Trivia: Has NFL ever had a team with top offense and worst defense before?

[Diehardblues]

This seems like quite a dubious distinction for our 2025 Cowboys.

I’m trying to think when this has occurred before. We be had some pretty bad defenses this era but don’t think we have had the worst while having top offense .

And don’t recall this for any other franchise. I tried googling and didn’t find anything. Was hoping someone might be better researching this or recall. Thanks

 

[Diehardblues]

I found this but it isn’t from a verifiably site.

“ By yardage, the closest I have found are the 2014 Saints, who #1 on offense and #31 on defense, and the 2012 Saints, who were #2 and #32.

If you allow for a mix of yardage and points, the 2011 Packers were the #1 scoring offense and the #32 yardage defense.”

 

[Chocolate Lab]

It's four games.

 

[Flamma]

This seems like quite a dubious distinction for our 2025 Cowboys.

I’m trying to think when this has occurred before. We be had some pretty bad defenses this era but don’t think we have had the worst while having top offense .

And don’t recall this for any other franchise. I tried googling and didn’t find anything. Was hoping someone might be better researching this or recall. Thanks

I don't know where these teams ranked defensively, but they were really bad.

The 1981 Chargers. I'm pretty sure they had the #1 offense, and had to be close to the bottom on D. They made it to the AFC championship game.

One of those Rams teams. Not the one that won the SB, but the one where the offense just asked the D to hold the opponents to 30. Again, great offense, crap D.

 

[Flamma]

I'm also seeing the 1991 Bills. First ranked offense, and 2nd to last ranked D. I didn't know their D was that bad.

The 2004 Chiefs. Same as Bills.

 

[RodeoJake]

The Cowboy D under Kiffin was really bad, but I don't know if it was league worst or if the O was league best.

 

[Flamma]

The Cowboy D under Kiffin was really bad, but I don't know if it was league worst or if the O was league best.

What year? In 2013 the Cowboys were at the bottom.

 

[Whirlwin]

Trent Dilfer won a Super Bowl with the best defense and the worst quarterback

 

[Ironicalicon]

The Cowboy D under Kiffin was really bad, but I don't know if it was league worst or if the O was league best.

2013, yeah. It was historically bad. That's why it was such a shock that the 2014 team as a whole was so good.

And that's why the F.O. hiring a Kiffin/Marinelli disciple is so shocking to me.

 

[ICP]

If it has it was probably the Cowboys

 

[Flamma]

2013, yeah. It was historically bad. That's why it was such a shock that the 2014 team as a whole was so good.

Ball control on offense. That kept the defenders off the field and able to play better because they were fresh. But both 2014 and 2016, those were not good defenses. But if our D was as good as those poor defenses, that would be a massive improvement.

 

[DallasEast]

Stats courtesy of Stathead.com (Note: Regular season total offensive yards gained and/or total defensive yardage allowed was not available for 1920 through 1931)

Season​	Team​	Offense​	Defense​	Games​	Win​	Loss​
1955​	Chicago Bears​	4316​	4157​	12​	8​	4​
1985​	San Diego Chargers​	6535​	6265​	16​	8​	8​

 

[Cowboys5217]

The Cowboy D under Kiffin was really bad, but I don't know if it was league worst or if the O was league best.

Kiffin gave us the worst defense in Cowboys history. Didn't we call it the "Tampa 600" because of multiple 600 yard games allowed or was that one of the other horrible DC's that Jerry failed upwards onto the staff of the Cowboys?

 

[DallasEast]

Bonus trivia: the 1955 Bears finished second in the NFL West Division and out of the playoffs. The Browns were league champions and the Los Angeles Rams were league runner-ups. The Chargers finished fourth in the AFC West Division in 1985.

 

[DallasEast]

This seems like quite a dubious distinction for our 2025 Cowboys.

I’m trying to think when this has occurred before. We be had some pretty bad defenses this era but don’t think we have had the worst while having top offense .

And don’t recall this for any other franchise. I tried googling and didn’t find anything. Was hoping someone might be better researching this or recall. Thanks

https://cowboyszone.com/threads/tri...and-worst-defense-before.538574/post-14406060

 

[Chocolate Lab]

What year? In 2013 the Cowboys were at the bottom.

And who was the LB coach on that team?...

 

[Flamma]

And who was the LB coach on that team?...

Dave Borgonzi?

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Dave Borgonzi?

Close...

 

[Cowboys5217]

And who was the LB coach on that team?...

This is not new with Jerry who loves to fail coaches upwards. He rehired Dave Campo after the 5-11 years, and he brought back Zimmer for one more failed season 20 years after his horrible first stint here.

Then there's hiring outside failed coaches like Kiffin, Ryan, Nolan, after they had all been fired because they sucked at their jobs. They, of course, sucked for the Cowboys too.

Rehiring Eberflus, who's resume is filled with failures including what you mentioned from 2013 as LB coach, is par for the course with Jerry Jones. He loves terrible coaches, especially on defense.

 

[Diehardblues]

Bonus trivia: the 1955 Bears finished second in the NFL West Division and out of the playoffs. The Browns were league champions and the Los Angeles Rams were league runner-ups. The Chargers finished fourth in the AFC West Division in 1985.

Nice work. Thanks