Defense wins championships...

[LinvilleGorge]

The average offensive ranking of the four final teams is #4 (#1, #2, #5, and #8).

The average defensive ranking is #21 (#14, #19, #21, and #31).

The league has changed. You have to have an elite offense to compete. 

[bigdog10]

I don’t put a lot of stock into the defensive rankings of really good offensive teams because the numbers are usually skewed due to the opposing team having to play catch up. 

What I Can tell you is that both the Saints and Pats are playing really sound defensive football and have been doing that for the last 8 to 10 weeks. 

I look for both of those defenses to be the difference in those games next week. 

[Mr. Scot]

 

[TheRed]

I don't like the Patriots at all, but you've got to hand it to Bill Belichick as far as being an adaptive innovative head coach all around. He doesn't stay stubbornly content with trying to shoehorn the same philosophy at all costs. He is not only willing to adapt with a changing league, but fully capable of molding an entire roster to it. Something the Panthers coaching staff has been lacking for years.

[Panthers8969]

So we just gonna ignore how the bears were a missed 42 yarder away from advancing? Defense still wins championships. Offense still wins championships. Trying to argue which is more important is an exercise in futility. Everything depends on the team you’re playing 

[ellis]

Bill Belichick is one of the all-time great strategists and thinkers in football. And that franchise has remained unusually consistent with respect to football operations AND branding. They have a very tight knit group (google Ernie Adams) of analysts and a smart, disciplined group of assistants. And they don’t tinker with their brand. It works, it has prestige, and there’s no messing with it.

Yeah they probably pushed the envelope a little bit at some point, and that’s no good. But I still admire their coach and their entire structure.

[LinvilleGorge]

2 minutes ago, Hammerin'Cam1 said:

It will go back. Next season defense could dominate in the NFL.

Not with the way they keep tinkering with the rules to aid offenses. The NFL wants a brand of football dominated by high flying, high scoring offenses and they'll continue to tamper (yes, I think that's a fair word to use here) with the game until they get it. Resistance is futile. Get onboard or be irrelevant.

[Lumps]

The NFL has never been more pro offense that it has become now and we see it before us. A defense is a must but being able to score points in a short time frame is more important in this day and age.

I feel the ability to get defensive turnovers are more important then everything though. Even a shitty defense only needs to get one turnover to win a game with an elite offense.

That comes from the Dline. The Dline and pass rush always makes the difference. You must have one to compete period. There is no getting around it. Unfortunately, the Panthers don’t have one.

[Johnny Rockets]

31 minutes ago, TheRed said:

I don't like the Patriots at all, but you've got to hand it to Bill Belichick as far as being an adaptive innovative head coach all around. He doesn't stay stubbornly content with trying to shoehorn the same philosophy at all costs. He is not only willing to adapt with a changing league, but fully capable of molding an entire roster to it. Something the Panthers coaching staff has been lacking for years.

Hell, Bill even adapts and changes his philosophy game to game. It’s quite remarkable. 

[Davidson Deac II]

The Saints run defense is #2 in the league, both in ypg and ypc.  Without that defense, they probably don't win today.

[JARROD]

Well I saw the Chiefs play lights out defense, Patriots play lights out defense, and the Rams play lights out defense.

they all had good offenses,..

the difference was whose defense showed up,...

 

[Shocker]

2 minutes ago, Davidson Deac II said:

The Saints run defense is #2 in the league, both in ypg and ypc.  

Mr Gurley would like a word with you

[Davidson Deac II]

6 minutes ago, Shocker said:

Mr Gurley would like a word with you

It will be an interesting game, no doubt.  The Aints will need to play better than they did today.

[ellis]

The “high flying” Saints won this game when they ate up nearly the entire 3rd quarter with a patient, methodical, balanced drive that went nearly 20 plays over 11 minutes. 

And those same Saints sport the league’s most dominant run defense. 

The league is not all about 9 routes.