Top 5 NFL defenses of all time.

[Stillriledup]

85 Bears
00 Ravens
85/86 Giants (Belichick was D coordinator)
13 Seahawks?
91 Eagles
15 Broncos?
76 Steelers

Who am I missing?

[ReplayRandall]

85 Bears
00 Ravens
85/86 Giants (Belichick was D coordinator)
13 Seahawks?
91 Eagles
15 Broncos?
76 Steelers

Who am I missing?

1971 Minnesota Vikings, the defense was anchored up by Alan Page, who won defensive MVP and league MVP honors in 1971. Minnesota gave up just 9.9 points per game, on average, and held quarterbacks to an efficiency rating of 40.4......

Honorable mention- 2002 Tampa Bay Bucs, lead by Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, and Ronde Barber.....

[Stillriledup]

1971 Minnesota Vikings, the defense was anchored up by Alan Page, who won defensive MVP and league MVP honors in 1971. Minnesota gave up just 9.9 points per game, on average, and held quarterbacks to an efficiency rating of 40.4......

Honorable mention- 2002 Tampa Bay Bucs, lead by Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks, John Lynch, and Ronde Barber.....

Good post, those were great defenses.

[Rookies]

69 Chiefs AND Vikings!

I believe the Chiefs gave up an average of 12 PPG in the Regular Season & SEVEN PPG in the Playoffs! :eek:

[tucker6]

in no order ...

85 bears
76 steelers
02 Bucs
00 ravens
71 Vikings

All were shut down defenses.

76 steelers never won the SB because like this year, the offense was a MASH unit. They gave up 28 points in the last 9 games of the season, including five shutouts. Four HOF's on that squad and 8 pro bowlers. Pretty remarkable.

[tucker6]

69 Chiefs AND Vikings!
before my memories

[Valuist]

I agree 2002 Bucs should be there.

And 1986 Bears, which defensively were better than the 1985 version (holdouts Todd Bell and Al Harris missed the '85 season) but the offense was clearly weaker. And Pittsburgh had a multi year run in the 70s.

[Marshall Bennett]

Steeler's "Iron Curtain" hands down.

[Tall One]

Before my time, but those LA Ram defenses anchored by the Fearsome Foursome--Grier, Lundy, Olsen, and Deacon Jones--should be on the list.

[azeri98]

Steeler's "Iron Curtain" hands down.
Agree they had to change the rules because of them. "The Mel Blount Rule" It opened up the passing game.

[Stillriledup]

Any love for the 2007-08 Giants? If the Pats win that game they're considered an all time great undefeated team, Giants held those guys to 14 pts which is a pretty low point total for a Super Bowl loser.

[kingfin66]

I think that a good starting point would be to consider defenses that have won the trifecta (?) of team stats in the same season:

Least points allowed
Least yards allowed
Most turnovers

I have no idea how many there have been, but it can't be that many.

[Stillriledup]

Most memorable payoff defensive performances for me were when the Bears beat the Giants in the Sean Landeta wind punt game and when the Giants decapitated Joe Montana like 51-3 or something like that. Those were memorable.

[Kash$]

Buc defense was ranked top 5 for a long time in there era.... 4 hall of famers

Sapp
Brooks
Barber
Lynch


Maybe Rice?

[garyscpa]

Buc defense was ranked top 5 for a long time in there era.... 4 hall of famers

Sapp
Brooks
Barber
Lynch


Maybe Rice?

2 out of 4 ain't bad.

[Valuist]

Any love for the 2007-08 Giants? If the Pats win that game they're considered an all time great undefeated team, Giants held those guys to 14 pts which is a pretty low point total for a Super Bowl loser.

The stats say that defense wasn't very good, but they did one thing exceptionally: rush the passer

Points allowed: 17th
Rush defense: 8th
Pass defense: 17th
Sacks: 1st

They had a great plan and came up with a big game at the right time. And they were fortunate to catch GB at a time when Favre could no longer play well in bitter cold.

[Stillriledup]

The stats say that defense wasn't very good, but they did one thing exceptionally: rush the passer

Points allowed: 17th
Rush defense: 8th
Pass defense: 17th
Sacks: 1st

They had a great plan and came up with a big game at the right time. And they were fortunate to catch GB at a time when Favre could no longer play well in bitter cold.

Good post, thanks.

[Kash$]

2 out of 4 ain't bad.

Sapp-In
Brooks-In
Barber-20 Sacks 20 ints by a corner only one in nfl history
Lynch-Last true great safety

[ManU918]

Sapp-In
Brooks-In
Barber-20 Sacks 20 ints by a corner only one in nfl history
Lynch-Last true great safety

Harrison, Polamalu, Dawkins and Reed all retired after Lynch.

[Kash$]

Harrison, Polamalu, Dawkins and Reed all retired after Lynch.

Where would you rate Lynch among those 4..?

Does he get in?

[ManU918]

Where would you rate Lynch among those 4..?

Does he get in?

First three would be Polamalu, Reed and Dawkins ... Then either Lynch and Harrison or Harrison and Lynch...

I don't think Lynch gets in before any of the first three I listed. Maybe he gets in before Harrison.

[MPRanger]

85 Bears
00 Ravens
85/86 Giants (Belichick was D coordinator)
13 Seahawks?
91 Eagles
15 Broncos?
76 Steelers

Who am I missing?


Cowboys Dooms Day Defense
Bob Lilly
Jethro Pugh
Larry Cole
Too Tall Jones
George Andrei

Leroy Jordan
DD Lewis

etc;

[Stillriledup]

Cowboys Dooms Day Defense
Bob Lilly
Jethro Pugh
Larry Cole
Too Tall Jones
George Andrei

Leroy Jordan
DD Lewis

etc;

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/hollywood-henderson-wins-lotto/

[Zaf]

I have to say I was very impressed the way the Broncos defense shut down the Pats and Panthers. Cam and Brady had very tough days.

Z

[Robert Fischer]

honorable mention:

1986 Giants - LT , didn't give up the running yards, LT

2008? Steelers - James Harrison , Polomalu, others(woodley etc..)

2015 Broncos -