Which type of team would you rather?

[strngplyr]

Got the idea from DI's thread comparing the '04-'03 team to the '11 defense.

Heres my question, which teams are actually balanced between offense/defense that are actually successful?

Most of the major contendors this season appear to be very oriented towards one direction:
Packers - Offense
Saints - Offense
Patriots - Offense

Ravens - Defense
49ers - Defense
Texans - Defense (previously i'd say balanced, they're on 3rd string QB)

Steelers - Balanced

I don't really see anyone else competing for the SB this year, but we may be surprised.

What type of team would you rather, if we had the option of:
Offensively oriented
Defensively oriented
Balanced throughout

 

[strngplyr]

Personally, I like being an offensive team, I think it is the way to be in todays NFL. I would like to develop/bring in a big play defensive guy, someone who could give the defense an ability to close out a game, if any one person/position could do that.

I think offensive juggernaut teams are just slightly ahead of the curve, and the rules are somewhat rapidly changing to support it.

Fans generally seem to enjoy 42-35 final scores more than 7-3 type scores, as well.

 

[randomk1]

Balanced...obviously.

 

[Ring 6]

Personally, I like being an offensive team, I think it is the way to be in todays NFL. I would like to develop/bring in a big play defensive guy, someone who could give the defense an ability to close out a game, if any one person/position could do that.

I think offensive juggernaut teams are just slightly ahead of the curve, and the rules are somewhat rapidly changing to support it.

Fans generally seem to enjoy 42-35 final scores more than 7-3 type scores, as well.

The rules are constantly changing to favor offense. Most older fans would probably prefer defense because it used to be that a good defense beat a good offense more often than not. That is much harder to do now than ever, and I think what you see is todays 'good defenses' destroy poor offenses, but struggle more than ever historically to stop good offenses.
You still need to play on both sides of the ball, but the rules changes, in my opinion have transitioned the game from where it used to easier to win with a good D and bad O and now it is easier to win with a good O and bad D.

 

[strngplyr]

The rules are constantly changing to favor offense. Most older fans would probably prefer defense because it used to be that a good defense beat a good offense more often than not. That is much harder to do now than ever, and I think what you see is todays 'good defenses' destroy poor offenses, but struggle more than ever historically to stop good offenses.
You still need to play on both sides of the ball, but the rules changes, in my opinion have transitioned the game from where it used to easier to win with a good D and bad O and now it is easier to win with a good O and bad D.

I agree, not that I'm a huge fan of our current defense, but I think we are honestly better off the way we currently are, I would choose our current team every time over having the option of a defense as good as our offense, and having our offense as bad as our defense.

And I just don't think balanced teams are the way to go, I think the Steelers right now are a very good team, but their defense is aging, and without some incredible defensive drafting in the near future, they will turn into an offense team.

I can't think of any other truly balanced team that is consistently called a top 5 or top 10 team. It is usually one extreme or the other.

 

[ATippett56]

I'll take the 2004 New England Patriots.

Great offense and a great defense, as well as a balanced offensive attack.

 

[MP-Logick]

In 2007 we had an amazing offense, with a defense arguably as good as the dynasty-era defenses.

That was a pretty good football team.

 

[patsinthesnow]

Put the Packers, Saints, Patriots vs. the 49ers, Texans, and Ravens, and who will win most of the time?

That should answer the question.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

I'll take the 2004 New England Patriots.

Great offense and a great defense, as well as a balanced offensive attack.

I think that team was voted one of the best off all time, Im not sure of where it was placed but it was in the top ten.

 

[ausbacker]

To be honest, the Steelers are looming large once again. That said, Rodgers shredded their defense last season and the Ravens swept them. Outside of Green Bay, I'm happy to sit on the Patriots ride and see what happens given the OP's pertinent point about the lack of a truly balanced, dominant side in 2011.

 

[Halifax_Pats_Fan]

providing it's good....you always want what you ain't got....

 

[mgteich]

Sure, I'd like to have it all: the 2004 patriots.

However, that is not the question.

In the end, it is a matter of how to use limited resources over time. For me, the anwer is obvious for now. As long as we have Tom Brady as our quarterback, we will be, and should be, an offensive oriented team.
====================

Let's be real. I don't want to see a 6-3 game between the two top teams in the nfl, as recently occurred in college. Smash-mouth football is great. Goal-line stands are awesome! But, in the end, I like to have a team with a top offense. The best I think we can expect is a team with a top offense and an average defense.

