THE TRENCHES

[pbmax]

Packers rank tied for fourth in total defense (283.4 yards per game allowed), but if you took away performances against the horrible Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, the Packers would rank 21st (338 per game).

You would need to subtract the two best games from EVERY team for this adjustment to make sense. Of course a good team should dominate a bad team. And its a bumper crop of bad teams this year.

The Packer D has performed better than last year except for the Vikings games, and I think (outside of 2-3 blown coverages-inexcusable) they played reasonably well against them the first time.

But the new scheme had aided the run defense more than the pass defense. We still have no pass rush to speak of except for Matthews.

[ThunderDan]

Packers rank tied for fourth in total defense (283.4 yards per game allowed), but if you took away performances against the horrible Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns, the Packers would rank 21st (338 per game).

If you took away Denvers games against CLE and OAK they would average 306 ypg; a change of 40 yards per game. Which would be 10th in the NFL.

You think they have the best defense in the game but after removing their two stinkers.......

[ThunderDan]

At this point I'd rate my top 6 defenses in no particular order as

Denver
Jets
Indy
New England
Pittsburg
Cincy

In the second tier/group I'd put

Green Bay
Phily
Minnesota
Washington
Dallas
Giants and maybe
Baltimore.......blind faith I guess as they might not deserve to be here


No specific stat formula although I would say that I probably value Points Per Game over yardage

I applaud that you are willing to create a list of who you think are the best defenses in the NFL.

[ThunderDan]

Let's look at this again:

2007 Top 5 YPG D and PPG Ranking
PITT - 16.8 PPG 2nd
TB - 16.9 PPG 3rd
IND - 16.4 PPG 1st
NE - 17.1 PPG 4th
TENN - 18.6 PPG 8th

2008 Top 5 YPG D and PPG Ranking
PITT- 13.9 PPG 1st
BALT- 15.2 PPG 3rd
PHI- 18.1 PPG 4th
WASH- 18.5 PPG 6th
NYG- 18.4 PPG 5th

Pretty strong correlation between yards given up and points given up.

Let's look at the worst 5 Ds.

2007 Worst 5 YPG D and PPG Ranking
DET- 27.8 PPG 32nd
BUFF- 22.1 PPG 18th
CLE- 23.9 PPG 21st
ATL- 25.9 PPG 29th
CHI- 21.8 PPG 16th

2008 Worst 5 YPG D and PPG Ranking
DET- 32.3 PPG 32nd
KC- 27.5 PPG 29th
SEA- 24.5 PPG 25th
DEN- 28 PPG 30th
STL- 29.1 PPG 31st

[ThunderDan]

Let's look at offenses.

2007 Top 5 Offenses:
NE - 411 YPG 36.8 PPG 1st 16-0
GB - 370 YPG 27.2 PPG 4th 13-3
DAL - 366 YPG 28.4 PPG 2nd 13-3
NO - 361 YPG 23.7 PPG 12th 7-9
IND - 359 YPG 28.1 PPG 3rd 13-3

2008 Top 5 Offenses:
NO - 411 YPG 28.9 PPG 1st 8-8
DEN - 396 YPG 23.1 PPG 16th 8-8
HOU - 382 YPG 22.9 PPG 17th 8-8
ARI - 366 YPG 26.7 PPG 3rd 9-7
NE - 365 YPG 25.6 PPG 8th 11-5