Starting safties of the last 7 Super Bowl champions.

[Dustin]

I'm going to use their combined PFF grades to give a basic visualization how they played:

 

2014 - Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung: +21

2013 - Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor: +13.8

2012 - Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard: +2

2011 - Kenny Phillips and Antrell Rolle: 0

2010 - Nick Collins and Atari Bigby: +22.3

2009 - Darren Sharper and Roman Harper: +17.1

2008 - Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark: +29.8

 

• All teams aside from the 2012 Ravens had at least 1 safety who graded out elite (Bernard Pollard graded at only +3.9). 
• Every team aside from the 2012 Ravens and 2011 Giants combined for elite combined safety play.
• Each team aside from the 2011 Packers has had a safety that was an All-Pro at some point. 
• Every team has had a Pro-Bowl safety. 

So my question is, is it just coincidence that each team had basically one elite safety? Or in some cases two?  

[COLTS449]

I've been thinking about this too. I didn't research it or anything, but I knew the last several winners have had exceptional play from their safeties. Its something that's a major weakness on our D, and its something we really need to address early in the draft. So no I don't think its a coincident. I think a star safety is very important to having a good defense. We need to find ours in this draft.

[jseg18]

And when we won it we had Bob Sanders, and the rookie Antoine Bethea.

[amfootball]

It is not surprising to see these stats. Given how much it is a passing league, having top safeties is key to keeping the big plays in check. Also a great safety can help average CBs play better.

[Superman]

All of those teams had a really good pass rush, also. I'd be inclined to say that the pass rush helps the safeties play better.

[Colts_Fan12]

I'm going to use their combined PFF grades to give a basic visualization how they played:

2014 - Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung: +21

2013 - Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor: +13.8

2012 - Ed Reed and Bernard Pollard: +2

2011 - Kenny Phillips and Antrell Rolle: 0

2010 - Nick Collins and Atari Bigby: +22.3

2009 - Darren Sharper and Roman Harper: +17.1

2008 - Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark: +29.8

• All teams aside from the 2012 Ravens had at least 1 safety who graded out elite (Bernard Pollard graded at only +3.9).
• Every team aside from the 2012 Ravens and 2011 Giants combined for elite combined safety play.
• Each team aside from the 2011 Packers has had a safety that was an All-Pro at some point.
• Every team has had a Pro-Bowl safety.

So my question is, is it just coincidence that each team had basically one elite safety? Or in some cases two?

I don't think so I don't buy the safety isn't important talk that people say on here

[#BringBobBack]

2006 - Bob Sanders and Antoine Bethea

 

realize it was already stated but had to make sure everyone knew...

[amfootball]

All of those teams had a really good pass rush, also. I'd be inclined to say that the pass rush helps the safeties play better.

To your point, SB champions have a lot of good players. That being said, I think Tedy Bruschi had some good thoughts on defense. He was using the Pats as example but he said last year the pass rush did not have to be great because the secondary was so good. Now this year with the lost of both starting corners with Revis being arguable the best in the game, the Pats have to change conceptually to be better up front to get more consistent pressure to help the secondary. It is an interesting discussion all around. Kind of like the chicken and the egg to a certain extent. I do think to Dustin's point/post, an elite safety helps the defense at multiple levels because they can cover the whole field to help whoever needs it on either side and they also help in the run game as well.

[lollygagger8]

One of those '09 safeties probably tried drugging the Colts drinks too. 

[GoPats]

Seems like this time of year we always hear about how "thin" the crop of safeties is coming out of the draft. I can't remember the last draft that was heavy on the position. Good safeties are hard to find. Sometimes you even have to make them (thinking here of how McCourty was drafted as a corner)...

[chad72]

Given the new breed of TEs like Gronk, Hernandez, Graham, Dallas Clark etc. for the last 5-10 years, having 2 stellar safeties is almost a must nowadays.

 

What the Giants did not have in safety play, they had in D-line pressure, no substitute for that. When you have a healthy deep DL unit and 2 stellar safeties that are not injured (Seahawks in 2013 were EXTREMELY deep and healthy), you have a blowout.

[jseg18]

All of those teams had a really good pass rush, also. I'd be inclined to say that the pass rush helps the safeties play better.

a good example possibly when we played the saints in the Super Bowl. We had Francisco playing safety, but once Freeney went down at half time Brees torched us.

[LJpalmbeacher2]

I don't think so I don't buy the safety isn't important talk that people say on here

Looks like Griggs does.

[Colts_Fan12]

Looks like Griggs does.

yeah I know right

[jvan1973]

Looks like Griggs does.

pretty sure he gave big money to Landry. He didn't work out, but I'm sure grigs realizes the importance to the position