USA Today: 2015 Denver Broncos Defense is Top 10 All-Time

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With a thoroughly dominant display in Super Bowl 50, the Broncos defense has, at the very least, started the debate on whether it is among the best defensive units in NFL history.

Any talk about the best defenses ever starts with teams like the 1976 Steelers, the 1985 Bears, the 2000 Ravens and 2002 Buccaneers. All of those teams set numerous records on their way to lifting a Lombardi Trophy. Denver may not have enjoyed a record-breaking season, but its consistently stout play in a league with rules slanted toward the offense makes this team deserving of a spot in the debate.

Let’s see how the Broncos D compares with the other great defenses in history.

We’ll start with a group of ten made up of the defenses widely considered to be the best in league history and figure out where the Broncos fit in. Here’s the group we’ll compare to this 2015 Denver squad:

2013 Seattle Seahawks
2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2000 Baltimore Ravens
1991 Philadelphia Eagles
1985 Chicago Bears
1976 Pittsburgh Steelers
1975 Los Angeles Rams
1973 Miami Dolphins
1971 Minnesota Vikings
1969 Kansas City Chiefs

Here’s a look at how these teams rank in raw defensive statistics, including points allowed per game, yards allowed per game, yards allowed per play and turnover percentage:



On first glance, it doesn’t appear as if the Broncos belong in this class of defenses. Denver ranks last in every category we’re looking at. It lags way behind in both points allowed and turnovers. But this is an unfair way to compare these teams, which span across many different eras. Offenses are having more success now than they ever have. Just take a look at the league averages for each of the seasons we’re pulling teams from:



Points and yardage are higher than ever and turnover percentage is at an all-time low. When comparing teams across eras, that needs to be taken into account. Here’s how the Broncos stack up when we adjust for era using those league averages:



Denver still ranks last in average ranking, but the numbers are more in line with a historically great defense. They actually jump all the way up to second in yards allowed per play, which is arguably the most important stat.

The Broncos may have landed a little higher on this list — specifically in points allowed — if the offense had played a more complimentary style of football. The offense finished 29th in the league in giveaways, turning the ball over 31 times, including three interceptions returned for touchdowns.

All of those turnovers led to the defense being put in tough spots. Denver finished 29th in opponents’ average starting field position, according to Football Outsiders. Compounding the problem, the defense was on the field for ages, as the offense finished in the bottom 10 in time of possession.

We don’t have field position or time of possession numbers for all of the defense we’re looking at (Football Outsiders’ numbers go back to 1997), but we can compare Denver’s numbers to those of the modern teams in our group of great defenses:



Simply put, Denver’s offense did its defense no favors compared to other modern day champions.

The eye test certainly backs any claim Denver has to historical greatness. The pass rush is relentless with Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware, two players on track for Canton, firing off the edges. The secondary is filled with Pro Bowlers, including Chris Harris Jr. and Aqib Talib, two of the best cover corners in the league. And the linebacking corps is not bad itself. Danny Trevathan and Brandon Marshall will command a lot of money as free agents this offseason. The star power is definitely there.

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