defenses win championships

[OLD FAN MAN]

its been said by so called experts, that defenses win championships, if that is true do the colts have a defense that can win a championship?

[Gavin]

Nope, Need a Cover Safety, Need another pass rusher, Need another Corner

[OLD FAN MAN]

Nope, Need a Cover Safety, Need another pass rusher, Need another Corner

cant have any weak spots and win

[Gavin]

cant have any weak spots and win

Every team has a weak spot somewhere, Its up to opposing teams to exploit it, We do a * poor job of exploiting an opposing teams weaknesses on a regular basis

[corgi]

Every team has a weak spot somewhere, Its up to opposing teams to exploit it, We do a * poor job of exploiting an opposing teams weaknesses on a regular basis

"We" did it 11 times in 2012, and 12 times in 2013. We almost did it one more time on Sunday.

[Gavin]

"We" did it 11 times in 2012, and 12 times in 2013. We almost did it one more time on Sunday.

Wins are most important of course but 8 of those were off 4th Quarter comebacks and 11 total has came down to a game winning drive.

[OLD FAN MAN]

Wins are most important of course but 8 of those were off 4th Quarter comebacks and 11 total has came down to a game winning drive.

need to dominate to be a top team

[Coltsman1788]

Do Colts have a defense that can win a championship? Not right now. Next thread.

[BlueCollarColts]

You don't need a great defense to win a championship

[1959Colts]

Got to have a pass rush.

[Synthetic]

You don't need a great defense to win a championship

 

Technically you need a better defense. One that can generate turnovers at a good rate and make stops from time to time is the main concern.

[coltsfanatic24]

This team is nowhere near having a great defense. If we were to rank the Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers, Patriots, Saints, and Colts defensive starters from 1-66. Davis would be the only player in the top 20, we would have the most players in the bottom 15.

[BlueCollarColts]

Technically you need a better defense. One that can generate turnovers at a good rate and make stops from time to time is the main concern.

Yea its tough to win with a bad defense, I am just saying you don't need a top 5 or 10 defense in order to win a championship. 

[BlueCollarColts]

This team is nowhere near having a great defense. If we were to rank the Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers, Patriots, Saints, and Colts defensive starters from 1-66. Davis would be the only player in the top 20, we would have the most players in the bottom 15.

Freeman? He deserves a top 20 spot IMO with the seasons he had last year. But like I said, you don't need a great defense to win a championship, just a solid defense, and our defense can easily be solid. 

[coltsfanatic24]

Freeman? He deserves a top 20 spot IMO with the seasons he has had. But like I said, you don't need a great defense to win a championship, just a solid defense, and our defense can easily be solid. 

Freeman is a bit overrated on this board. Good player and best ILB on this team for an undrafted player, but still inconsistent.

[BlueCollarColts]

Freeman is a bit overrated on this board. Good player and best ILB on this team for an undrafted player, but still inconsistent.

The numbers speak for themselves, 126 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6 FF, 6 PD, 2 INT.... Is Freeman a future hall of famer? No, he's not the second coming of Ray Lewis or anything, but he is one of the top ILB's in the game, and if you are going to tell me he can't even crack the top 20 defensive players with the Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers, Saints, and Pats I am going to disagree with you. 

[coltsfanatic24]

The numbers speak for themselves, 126 tackles, 5.5 sacks, 6 FF, 6 PD, 2 INT.... Is Freeman a future hall of famer? No, he's not the second coming of Ray Lewis or anything, but he is one of the top ILB's in the game, and if you are going to tell me he can't even crack the top 20 defensive players with the Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers, Saints, and Pats I am going to disagree with you. 

Vontae Davis, Sherman, Earl Thomas, Chancellor, Wagner, Mebane, Bowman, Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Ray Mcdonald, Eric Reid, Von Miller, Ware, Talib, Knighton, Ward, Cam Jordan, Lofton, Galette, Byrd, Vaccaro, Keenan Lewis, Chandler Jones, Revis, Mayo, McCourty, Hightower, and Wilfork.

[weslo1812]

its been said by so called experts, that defenses win championships, if that is true do the colts have a defense that can win a championship?

So is this saying that because we dont have a "defensive that can win championships" we cant win a championship then? Because if it is then there is most likely 28-29 other teams that can't or won't win a championship either. And then we need to ask what would define championship caliber defense? A defense that stops the offeense 100% of the time? Would like to know what the definition is.

[BlueCollarColts]

Vontae Davis, Sherman, Earl Thomas, Chancellor, Wagner, Mebane, Bowman, Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, Aldon Smith, Ray Mcdonald, Eric Reid, Von Miller, Ware, Talib, Knighton, Ward, Cam Jordan, Lofton, Galette, Byrd, Vaccaro, Keenan Lewis, Chandler Jones, Revis, Mayo, McCourty, Hightower, and Wilfork.

I disagree with a number of them being better than Freeman, such as Vaccaro, Chandler Jones, T.J. Ward, Mayo, McDonald, Vince Wilfork etc. and a lot of those players being better is very debatable. 

[bestQBever]

If we can't generate pass rush, we might not even be a top 20 defense.

[NewColtsFan]

You don't need a great defense to win a championship

 

You may or may not be right....   but this much is true.....

 

You certainly need a much better defense than the Colts have to win a championship.

[Defjamz26]

You may or may not be right....   but this much is true.....

 

You certainly need a much better defense than the Colts have to win a championship.

 

Pretty much came in to say this. Not everyone can have the Jets, Panthers, or Seahawks defense, but you need better than what we have currently. They don't have to be elite, but they should be able to play at a consistent level.

[ColtsHoosiersBB]

You don't need a great defense to win a championship

A majority of the time you do. 

