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http://espn.go.com/nfl/insider/stor...ver-broncos-rank-best-super-bowl-defenses-nfl
As is usually the case leading up to the Super Bowl, most of the attention in recent days has focused on the opposing quarterbacks. Is there one great game left in Peyton Manning, and will this be the last time we ever see him on a football field? Is Cam Newton about to win the MVP, and where on earth did he get those pants? While the quarterbacks have been generating headlines, though, the defenses should not be forgotten. Denver's unit, in particular, carried the Broncos to the Super Bowl, ranking as the NFL's best defense this season in Football Outsiders' rankings, while the Panthers finished second overall.
Using Football Outsiders' DVOA rankings (you can find the methodologies here), we can analyze the five best defenses to make the Super Bowl going back to 1989. So while the database does not include stalwarts such as the 1985 Bears or the the great Steelers and Dolphins defenses of the 1970s or the Packers of the 1960s, this Broncos team did make the cut.
These rankings reflect regular-season performance only, though our commentary here will discuss each team's postseason fortunes. With that in mind, here are the best defenses we've ever measured among Super Bowl teams.
1. 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DVOA: -31.8%)
You know your defense is something special when they name an entire scheme after your team, and the Tampa 2 scheme that coordinator Monte Kiffin developed in Tampa Bay is still used throughout the league today. Though the Bucs had been a great defense for several years under Kiffin and Tony Dungy, it wasn't until Jon Gruden replaced Dungy as head coach in 2002 that the Bucs could field an offense good enough to win a championship.
Still, it was the defense that was dominant for these Bucs. Led by stars such as Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Shelton Quarles, Derrick Brooks and John Lynch, the Buccaneers led the league in points, yards, yards per play and turnovers. They were especially dominant against the pass, giving up only 10 touchdown passes while collecting 31 interceptions, both tops in the league.
Led by that defense, the Buccaneers went 12-4 and won the NFC South. They opened their playoff run with a 31-6 beatdown of San Francisco, then traveled to Philadelphia to beat the Eagles 27-10 in the conference championship before crushing the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII. In the process, they limited Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and then-MVP Rich Gannon to a combined 54 percent completion rate, with two touchdowns and nine interceptions. Those two touchdowns both came with the Bucs up by at least three scores in the second half of the Super Bowl.
2. 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers (DVOA: -29.0%)
Dick LeBeau is one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history, and the 2008 Steelers might have been his best unit. They were relatively light on Pro Bowlers, with linebackers James Farrior and James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu being their only representatives. Even without a lot of name recognition, they still led the NFL in points, yards, yards per play and yards per rush, and were second in sacks.
The Steelers went 12-4 and won the AFC North that year, but their journey to a Super Bowl win was hardly dominant. They beat San Diego in their first playoff game 35-24, but only after the Chargers jumped out to 7-0 and 10-7 leads. The Steelers then reeled off 21 straight points before the two teams traded scores in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh then beat Baltimore 23-14 in an AFC Championship Game that was very much in doubt until Polamalu intercepted Joe Flacco in the fourth quarter and returned the ball 40 yards for a touchdown. The Steelers blew a 20-7 lead in the Super Bowl vs. Arizona, but then got a last-minute touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes to secure a 27-23 win.
Though there were some anxious moments along the way, Pittsburgh's run defense was sensational in the postseason, giving up only 40.3 yards per game and 2.5 yards per carry.
3. 2013 Seattle Seahawks (DVOA: -25.9%)
With current Falcons head coach Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, and a trio of Pro Bowlers (Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor) patrolling the secondary, the Seahawks' Legion of Boom led the NFL in points, yards, yards per play, passing yards, interceptions and total turnovers.
A 13-3 record was good enough to win Seattle an NFC West championship and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Seahawks squashed a New Orleans rally to beat the Saints 23-15 in the divisional round, then beat San Francisco 23-17 in a game that was decided by a tip-drill interception in the final minutes. Seattle then crushed Denver 43-8 to win Super Bowl XLVIII. Facing two future Hall of Famers in Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, plus then-rising star Colin Kaepernick, the Seahawks allowed only two touchdown passes while collecting five interceptions.
