Can teams still win with only offense?

[The Ram]

I was listening to the local sports talk show guys whining about how badly the Broncos suck last night and the topic came up about one very obvious statistic about this season's top 4 playoff teams; 3 of them have standout defenses and the 4th's defense is coming on during the playoffs.

They then turned that thought towards the 30th ranked Donkos defense and asked the question, "Can teams still win with pure offense?" Are the days of The Greatest Show on Turf long gone? The last offensive juggernaught was the Patriots last season, and they lost in the Super Bowl to a defensive team. The Colts pulled it off when they won it all BUT they had a defense that played out of their minds during the playoffs.

So can a team win it all giving up more than 24 points a game? Which team do you see that could possibly pull something like that off next year?

 

[Mike]

Teams winning with offense has always been an exception, more than a rule, but that trend did seem to start changing around 2000. Rules were made to make it easier on offenses, and the capitalized.

It seems that defenses are catching up though, as the always do when rules are created to make things tougher on them.

So, I would say no, teams generally can't win with just offense. A team may slip through the cracks every now and then, but not usually.

The thing to remember about the Rams back then, is that their defense wasn't bad. They weren't great by any means, but they were not a bad defense. Teams put up big numbers on them because there was no ball control played on offense, and the defense was constantly out on the field playing against desperate offense that were doing anything they could to keep up with the quick striking Rams offense.

 

[Coachnorm]

The thing to remember about the Rams back then, is that their defense wasn't bad. They weren't great by any means, but they were not a bad defense. Teams put up big numbers on them because there was no ball control played on offense, and the defense was constantly out on the field playing against desperate offense that were doing anything they could to keep up with the quick striking Rams offense.

It was a pretty good D. It is hard when you are out on the field all the time. The O was just too good and didn't give the D any rest time. Now long, time consuming drives by the O at all. Two and one half minutes to score a field goal, 4-5 minutes to score a TD. Not enought time for Gatorade and Pictures of the other tearms O. It was was the opposite effect of an O that stinks too much and always 3 and outs. The same result a D that spends too much time on the field.

 

[Hollywoodnash]

As the Giants proved in last year's super bowl, defense wins championships more times then not. A top offensive team with a lackluster defense can look damn good inthe regular season and win plenty of games, but playoff football is a completely game all together.

 

[Miller]

You can win with a strong offense, only if your defense steps up in the playoffs and plays to a higher level. See Indy's run, their D played to another level during the playoffs. See the Cards this year, again, playing to another level.

Defense always seems to become the key.

 

[The Ram]

IF Denver can get their crap together and improve just a bit on defense they may be able to make some noise next year. Playoffs even. What other teams are on the cusp? Green Bay?

 

[Phicinfan]

I was listening to the local sports talk show guys whining about how badly the Broncos suck last night and the topic came up about one very obvious statistic about this season's top 4 playoff teams; 3 of them have standout defenses and the 4th's defense is coming on during the playoffs.

They then turned that thought towards the 30th ranked Donkos defense and asked the question, "Can teams still win with pure offense?" Are the days of The Greatest Show on Turf long gone? The last offensive juggernaught was the Patriots last season, and they lost in the Super Bowl to a defensive team. The Colts pulled it off when they won it all BUT they had a defense that played out of their minds during the playoffs.

So can a team win it all giving up more than 24 points a game? Which team do you see that could possibly pull something like that off next year?

Can you win with a high scoring offense only? No.

You have to have a defense that can at least stop the opposing offense a few times.

The key issue with high powered offenses in the playoffs is the weather. Take a high octane offense like Indy or Arizona or others and put them in bad weather and what have you got?

Yes the superbowl is usually played in good weather or domes. But not the playoffs.

So you have to be able to run, and play defense to win.

 

[Hollywoodnash]

A team on the cusp is the Texans. If they could buikd a sturdy defense, they could make a serious run at the playoffs.

 

[Sgt John]

Four Fitz's and a Warner beat 3 Troy's, one Hampton, and a Farrior