Defensive Rankings for super bowl champs since 1995

[Galian Beast]

rankings based on points allowed

2008 Steelers - 1st
2007 Giants - 17th (Patriots defense ranked 4th)
2006 Colts - 23rd (Bears defense ranked 3rd)
2005 Steelers - 3rd
2004 Patriots - 2nd
2003 Patriots - 1st
2002 Buccaneers - 1st
2001 Patriots - 6th
2000 Ravens - 1st
1999 Rams - 4th
1998 Broncos - 8th
1997 Broncos - 6th
1996 Packers - 1st
1995 Cowboys - 3rd

I would definitely say that defense wins championships... We're so focused on offense and t.o. and $%$^, but we're ignoring the fact that our defense has let us down time and time again over the years.

Dallas Cowboys Defense rankings
08 - 20th
07 - 13th
06 - 20th
05 - 12th
04 - 27th
03 - 2nd
02 - 13th
01 - 20th
00 - 22nd
99 - 5th
98 - 3rd
97 - 13th
96 - 3rd

Our offense wasn't great last year, but the problem remains with our defense, as it has been since after the first year Parcells was here, when we had a pretty good defense, but no real offense.

So lets analyze whats wrong with our defense.

Our rushing defense was 12th in ypg, 8th in rushing touchdowns allowed. All very good, but what wasnt good was our yards per attempt allowed. which was 4.2 giving us 20th in the nfl.That said, teams didn't want to run on us. We were 7th in the nfl in rushing attempts on defense.

I think we missed a few too many tackles last year, but other than that I think the run defense was pretty stout. Except at the very end of the year, and in the beginning. I think Phillips can really improve us here with full control of the defense.

We didnt give up many yards per game through the air either. 5th in the nfl. YPA was 9th in the nfl... but we're getting to our problem...

We gave up 19 passing touchdowns putting us at 10th (tied with 4 teams), 19 passing touchdowns versus 8 interceptions...

Pittsburgh - 12 to 20 ratio
Baltimore - 17 to 26 ratio
Tennessee - 12 to 20 ratio

We gave QBs an 86.2 qb rating which is 20th in the nfl. We had 59 sacks last year, so I don't think it was about pressure. It was that secondary. Which has been our weakness since Parcells time.

We drafted Newman, but other than that we didn't develop the secondary at all. FS has been a revolving window since Woodson left, until we got Hamlin, but Roy Willams fall from grace, and eventual injury left SS a weakness, and Hamlin had a bad year. Anthony Henry definitely lost a step last year.

But now we've actually put some stock into our secondary. I wish things had worked out with Pacman, cause secondary would be a strength for sure this year had it worked out. But we still have Jenkins and Scandrick. IF they mature into the corners we need them to be... our defense will respond in kind. If Sensabuam can be the safety we need him to be, and if Hamlin can play like he did in 2007... lots ifs...

But the secondary is different. I felt our weak links were Henry and Williams.. and they're gone.

If Spencer can replace Greg Ellis we won't lose our pass rush. A lot of pieces are different, but hopefully shouldn't change the team too much. Brooking for Thomas, Olshanksy for Canty, Spencer for Ellis. Hopefully not large changes. Brookings I think is the biggest question mark, but then again I still have hope for Bobby Carpenter to fill in Kevin Burnetts shoes. I think we should have made resigning Burnett a priority...

 

[Rampage]

Also the giants and Colts defenses found there nich in there superbowl years and have been good defenses since.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

The only exception obviously is the Colts. A Peyton Manning only comes once every generation.

 

[Rampage]

The only exception obviously is the Colts. A Peyton Manning only comes once every generation.

dude the defense playing lights out for them in the playoffs is why he has a ring. him throwing multiple picks in every game didn't help. Peyton was trash in the 2006 playoffs except for the 2nd half against new england. Peyton is so overrated it's not even funny anymore.

 

[Galian Beast]

Eli Manning is the same exception in his defeat of the bears...

And Romo's numbers have been just as good as Peyton Mannings, and better than Eli's.

Its this defense that is hurting us, and it was our inability to shape the secondary early on. We were too focused on linebackers all the time.

Look at our first day drafting for the secondary since parcells was here.

2004 - none, bruce thornton (4th round) (stretch)
2005 - none
2006 - none
2007 - none
2008 - Mike Jenkins 1st round

our secondary sucks? No $%^&... sherlock...

Picked up Anthony Henry (instead of a multitude of stud corners, because of a relation with the secondary coach), and we stuck with this slow corner ever since. Newman is a stud, but he is always hurt... This has left us with scrubs in the secondary pretty much all the time. Roy Williams has been a hole in our secondary for years. As was our carousel of free safeties...

we face the same problem with our offensive line.

