Defense doesn’t win Championships

[CouchCoach]

What changed was the definition of great defense. With the evolution of the pass game, that means pass rush to many and KC had the #1 sack D but the 27th run D, how did NE attack them?

And in the stats don't matter department, the Cowboys were 5th in run D and got gutted, what does that tell us? What did that game in Indy tell us?

The game still comes down to one key element and both of the last two standing have great ones. Those are the two best OL in the game, that's where the Cowboys O fell apart this season. Looney was OK but no Yosemite. Big Smitty was inconsistent, Williams was overpowered and may be nothing more than a backup and Collins was inconsistent. The Cowboys built it and then stood back to admire it and failed to see the cracks.

 

[Direwolf63]

I think the lesson of these playoffs is that if you have an elite offense, you still need a competent defense.

The Chiefs have an elite offense, but could not make a stop when it mattered most in OT.

The Rams also have an elite offense, but made a critical stop in OT that ultimately won the game.

If you can score points, your defense does not have to be all world. Just make stops in key times and get a turnover or 2.

If you have an elite defense, a competent offense with a bus driver QB who does not turn the ball over can also work. But that is tough to do in an age where the rules favor the offense.

The Cowboys defense is good, but not elite. And averaging 22 points a game on offense is simply not going to cut it.

 

[Swanny]

Defense doesnt win championships in 2019...

The top 4 teams Rams, Patriots, Chiefs, Saints .....all offense teams

And of course the Superbowl Rams vs Patriots (offense game)

I still think our best shot is building a dominant defense because of our QB

With today's rules defense does not win championships. The NFL wants offense. They gave made iffoffe too easy. It's sad and the reason I have steeree away from this NFL Product.

 

[Hardline]

If your defense gives up one point more than your offense scores it matters

 

[kskboys]

With today's rules defense does not win championships. The NFL wants offense. They gave made iffoffe too easy. It's sad and the reason I have steeree away from this NFL Product.

And yet, the teams who can make stops in the 4th quarter keep winning.

 

[kskboys]

No one has touched Brady in the playoffs this year.

If the Rams want any chance whatsoever of winning, they must get to Brady. Brady will beat anyone in a shootout. Even KC w/ their pass rush couldn't touch him.

Bellychickens keeps the OL lauder well stocked.

 

[Swanny]

And yet, the teams who can make stops in the 4th quarter keep winning.

So if a game ends 37-31 and a defense stopped the offense on the final drive you really think defense won that game? That's silly. When games are 21-17 or 14-10 and the defense stops an offense on the final drive to hen I'd say defense won that game. Defense has disappeared from the NFL product. And pass interference being a spot foul is culprit number 1. Not even a rule that Goodell made.

 

[mattjames2010]

So if a game ends 37-31 and a defense stopped the offense on the final drive you really think defense won that game? That's silly. When games are 21-17 or 14-10 and the defense stops an offense on the final drive to hen I'd say defense won that game. Defense has disappeared from the NFL product. And pass interference being a spot foul is culprit number 1. Not even a rule that Goodell made.

The Pats D shut down the most explosive offense in the NFL for two quarters - if you think that didn't impact the game at all, you're out of your mind.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

No one has touched Brady in the playoffs this year.

If the Rams want any chance whatsoever of winning, they must get to Brady. Brady will beat anyone in a shootout. Even KC w/ their pass rush couldn't touch him.

Bellychickens keeps the OL lauder well stocked.

And yet there are many here who gripe about the Cowboys spending high and numerous draft picks on their offensive line. They think it's easy as pie to find a Brady or similar "elite" quarterback and bingo! SB wins just roll into town...

 

[Swanny]

The Pats D shut down the most explosive offense in the NFL for two quarters - if you think that didn't impact the game at all, you're out of your mind.

They scored 31 points

And this goes well beyond 1 game. Look at the NFL over the course of this season. It's terrible. I know I'm in the minority but far too much offense. I hate it

 

[mattjames2010]

They scored 31 points

....while in catch up mode for almost the entire game because they had 32 yards in the first half LOL

Again, they are the most explosive offense in the NFL, but couldn't do a dang thing for 2 quarters. Again, if you think this didn't impact the game and the Chiefs gameplay, you're out of your mine.