4. 2015 Denver Broncos (DVOA: -25.8%)
In Gary Kubiak's first year as head coach and Wade Phillips' first season as defensive coordinator, the Broncos have had an amazing season, leading the league in yards, yards per play and sacks. And they've done it against one of the most difficult defensive schedules in the league, with 11 of their 16 regular-season opponents finishing in the top half of Football Outsiders' offensive rankings. The first two quarterbacks Denver has faced this postseason, Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady, have played in nine Super Bowls, winning six. The Broncos held them to one touchdown, two interceptions and seven sacks.
5. 2000 Baltimore Ravens (DVOA: -23.8%)
Best known as the defense that carried Trent Dilfer to a Super Bowl, these Ravens were very good against the pass, but off-the-charts great against the run. They allowed only 970 rushing yards and 2.7 yards per carry, both the best numbers of any team in any non-strike season in the Super Bowl era. Though the team had three defensive Pro Bowlers (Sam Adams, Ray Lewis and Rod Woodson), its biggest stars might have been on the sideline. Brian Billick's defensive staff included Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Rex Ryan and Mike Smith, all of whom went on to become successful head coaches. As a group, they have won 307 games and counting.
Held back by their offense and sharing a division with a very tough Tennessee Titans team, the Ravens went 12-4 but were still only a wild-card team. And then their defense, which already had been historically great, kicked its game up several notches. They beat Denver 21-3 in the wild-card round; defeated their division rival Tennessee 24-10 in the divisional round; throttled Oakland 16-3 to win the AFC championship; and then smashed the Giants 34-7 to win Super Bowl XXXV. They surrendered only one offensive touchdown in four playoff games, and allowed Gus Frerotte, Steve McNair, Rich Gannon and Kerry Collins (plus backups Jarious Jackson and Bobby Hoying, who played because the Ravens kept knocking starting quarterbacks out of games) to complete less than half their passes, with no touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Their run defense was still great too, allowing only 3.1 yards per carry.
As you might have noticed, the four prior teams that made it to the Super Bowl with defense as good as Denver's all walked away with Lombardi trophies. Given the limited physical talents of Peyton Manning in 2016, it likely will be up to the Broncos' defense to bring another championship back to Colorado.
As is usually the case leading up to the Super Bowl, most of the attention in recent days has focused on the opposing quarterbacks. Is there one great game left in Peyton Manning, and will this be the last time we ever see him on a football field? Is Cam Newton about to win the MVP, and where on earth did he get those pants? While the quarterbacks have been generating headlines, though, the defenses should not be forgotten. Denver's unit, in particular, carried the Broncos to the Super Bowl, ranking as the NFL's best defense this season in Football Outsiders' rankings, while the Panthers finished second overall.
Using Football Outsiders' DVOA rankings (you can find the methodologies here), we can analyze the five best defenses to make the Super Bowl going back to 1989. So while the database does not include stalwarts such as the 1985 Bears or the the great Steelers and Dolphins defenses of the 1970s or the Packers of the 1960s, this Broncos team did make the cut.
These rankings reflect regular-season performance only, though our commentary here will discuss each team's postseason fortunes. With that in mind, here are the best defenses we've ever measured among Super Bowl teams.
1. 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (DVOA: -31.8%)
You know your defense is something special when they name an entire scheme after your team, and the Tampa 2 scheme that coordinator Monte Kiffin developed in Tampa Bay is still used throughout the league today. Though the Bucs had been a great defense for several years under Kiffin and Tony Dungy, it wasn't until Jon Gruden replaced Dungy as head coach in 2002 that the Bucs could field an offense good enough to win a championship.
Still, it was the defense that was dominant for these Bucs. Led by stars such as Warren Sapp, Simeon Rice, Shelton Quarles, Derrick Brooks and John Lynch, the Buccaneers led the league in points, yards, yards per play and turnovers. They were especially dominant against the pass, giving up only 10 touchdown passes while collecting 31 interceptions, both tops in the league.
Led by that defense, the Buccaneers went 12-4 and won the NFC South. They opened their playoff run with a 31-6 beatdown of San Francisco, then traveled to Philadelphia to beat the Eagles 27-10 in the conference championship before crushing the Oakland Raiders 48-21 in Super Bowl XXXVII. In the process, they limited Jeff Garcia, Donovan McNabb and then-MVP Rich Gannon to a combined 54 percent completion rate, with two touchdowns and nine interceptions. Those two touchdowns both came with the Bucs up by at least three scores in the second half of the Super Bowl.
