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I am going to eliminate statistical confusion, and simply look, game by game at what the defense contributed to winning or losing. I will also take into account the circumstances of the game, what the offense did, etc.
Wk 1 Miami. With 5:44 left the defense had allowed 17 points, 7 coming off a turnover at the -11, and the lead was 21 points. What followed is irrelevant to the defense contributing to the win. This is a clear WIN for the defense.
Wk 2 San Diego Through 3 quarters, defense allowed only 7 points. The drive that started the 4th resulted in a TD to make it 20-14. Then:
After the offense turns over on downs at the 49, the D forces a fumble
After the O extends the lead to 14 the D allows a TD
After the O scores again, the D forces another fumble
A clear WIN for the defense
Wk 3 Buffalo As of the start of the 4th, the D had allowed 17 points despite 3 offensive turnovers. In the 4th quarter the defense was as awful as a defense can be. Clear LOSS for the defense
Wk 4 As of 1:16 left in the game the defense allows 13 points and has an 18 point lead. Clear WIN for the defense.
Wk 5 11:02 left in 3rd when Jets score to cut score to 17-14, THEN
O doesnt score
D 3 and out
O doesnt score
D 3 and out
O scores
D 3 and out
O kicks FG 27-14 less than 13 minutes left
D allows score but takes 5:42 off clock
O scores game over
WIN for the D, but certainly some help from the O to ensure winning
Wk 6 Dallas D allowed 16 points despite 4 turnovers by the offense. 6 of 11 drives had 0 or 1 1st down. Most importantly, tied at 13 through 3 the 4th quarter D drives were punt (after 2 1st downs) FG, punt (3 and out) followed by the offense scoring after having gone 4 2nd half drives without putting a point on the board, forcing the D to come up with stops to keep them in the game.
Clear WIN for the D.
Wk 7 Bye
Wk 8 Pittsburgh 1st 4 drives were TD,FG,Int,TD allowing 17 first half points.
Good red zone D in second half masked 18 minutes time of possession by Pitt while we were trailing. D never made the play that gave the O the chance to get back in it.
Clear LOSS for the D.
Wk 9 Giants It is very hard to argue that a defense was responsible for a loss when the offense needs a muffed punt recovery followed by gaining all of 19 yards before kicking a FG for its first points with 250 left in the 3rd after having committed 3 turnovers and having allowed only 10 points including 7 on a turnover at the -10, but from there on the D handed it away. After 2 stops (punt and Int) to let the O get back in the game, the D takes over up 13-10 with 7:08 to go and allows an 85 yard 8 play drive that only takes up 4:05. After the offense answers to go up 20-17 the D takes the field with 1:36 to go, at the 20, and allows an 8 play 80 yard drive to lose the game. Nothing that came before those 7 minutes and 8 seconds matters, this was a clear LOSS for the defense.
Wk 10 Jets Defense allowed 14 points, and never let the Jets challenge. Clear WIN for the D
Wk 11 Chiefs 3 points allowed, clear WIN for the D
Wk 12 Eagles. Allowed 2 early scores, then, while O was getting back in the game, then allowed 3 points in the subsequent 8 drives including 3 and out on 4 of 5 2nd quarter drives while the score went from 7-10 to 24-13. Clear and blatant WIN for the D, in fact one where the media will criticize the D for the yardage allowed, but the D had as much to do with the win as the O which played very well did.
Wk 13 Colts The Patriots score to go ahead 31-3 with 4:13 left in the game, and the game is over. The defense had as much to do with this as the offense. At this point even of the offense ran only 9 plays and took 2:40 off the clock combined on their 3 remaining drives, there would not be enough time left for the Colts to come back and tie. The game was won. What followed was irrelevant. A clear WIN for the defense.
So, in 12 games, the defense clearly won its half of the game and contributed very positively to the victory 8 times and well enough with to win as long as the O was decent a 9th time, and played crappy 3 times.
That adds up to a defense that has done more to help the team win than it has done to cause them to lose, by a clear margin. No doubt the offense has been better than the defense, but the fact is the defense deserves to be 9-3.
