If the Packers go 19-0 this year

Smart people have been saying that for a while now, Chad.

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Does this put us a few steps past the "Defense wins championships" with today's game and rules? Can we now say Quarterbacks and Offenses wins Championships?

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and looking at lsu's probable nc season, we can realize you don't need what people think of as a 'championship quarterback.' since there are no perfect teams, you can make up for deficiencies in some areas if you are great in others.

Green Bay had one of the best defenses last year. They are also 2nd in the NFL in takeaways this year. Teams still need a defense.

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Green Bay currently has the 31st ranked D.

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To a point, yards don't matter that much. Green Bay is 17th in POINTS per game, and points are how you win the game. Also, they lead the league in INTs with 23 (next closest is 16). 2nd in overall takeaways. Which is something the Super Bowl winning Saints excelled at, taking the ball away.

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It is much harder to find one of those guys than it is to build a great defense, hence the mantra.

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the mantra has just been around so long, people accept it as fact and never bother to see if its true. They can, of course always find anecdotal evidence that proves the point, like IDK, the 2007 NYFG.

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They can, of course always find anecdotal evidence that proves the point, like IDK, the 2007 NYFG.

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Name a team that has won a title with a bad defense.

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They can, of course always find anecdotal evidence that proves the point, like IDK, the 2007 NYFG.

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Or, you can look at the some actual data:

(total defense rank)

2008 Steelers (1)
2007 Giants (7)
2005 Steelers (4)
2002 Buccaneers (1)
2000 Ravens (2)

Others maybe not considered to have won on the D's back:

2010 Green Bay (5)
2009 Saints (25)
2006 Colts (21)
2004 Patriots (9)
2003 Patriots (7)
2001 Patriots (24)


3 of the 6 still had top 10 defenses. So, you either need an elite quarterback like Brady, Manning, Rodgers, or Brees, or you need a top defense. It also helps to have both.


LINK

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. So, you either need an elite quarterback like Brady, Manning, Rodgers, or Brees, or you need a top defense

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In other words, a great defense or a great offense

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In other words, a great defense or a great offense

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I mean only 3 of the last 11 won it with a soft D. The other winners that had a great offense also had good to great defense. So, to the OP's point:

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Does this put us a few steps past the "Defense wins championships" with today's game and rules? Can we now say Quarterbacks and Offenses wins Championships?

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No, more often than not, defense still wins championships. Yea, if you have a top offense it is possible to win with a below average defense, but it doesn't happen as often as the other way around (great D with an average O). The only shining example of O winning it, is the 2006 Indianapolis Mannings.


wow the 03 Pats belong on the D wins championships side....

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No, more often than not, defense still wins championships. Yea, if you have a top offense it is possible to win with a below average defense, but it doesn't happen as often as the other way around (great D with an average O).

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Aside from the 2000 Ravens, how many teams had a really bad offense?

I read somewhere since 1970 something 34 of the SB winners were in the top 10 in D and 29 were in the top 10 in O. Not too surprising to find good teams are good on both sides of the ball.

ETA: Check out a bood called Scorecasting, it kinda like Freakonomics but about sports. Anyway it talks about this for all sports, not just FB.

I do agree with whoever said its easier to build a good D, than to get an elite QB. Just look at the Texans this year, from worst D in the league to one of the best.