenses this year, as measured by total defense

Pittsburgh
Baltimore
Philadelphia
Washington
New York Giants
Minnesota
Tennessee
Dallas
Tampa Bay
New England

At first glance, the samples could be read as roughly equivalent. Fifty percent of the top ten offenses made the playoffs and sixty percent of the top ten defenses did. However, let’s go a bit deeper. Twenty percent of the top five offenses made the playoffs while eighty percent of the top five defenses made the playoffs. The most striking aspect of this list is that the top three offenses failed to make the playoffs entirely. On the other hand, the top three defenses were all playing in the conference championships.

Offense is fun to watch. To win, defense carries the day. We can all place our bets wherever we want. I am going to place mine on the side that shows consistent winning, the defense.

Merlin

Adam:

I always look forward to your posts. Now you have teased us twice in the last day or so. I am waiting for your revised blueprint and now your offense/defense analysis. :)

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woody

Yes, say what you want about the Cards offense but they would not have made it past Atlanta without their defense stepping up big...

That has pretty much been the story with most SB winners....Defense ultimately makes the difference

Gump

Offense will get you to the playoffs, but defense wins championships. The Bills did this 4 times, 4 TIMES!!!! we were there under Vermiel, and look at how the colts finally turned it around, look at the bolts until their D picked it up mid-season. But then look at the '85 Bears, the Ravens, Pittsburgh, Tennessee, the Chiefs of the 90s, Dallas... Even if your offense got a lot of talk, like Dallas, they had a very tough defense as well, as did the 49ers on their run. Overshadowed by their Offenses, but solid Defense on those Championship teams.

You can win big if you have a great offense and a good defense. You can't do it if your defense allows other teams to run or pass or both all over you.

Adam Best

Daddy Defense and the D-First Crew are not going to like the statistical evidence to support my case I discovered. Coming soon...

KCMizzou

So, no need to draft a quarterback this year.

JiggyJargon

I'd hoped we had already learned this lesson with Vermeil at the helm. Our offense was amazing. I can't remember our stats off hand but we were lighting people up as I'm sure you all remember. But alas, our defense sucked and sucked hard. Very hard.
Remember the playoff shootout between us and the Colts? A bit of defense to go along with that amazing offense would have been nice.

goshootergo has an excellent point about balance too :)

goshootergo

balance is the key
each top offense had horrible defense. if you have a top defense, your offense needs to be just ok. if you have top offense, your defense cant suck.