Let's also not forget: Mr. "I beat my Pregnant gf" didn't do crap, Kelce was held in check for almost the entire game. Patriots D wasn't perfect, but it did enough.

 

[Swanny]

....while in catch up mode for almost the entire game because they had 32 yards in the first half LOL

Again, they are the most explosive offense in the NFL, but couldn't do a dang thing for 2 quarters. Again, if you think this didn't impact the game and the Chiefs gameplay, you're out of your mine.

Let's also not forget: Mr. "I beat my Pregnant gf" didn't do crap, Kelce was held in check for almost the entire game. Patriots D wasn't perfect, but it did enough.

I will never look at a score and think its it good defense to give up 31 points. That's awful.

 

[kskboys]

So if a game ends 37-31 and a defense stopped the offense on the final drive you really think defense won that game? That's silly. When games are 21-17 or 14-10 and the defense stops an offense on the final drive to hen I'd say defense won that game. Defense has disappeared from the NFL product. And pass interference being a spot foul is culprit number 1. Not even a rule that Goodell made.

The defensive stop was important to the win. You cannot accurately pin most wins on one facet.

And teams w/ no D don't win super bowls. NE has never won one w/ no D.

 

[LACowboysFan1]

It's not a question of if you have to have a great offense, or have to have a great defense, you can win championships either way.

In the 4 games before Dallas held the Saints to 10 points, the Saints scored 45, 51, 48 and 31 points. So clearly they had a great offense.

But Dallas held them to 10 points. It can be done, whether you can build the team in that way is up to the team's emphasis. We saw the Giants beat the 18-0 Patriots, held them to far below their season average. The Ravens won a SB with a tight end as their leading receiver.

In any case, the league vacillates between offense and defense. The key to being in the SB hunt is staying ahead of the curve, so to speak. The Cowboys' plan is to win with a strong defense and strong running game. That's contrary to most teams who are trying to out-score the other teams, to heck with how many points you give up, just score more.

But that brings up to mind my college, the coach before the current one cared not one whit about defense. After getting pummeled by a team by a score of like 51-27, when asked what he thought about the loss replied "we gotta score more"

Trying to find that magical quarterback who can put up points like a pinball machine is difficult, he's ONE GUY, and if you can't find him, the whole team suffers. If that's what you want to do, great, but you may get a Ryan Leaf or Vince Young instead of a Brady or Mahomes.

You pays your money and takes your chances, but to say "Only offense matters" is limiting your options, imho...

 

[Mobinvans]

The Pats D shut down the most explosive offense in the NFL for two quarters - if you think that didn't impact the game at all, you're out of your mind.

31 points isnt a shutdown man...

Sorry that's not defense

 

[Swanny]

The defensive stop was important to the win. You cannot accurately pin most wins on one facet.

And teams w/ no D don't win super bowls. NE has never won one w/ no D.

I do agree it takes both offense and defense to win. But defense has been destroyed by the nfl

 

[mattjames2010]

31 points isnt a shutdown man...

Sorry that's not defense

Maybe read the entire sentence before replying?

Shutdown for 2 quarters. You want to go look up the points they scored in the first half and the amount of yards? Then come back, read that sentence again, and then reply.

Try not to hurt yourself.

 

[kskboys]

I do agree it takes both offense and defense to win. But defense has been destroyed by the nfl

Yes, it has. No argument there. However, teams w/ no D at all don't win super bowls, so you must have some D to win it all.

 

[Chrispierce]

It does if you’re able to score on offense. Otherwise,yeah....it’s pretty darned hard in this day to rely on defense alone no matter how good. The field is shorter,penalties favor the WR over DBs..not to mention the rules for tackling a QB....unless he’s ours of course. Got to have some kind of offense to make it practical.

 

[Fire407]

They scored 31 points

And this goes well beyond 1 game. Look at the NFL over the course of this season. It's terrible. I know I'm in the minority but far too much offense. I hate it

I would agree that you are in the minority. The high scoring teams were the most fun to watch. Most fans think defensive battles are boring. The Monday night game between the Chiefs and Rams was considered by most fans to be the best game of the season. It was really fun to watch Patrick Mahomes all season.