[Ryan Pelley]

The key to a Super Bowl run is Laron Landry playing more man coverage. Such effort he showed.

[Narcosys]

Nope, Need a Cover Safety, Need another pass rusher, Need another Corner

Safety yes, corner no, rusher split

[-JJ-]

the term DwC doesn't mean the defense itself wins the game. You still need an offense. But in the end a good defense will almost always stop a good offense in any sport.

 

In simplest terms- in baseball- a top pitcher will shut down great hitters.

 

A great D line will shut down a great QB.

[BlueCollarColts]

Pretty much came in to say this. Not everyone can have the Jets, Panthers, or Seahawks defense, but you need better than what we have currently. They don't have to be elite, but they should be able to play at a consistent level.

Wait, how do we know what we have now? We held a very good Denver offense to 31 points and only 7 in the second half, am I missing something?

[CR91]

best offenses in nfl history

1983 redskins- lost to the raiders in the super bowl

1998 vikings- lost in the nfc championship

1999 rams-won the superbowl

2004 colts- lost in the afc championship

2007 patriots- lost to the giants in the super bowl

2013 broncos- lost to the seahawks in the super bowl

 

best defenses in nfl history

1972 dolphins- won the superbowl

1974 steelers- won the superbowl

1985 bears- won the superbowl

2000 ravens-won the superbowl

2002 bucs- won the superbowl

2008 steelers-won the superbowl

2013 seahawks-won the superbowl

[shakedownstreet]

defenses win championships

 

this is like deja-vu all over again

[Smash Mouth]

This team is nowhere near having a great defense. If we were to rank the Seahawks, Broncos, 49ers, Patriots, Saints, and Colts defensive starters from 1-66. Davis would be the only player in the top 20, we would have the most players in the bottom 15.

This is my pet peeve with Grigson.  I don't seem him finding enough players that will be in the Top 20 of these players. I cringe when I think of Werner who was drafted to take get after the QB.  We could have found another Werner later in the 2013 draft.  By rights, Werner should be in the Top half of this list.

[Coffeedrinker]

Wait, how do we know what we have now? We held a very good Denver offense to 31 points and only 7 in the second half, am I missing something?

The only thing you are missing is thinking that holding a team to 31 points is some how a good thing.

 

But I do agree, we don't really know what the Colts D is going to be like this year, not based off one game.

[-JJ-]

best offenses in nfl history

1983 redskins- lost to the raiders in the super bowl

1998 vikings- lost in the nfc championship

1999 rams-won the superbowl

2004 colts- lost in the afc championship

2007 patriots- lost to the giants in the super bowl

2013 broncos- lost to the seahawks in the super bowl

 

best defenses in nfl history

1972 dolphins- won the superbowl

1974 steelers- won the superbowl

1985 bears- won the superbowl

2000 ravens-won the superbowl

2002 bucs- won the superbowl

2008 steelers-won the superbowl

2013 seahawks-won the superbowl

I would add the 99 Rams actually had a top 10 D.

[Smonroe]

best offenses in nfl history

1983 redskins- lost to the raiders in the super bowl

1998 vikings- lost in the nfc championship

1999 rams-won the superbowl

2004 colts- lost in the afc championship

2007 patriots- lost to the giants in the super bowl

2013 broncos- lost to the seahawks in the super bowl

 

best defenses in nfl history

1972 dolphins- won the superbowl

1974 steelers- won the superbowl

1985 bears- won the superbowl

2000 ravens-won the superbowl

2002 bucs- won the superbowl

2008 steelers-won the superbowl

2013 seahawks-won the superbowl

 

That's all well and good, but you only should look at the last 10 at most because the game has changed so much.  Especially what the defense is allowed to do.

 

Out of those, how many Defenses won championships?  I'd say less than half. 

 

Obviously you need a good defense, but IMHO you don't need a great one.

[-JJ-]

The only thing you are missing is thinking that holding a team to 31 points is some how a good thing.

 

But I do agree, we don't really know what the Colts D is going to be like this year, not based off one game.

Well that's it- not about the people who have great D's on paper but how it plays during the season and really you don't know what you have until week 8.

[sweetsurrender]

The Colts are not a championship caliber team. Period. But we are a playoff caliber team IMO and favored to take the division. We will know more about our D as the season progresses. It is a long season.

[sweetsurrender]

Well that's it- not about the people who have great D's on paper but how it plays during the season and really you don't know what you have until week 8.

Some defenses catch fire in the post-season. Happened with Indy in 2006.

[Defjamz26]

Wait, how do we know what we have now? We held a very good Denver offense to 31 points and only 7 in the second half, am I missing something?

Look at the roster. Lets be real here. Laron Landry, Cory Redding, Greg Toler, Josh Chapman, Erik Walden, etc... They're not scaring anyone. They're all below average to mediocre starters. You don't win championships with below average starters.

[NewEra]

We have played one fricken game, in Denver. Kind of hard to judge what we have or don't have at this point in time. Let's worry about winning the next game. Then the next, then the division.

[jvan1973]

Look at the roster. Lets be real here. Laron Landry, Cory Redding, Greg Toler, Josh Chapman, Erik Walden, etc... They're not scaring anyone. They're all below average to mediocre starters. You don't win championships with below average starters.

Can i get a link that provides proof they are below average starters? I doubt you scouted every team and rated every starting defensive player

[Defjamz26]

Can i get a link that provides proof they are below average starters? I doubt you scouted every team and rated every starting defensive player

Don't be a sensationalist. Our starters on D aren't good. It's why we never have any pro-bowlers,DPOY, or all-Americans on D. That's not the definitive way to judge skill levels, but the point is there isn't anyone besides Mathis who is "elite". Vontae is the only one in the "good category (maybe Freeman). Everyone else on D is either average, below average, or bad.