2. 2008 Pittsburgh Steelers (DVOA: -29.0%)
Dick LeBeau is one of the best defensive coordinators in NFL history, and the 2008 Steelers might have been his best unit. They were relatively light on Pro Bowlers, with linebackers James Farrior and James Harrison and safety Troy Polamalu being their only representatives. Even without a lot of name recognition, they still led the NFL in points, yards, yards per play and yards per rush, and were second in sacks.
The Steelers went 12-4 and won the AFC North that year, but their journey to a Super Bowl win was hardly dominant. They beat San Diego in their first playoff game 35-24, but only after the Chargers jumped out to 7-0 and 10-7 leads. The Steelers then reeled off 21 straight points before the two teams traded scores in the fourth quarter. Pittsburgh then beat Baltimore 23-14 in an AFC Championship Game that was very much in doubt until Polamalu intercepted Joe Flacco in the fourth quarter and returned the ball 40 yards for a touchdown. The Steelers blew a 20-7 lead in the Super Bowl vs. Arizona, but then got a last-minute touchdown pass from Ben Roethlisberger to Santonio Holmes to secure a 27-23 win.
Though there were some anxious moments along the way, Pittsburgh's run defense was sensational in the postseason, giving up only 40.3 yards per game and 2.5 yards per carry.
3. 2013 Seattle Seahawks (DVOA: -25.9%)
With current Falcons head coach Dan Quinn as defensive coordinator, and a trio of Pro Bowlers (Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor) patrolling the secondary, the Seahawks' Legion of Boom led the NFL in points, yards, yards per play, passing yards, interceptions and total turnovers.
A 13-3 record was good enough to win Seattle an NFC West championship and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Seahawks squashed a New Orleans rally to beat the Saints 23-15 in the divisional round, then beat San Francisco 23-17 in a game that was decided by a tip-drill interception in the final minutes. Seattle then crushed Denver 43-8 to win Super Bowl XLVIII. Facing two future Hall of Famers in Drew Brees and Peyton Manning, plus then-rising star Colin Kaepernick, the Seahawks allowed only two touchdown passes while collecting five interceptions.
4. 2015 Denver Broncos (DVOA: -25.8%)
In Gary Kubiak's first year as head coach and Wade Phillips' first season as defensive coordinator, the Broncos have had an amazing season, leading the league in yards, yards per play and sacks. And they've done it against one of the most difficult defensive schedules in the league, with 11 of their 16 regular-season opponents finishing in the top half of Football Outsiders' offensive rankings. The first two quarterbacks Denver has faced this postseason, Ben Roethlisberger and Tom Brady, have played in nine Super Bowls, winning six. The Broncos held them to one touchdown, two interceptions and seven sacks.
5. 2000 Baltimore Ravens (DVOA: -23.8%)
Best known as the defense that carried Trent Dilfer to a Super Bowl, these Ravens were very good against the pass, but off-the-charts great against the run. They allowed only 970 rushing yards and 2.7 yards per carry, both the best numbers of any team in any non-strike season in the Super Bowl era. Though the team had three defensive Pro Bowlers (Sam Adams, Ray Lewis and Rod Woodson), its biggest stars might have been on the sideline. Brian Billick's defensive staff included Marvin Lewis, Jack Del Rio, Rex Ryan and Mike Smith, all of whom went on to become successful head coaches. As a group, they have won 307 games and counting.
Held back by their offense and sharing a division with a very tough Tennessee Titans team, the Ravens went 12-4 but were still only a wild-card team. And then their defense, which already had been historically great, kicked its game up several notches. They beat Denver 21-3 in the wild-card round; defeated their division rival Tennessee 24-10 in the divisional round; throttled Oakland 16-3 to win the AFC championship; and then smashed the Giants 34-7 to win Super Bowl XXXV. They surrendered only one offensive touchdown in four playoff games, and allowed Gus Frerotte, Steve McNair, Rich Gannon and Kerry Collins (plus backups Jarious Jackson and Bobby Hoying, who played because the Ravens kept knocking starting quarterbacks out of games) to complete less than half their passes, with no touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Their run defense was still great too, allowing only 3.1 yards per carry.
As you might have noticed, the four prior teams that made it to the Super Bowl with defense as good as Denver's all walked away with Lombardi trophies. Given the limited physical talents of Peyton Manning in 2016, it likely will be up to the Broncos' defense to bring another championship back to Colorado.