We finally addressed our running backs.
We still need to address our receivers.
We still need to draft a tackle, and we need to get a replacement inside linebacker for the future.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

dude the defense playing lights out for them in the playoffs is why he has a ring. him throwing multiple picks in every game didn't help. Peyton was trash in the 2006 playoffs except for the 2nd half against new england. Peyton is so overrated it's not even funny anymore.

I don't know what to say to that.

 

[JBS]

I don't know what to say to that.

It is close to being accurate slate, Manning has under performed in the post season his entire career. I wouldn't call him overrated, but with his talent he should have more than 1 ring.

 

[Galian Beast]

thats the point of the topic...

Everyone crowns Tom Brady as the best thing since sliced bread. But it was those defenses that won New England championships. In fact The best offensive year they had, they lost the super bowl...

 

[Aikbach]

The skewed point about the defensive rankings is that its based off of yardage and not turnovers or three and outs forced or any other intangibles and statistics, only yardage per game.

By the way the 1996 Cowboys were ranked number one overall until the last game of the season when they rested the starters in a meaningless game against the Commanders, Dallas played in a Wildcard next week, the last playoff victory in team history to date.

Green Bay leap frogged Dallas in defensive rankings on account of that throw away game.

 

[Galian Beast]

aikbach, read the topic again... the numbers are based off of points allowed not yards.

yards dont really matter, its the points that wins or loses games. I don't care if we stop a team to 300 yards of offense, if we end up giving up 4 touchdowns in the process...

 

[Aikbach]

aikbach, read the topic again... the numbers are based off of points allowed not yards.

yards dont really matter, its the points that wins or loses games. I don't care if we stop a team to 300 yards of offense, if we end up giving up 4 touchdowns in the process...

The official NFL stats base it off of yards per game and not points allowed. You may have compiled a different study, a more pertinent indicator, but the official rankings are decided on a week to week basis on flimsy criteria of yards per game allowed.

For instance when you site the 2003 Cowboys defense, a unit ranked number one overall, it was yardage based and nothing else. It was actually a stat that masked an other wise mediocre unit, that and the ball control style employed by the offense.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

In points allowed per game, the Cowboys have been dismal over the past few years. It's mind-boggling, especially considering the number of resources the Cowboys have committed to the defense.

 

[Aikbach]

In points allowed per game, the Cowboys have been dismal over the past few years. It's mind-boggling, especially considering the number of resources the Cowboys have committed to the defense.

Battered secondaries, high volume of turnovers and a pair of lackluster defensive coordinators will do that to you.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Battered secondaries, high volume of turnovers and a pair of lackluster defensive coordinators will do that to you.

In fairness, Zimmer was only mediocre. Stewart, however, was abysmal. :

Right now, I'm watching the NFL Replay of Dallas and Pittsburgh. Each time I watch any games from last season, I become very frustrated. Twelve long years have passed since the Cowboys' last playoff victory, and after last season's disappointment, I wonder just how much longer our team will be forced to wallow in irrelevance.

 

[SLATEmosphere]

The skewed point about the defensive rankings is that its based off of yardage and not turnovers or three and outs forced or any other intangibles and statistics, only yardage per game.

By the way the 1996 Cowboys were ranked number one overall until the last game of the season when they rested the starters in a meaningless game against the Commanders, Dallas played in a Wildcard next week, the last playoff victory in team history to date.

Green Bay leap frogged Dallas in defensive rankings on account of that throw away game.

Does it really matter though? If your defense is ranked 2nd or 3rd you have a pretty damn good defense. We get the point if all those teams are in the top 5. They don't have to be number 1.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Did someone point out that the NFL points per game stat includes special teams TDs allowed, INTs returned for TD, and fumbles returned for TDs?

So all of Tony's TDs and fumbles for scores counted against the D. Bruce Reid's awful special teams allowing scores counted against the D.

That's why yards per game does make sense, and we finished 8th there.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

Did someone point out that the NFL points per game stat includes special teams TDs allowed, INTs returned for TD, and fumbles returned for TDs?

So all of Tony's TDs and fumbles for scores counted against the D. Bruce Reid's awful special teams allowing scores counted against the D.

That's why yards per game does make sense, and we finished 8th there.

Unfortunately, the Cowboys tend to play their worst defense in the month of December when they absolutely need a stop.

 

[Idgit]

We gave up so many points last year largely b/c our defense was put in a number of very bad positions by our TO differential and by our lousy ST.