No, I would NOT like to have a team with a top defense and an average offense. In the current nfl, there teams are not winners. In any case, that is not what I would want to see.
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A balanced team: above average offense and defense, but not outstanding in either. I think that this would be the worst option. to aim for.

 

[ATippett56]

You still need to play on both sides of the ball, but the rules changes, in my opinion have transitioned the game from where it used to easier to win with a good D and bad O and now it is easier to win with a good O and bad D.

It's all about fan expectations.

As for last season, the defensive ratings for the two Super Bowl contestants:

Points Allowed
Green Bay - 2
Pittsburgh - 1

2010 NFL Opposition & Defensive Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Yards Allowed
Green Bay - 5
Pittsburgh - 2

 

[ATippett56]

No, I would NOT like to have a team with a top defense and an average offense. In the current nfl, there teams are not winners. In any case, that is not what I would want to see.

What would you label the 2010 versions of the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers?

 

[strngplyr]

What would you label the 2010 versions of the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers?

I'd probably call them both balanced. GB was pretty good at just about everything last season, and it doesn't appear to be a very sustainable thing.

I don't think Pitt has changed much, but GB has obviously become offensively oriented, I believe they were 23rd in points and 30th in yards heading into the weekend? Not sure where they are after nearly shutting out the Raiders.

NE was also a very good scoring defense last season, while still middle of the pack this season, they've dropped off quite a ways.

NE in 2004 was a very balanced team as well:

Scoring (Won SB):
Offense - 4th
Defense - 2nd (Tied)

2001 (Won SB):
Offense - 6th
Defense - 6th

2003 (Won SB)
Offense - 12th
Defense - 1st

2005:
Offense - 10th
Defense - 17th

2006 (A year we probably should have won it all):
Offense - 7th
Defense - 2nd

2007:
Offense - 1st
Defense - 4th

2008 (only 2nd 11-5 team to miss playoffs):
Offense - 8th
Defense - 8th

2009 (Blown out in first round):
Offense - 6th
Defense - 5th

2010 (Disappointing Upset):
Offense - 1st
Defense - 8th

Judging by our SB years, I'd say 01 and 04 were pretty balanced teams, with 04 being called one of the best teams of all time. 03 was clearly a defensive team to me.

Statistically, from a points perspective, we've been a pretty balanced team, and haven't won a lot recently. Realistically though, since 2009, we've clearly been an offensive team, regardless of what the scoring D numbers say.

Honestly, being a balanced team might not be a bad thing, but I would still prefer to be an offensively dominant team. My main post was judging this years teams and trying to see what style of teams the competitors appear to be, where there appears to be a clear trend of being much more dominant on one side of the ball over being balanced through out.

Part of being good as a balanced team though looks to require being very good at both, I'm sure there are more balanced teams than just the Steelers, but they are balanced in a way that just makes them irrelevant.

The Steelers actually have a potent offense and defense.

 

[mgteich]

PITT has the #1 defense (points), the #1 rushing defense, the #5 QB rating and the #14 in points scored. So, I would say there were a defensive team with an above average offense.
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GB had the #2 defense (points), the #18 rushing defense, the #3 QB rating, and #10 is points scored.

Personally, I would rate them a top offense and above average defense.
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My preference is the GB set of numbers. GB was a SB winner. The patriots would need to improve in scoring defense to apporach their numbers.

What would you label the 2010 versions of the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers?

 

[PatriotFan77]

The Steelers actually have a potent offense and defense.

13 vs Chiefs and 14 vs Browns is potent?

 

[ATippett56]

GB had the #2 defense (points), the #18 rushing defense, the #3 QB rating, and #10 is points scored.

Personally, I would rate them a top offense and above average defense.
would need to improve in scoring defense to apporach their numbers.

In 2010, the Green Bay Packers had a top five defense, both in yardage and scoring. The 2011 New England Patriots defense are nowhere near those numbers.

 

[mgteich]

I agree 100%. We're not as good a team as the 2010 (or 2011) packers.

In 2010, the Green Bay Packers had a top five defense, both in yardage and scoring. The 2011 New England Patriots defense are nowhere near those numbers.

 

[cmasspatsfan]

In 2010, the Green Bay Packers had a top five defense, both in yardage and scoring. The 2011 New England Patriots defense are nowhere near those numbers.

Neither are the 2011 Packers. If we had a middle of the pack defense our offense would more than make up for it this year, Im just hoping they can gel in the last few games and improve even a little bit.