Where is all this "Dominant New Orleans D" stuff coming from?

[SHOWTIME15]

the giants were able to move the ball on them and score 27 points. there is no reason we can't either.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Sorry, i'm not buying the reasoning behind the people who are suggestin that a teams overall defense statistics drop when opponents are forced to air it out in a shootout.

A teams defense should revel in any scenario that makes the opposition more one dimensional.
The 2007 Patriots conceded points because they weren't very good on defense.

To the pevious poster who intimated that the Saints score so quickly that the defense is left on the field alot - i'd rebut that point by telling you that the Saints are currently ranked 5th in the NFL in T.O.P.

The reason the media is hyping the Saints D is because they are making turnovers and not killing the offense....yet.

They aren't a great unit, but just like the 2007 Patriots D they don't have to be.

This is ridiculous. Its not like stuffing the box so you cant run. Stopping the pass is so much more involved.

 

[Fixit]

This is ridiculous. Its not like stuffing the box so you cant run. Stopping the pass is so much more involved.

Why is that ridiculous? Are you saying that a defense's job isn't a whole lot easier when they know that a team has to throw?

 

[alamo]

If there is one thing we should have learned from 2007, it's that being undefeated increases the hype exponentially, often without a firm basis.

So don't begrudge the Saints their moment in the sun. Since we're sitting here with two losses the "we are as good as the Saints and deserve some of that hype" stuff is just ridiculous. There are several teams ahead of us right now.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

Why is that ridiculous? Are you saying that a defense's job isn't a whole lot easier when they know that a team has to throw?

No. Its not that simple. Your gonna tell me its easy to defend 3 staright passing plays rather than 3 staright run plays?

 

[Fixit]

No. Its not that simple. Your gonna tell me its easy to defend 3 staright passing plays rather than 3 staright run plays?

That's a silly comparison. It's easier to stop the run than it is to stop the pass, but that's not the point. The relevant question is: is it easier or harder to stop the pass when you know it's coming?

 

[jmt57]

When I hear the phrase "dominant defense", I think of the '85 Bears, the 2000 Ravens, the 2002 Bucs. Right now I think New Orleans has a good defense, just like the 2001 Rams had a good defense that complimented a very good offense. But it appears to me that this Saints defense is not 'great', just like that Rams defense would not be considered to be great.

 

[SeanBruschi54]

That's a silly comparison. It's easier to stop the run than it is to stop the pass, but that's not the point. The relevant question is: is it easier or harder to stop the pass when you know it's coming?

Its neither. You may know a pass is coming but you dont know just how the routes are going to be thrown out.

If you run a trips formation with one go route and two slant route breaks theres no way even if you know its coming to know exactly whats going to happen.

Theres no easy ways to defend pass, pass, pass, pass....

Your going to rack up yards and your going to keep stopping the clock with every incompletion. It makes the game longer and higher scoring.

 

[Kontradiction]

What exactly constitutes a shutdown D? I think the last we saw a legitimate defense like this week in and week out from regular season and into the playoffs was the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. Please refresh my memory.

The 2002 Bucs. Our 2003 D was pretty good, but not "shut down". When I think of all time great defenses though, I think of Steel Curtain (even though I wasn't alive for it, I've seen the highlights), the '85 Bears, the '00 Ravens, and the '02 Bucs. I'm sure there's more out there from past times that I wasn't able to see that others can fill you in on.

 

[glm]

FO has them ranked number 2 on their defense efficiency ratings (we're 15).

 

[livinginthe past]

Its neither. You may know a pass is coming but you dont know just how the routes are going to be thrown out.

If you run a trips formation with one go route and two slant route breaks theres no way even if you know its coming to know exactly whats going to happen.

Theres no easy ways to defend pass, pass, pass, pass....

Your going to rack up yards and your going to keep stopping the clock with every incompletion. It makes the game longer and higher scoring.

With that logic I wonder why teams ever actually bother to run at all

The patriots offense is vastly improvd this year with added balance - because teams can't key on the pass by blitzing.

Its simple stats - if the defense knows you are going to pass it reduces the playbook - therefore easier to defend less options.

 

[RobertWeathers]

The 2002 Bucs. Our 2003 D was pretty good, but not "shut down". When I think of all time great defenses though, I think of Steel Curtain (even though I wasn't alive for it, I've seen the highlights), the '85 Bears, the '00 Ravens, and the '02 Bucs. I'm sure there's more out there from past times that I wasn't able to see that others can fill you in on.

I'm 38 and have been watching football since 1983ish. Without looking at stats, top 5 Ds I've ever seen that have won SBs are...

1985/1986 Bears- I believe the 86 Bears allowed fewer points, but that 85 D was incredible. Never seen a pass rush like that. Never will.

1986 Giants- They could do it all. Cover. Rush the passer. Stop the run. Had the greatest D player ever and greatest coach ever at D coordinator

2000 Ravens- Well documented. Could do everything.

2002 Bucs- Dont think Ive seen a D ever that fast.

1990 Giants-Greatest bend-dont-break D of all time.

Honorable mentions....2008 Steelers, 2003 Pats, 1996 Packers

 

[fair catch fryar]

The 2002 Bucs. Our 2003 D was pretty good, but not "shut down". When I think of all time great defenses though, I think of Steel Curtain (even though I wasn't alive for it, I've seen the highlights), the '85 Bears, the '00 Ravens, and the '02 Bucs. I'm sure there's more out there from past times that I wasn't able to see that others can fill you in on.

I forgot about the 2002 Bucs. I was a kid during the 70s and fondly remember the great matchups back then when I watched football with my uncle. He was a Pats fan, but used to salivate when talking about the "Steel Curtain Defense" mostly because he despised the Cowboys and their stupid self-proclaimed moniker as "America's Team". Like Robert Weathers mentioned the '85 Bears and '86 Giants defense was pretty tough too.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

This is ridiculous. Its not like stuffing the box so you cant run. Stopping the pass is so much more involved.

Mike Vrabel's stats in 2007 were almost entirely because of teams having to pass to catch up. In the close games, Mike Vrabel was nowhere to be found, but he was taking names when it was 28-0.

I don't think that the Saints defense is "shut down," but they do make plays, more plays that our 2007 D did. Our 2007 defense was supposed to just hang in there while the offense punished people. Give up a field goal. It's okay, we'll score a touchdown. The Saints D is getting beat a lot, but they are winning games with their D as well.

 

[JoeShmoe]

I'll say it now but i'll be very surprised if they arent in the SB (against the Pats or the Colts)

Brees is right up there this season

 

[SeymourTrophies]

Each conference has 4 or 5 teams that could be super bowl winners.

 

[xmarkd400x]

First off, I don't think there's such a thing as a "shut down" defense anymore. It's too hard to get to the QB, it's too hard to do anything to the QB even when you do get to him, and it's harder than it used to be to play close, physical coverage.

Second of all, I haven't seen the Saints D, but they have a lot of interceptions.

NE had 19 INTs in 2007 (~1.2/game), and New Orleans has 11 through 6 games (~1.8/game), which is 50% better.

I can't say if they are pretty good, or average, or whatever, but they are probably better than the Patriots 2007 defense.