Wk 1 Miami. With 5:44 left the defense had allowed 17 points, 7 coming off a turnover at the -11, and the lead was 21 points. What followed is irrelevant to the defense contributing to the win. This is a clear WIN for the defense.
Wk 2 San Diego Through 3 quarters, defense allowed only 7 points. The drive that started the 4th resulted in a TD to make it 20-14. Then:
After the offense turns over on downs at the 49, the D forces a fumble
After the O extends the lead to 14 the D allows a TD
After the O scores again, the D forces another fumble
A clear WIN for the defense
Wk 3 Buffalo As of the start of the 4th, the D had allowed 17 points despite 3 offensive turnovers. In the 4th quarter the defense was as awful as a defense can be. Clear LOSS for the defense
Wk 4 As of 1:16 left in the game the defense allows 13 points and has an 18 point lead. Clear WIN for the defense.
Wk 5 11:02 left in 3rd when Jets score to cut score to 17-14, THEN
O doesnt score
D 3 and out
O doesnt score
D 3 and out
O scores
D 3 and out
O kicks FG 27-14 less than 13 minutes left
D allows score but takes 5:42 off clock
O scores game over
WIN for the D, but certainly some help from the O to ensure winning
Wk 6 Dallas D allowed 16 points despite 4 turnovers by the offense. 6 of 11 drives had 0 or 1 1st down. Most importantly, tied at 13 through 3 the 4th quarter D drives were punt (after 2 1st downs) FG, punt (3 and out) followed by the offense scoring after having gone 4 2nd half drives without putting a point on the board, forcing the D to come up with stops to keep them in the game.
Clear WIN for the D.
Wk 7 Bye
Wk 8 Pittsburgh 1st 4 drives were TD,FG,Int,TD allowing 17 first half points.
Good red zone D in second half masked 18 minutes time of possession by Pitt while we were trailing. D never made the play that gave the O the chance to get back in it.
Clear LOSS for the D.
Wk 9 Giants It is very hard to argue that a defense was responsible for a loss when the offense needs a muffed punt recovery followed by gaining all of 19 yards before kicking a FG for its first points with 250 left in the 3rd after having committed 3 turnovers and having allowed only 10 points including 7 on a turnover at the -10, but from there on the D handed it away. After 2 stops (punt and Int) to let the O get back in the game, the D takes over up 13-10 with 7:08 to go and allows an 85 yard 8 play drive that only takes up 4:05. After the offense answers to go up 20-17 the D takes the field with 1:36 to go, at the 20, and allows an 8 play 80 yard drive to lose the game. Nothing that came before those 7 minutes and 8 seconds matters, this was a clear LOSS for the defense.
Wk 10 Jets Defense allowed 14 points, and never let the Jets challenge. Clear WIN for the D
Wk 11 Chiefs 3 points allowed, clear WIN for the D
Wk 12 Eagles. Allowed 2 early scores, then, while O was getting back in the game, then allowed 3 points in the subsequent 8 drives including 3 and out on 4 of 5 2nd quarter drives while the score went from 7-10 to 24-13. Clear and blatant WIN for the D, in fact one where the media will criticize the D for the yardage allowed, but the D had as much to do with the win as the O which played very well did.
Wk 13 Colts The Patriots score to go ahead 31-3 with 4:13 left in the game, and the game is over. The defense had as much to do with this as the offense. At this point even of the offense ran only 9 plays and took 2:40 off the clock combined on their 3 remaining drives, there would not be enough time left for the Colts to come back and tie. The game was won. What followed was irrelevant. A clear WIN for the defense.
So, in 12 games, the defense clearly won its half of the game and contributed very positively to the victory 8 times and well enough with to win as long as the O was decent a 9th time, and played crappy 3 times.
That adds up to a defense that has done more to help the team win than it has done to cause them to lose, by a clear margin. No doubt the offense has been better than the defense, but the fact is the defense deserves to be 9-3.