Monday nights game may cast a shadow on this defense for a long time to come. It could actually keep them from being considered the best defense of all-time. Their defense looked scared, tired, and clueless in that 4th quarter. This defense will have to respond bigtime the remainder of the year and probably have to win it all again to put a stamp on them as the best ever. What I saw Monday night was far far from the best defense ever.
Even the best have off nights....and really they had a good game til the 4 minute mark, also there was a kick return in there, plus the injury....Its hard to say anyone is better, but some have been just as awesome and for longer periods of time....Unless we consider what the Bucs did prior to last year, which was pretty damn good...
The 76 Steelers 28 points over the final 10 games of the 76 season may never be equalled...And that team didn`t even win the Super Bowl! Injuries cost them that season...And of course the Steelers throughtout most of the 70`s still is the benchmark team....
85 Bears may have the most fanfare attached to them and will never be forgotten...
01 Ravens were unbelievable and maybe the very best one season defense...But free agency tore that team apart quick....
These are the top 4....
Other notables....Dallas mid 70`s, Minnesota mid 70`s, Miami early 70`s, Oakland 70`s,Bucs `79, Giants `86.....
The 76 Steelers 28 points over the final 10 games of the 76 season may never be equalled...And that team didn`t even win the Super Bowl! Injuries cost them that season...And of course the Steelers throughtout most of the 70`s still is the benchmark team....
85 Bears may have the most fanfare attached to them and will never be forgotten...
01 Ravens were unbelievable and maybe the very best one season defense...But free agency tore that team apart quick....
These are the top 4....
Other notables....Dallas mid 70`s, Minnesota mid 70`s, Miami early 70`s, Oakland 70`s,Bucs `79, Giants `86.....
The debate will always rage between the usual defences: Bears 85, Steelers 76, Ravens 00, Bucs 02 etc. Jimmy Johnson a couple of weeks back thought the Ravens had the best he ever saw since the defence carried that team to a Bowl victory. The Bears had that one bad Monday night game vs the Fish in 85 so maybe this is Tampa's turn.
Hardly any of you are old enough to remember a defense that was also great if only for a year. The Chicago Bears of 1963. I won't mention the names because they wouldn't mean much. Not saying they were the best ever but check this out.
They were ranked first in the NFL that year in pass defense, rush defense, and total points allowed with 36 INT'S and 36 sacks in a 14 game season. They allowed an average of 10 points a game. And so:
They met the N.Y. Giants who had averaged, get this, 32 points per game led by Y.A.Title and Frank Gifford in the NFL Championship game at Wrigley Field. Temperature 8 degrees.
The Bears could not really move the ball but scored 2 TD's following Title interceptions. The TD drives were 5 yds and 14 yards both capped off by Bill Wade QB sneaks. Title was intercepted 5 times in that game. Final score Bears 14-10.
They were ranked first in the NFL that year in pass defense, rush defense, and total points allowed with 36 INT'S and 36 sacks in a 14 game season. They allowed an average of 10 points a game. And so:
They met the N.Y. Giants who had averaged, get this, 32 points per game led by Y.A.Title and Frank Gifford in the NFL Championship game at Wrigley Field. Temperature 8 degrees.
The Bears could not really move the ball but scored 2 TD's following Title interceptions. The TD drives were 5 yds and 14 yards both capped off by Bill Wade QB sneaks. Title was intercepted 5 times in that game. Final score Bears 14-10.
The thing which made the 01 Ravens and the 02 Bucs so incredible was that the defense was scoring the points. Especially in the case of the Ravens, they choked the opposing offenses increasingly with each game and by the last playoffs and superbowl games they were absolutely infalable. I don't know how even the Bears could compare, because the Ravens and Bucs did it with bigger, faster players on the field...the way the game is today.
The Bucs 03 are a decent squad, but obviously not infalable. Fun as hell to watch though.
The Bucs 03 are a decent squad, but obviously not infalable. Fun as hell to watch though.
