Defensive Rankings week 10

[Crunked]

Defensive Rankings

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For those of you who read and follow this column since last year, I have been sugary sweet about my placement and comment to each and every team, havent I? Well this year so far I have, and it is not my way. I started this column to shush the homers among us who think their team is #1 at everything. So from this point on, I go back to calling out the cowardly defenses, I give props to the good ones I all but ignore the bad ones, the formula is the same, its the attitude that changes because this is a tough sport and your team better get tough to earn my respect.Lets look at who gets my respect this week and why, and you old timers will remember this format from last year.


The 10 Meanest, ugliest, don't want to face defenses:






#1: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/tam.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/tam)


1st last week
#1YPG
#2 YPP
#2 against the pass
#2 against the run
#4 in points allowed
#15 in turnovers caused
An overall well balanced defense, they wont kill you with just one thing they are good at all facits of defense, they don't appear as scary as a team right now and their defense will suffer spending too much time on the field but for at least another week they are the top dawg in the junk yard.
#2: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/chi.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/chi)
2nd last week
#3 YPG
#1 YPP
#7 against the pass
#7 against the run
#1(t) in points allowed
#8 in turnovers caused
Bring the Ice bags and the ACE bandages, these guys are bruisers and like to lay wood when they see a different color jersey, they are not a finesse defense with elegant INT's and all that frilly stuff, they line up and knock the snot out of you and the ball begins to become something you are much less interested in holding on to after a few licks.

#3: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/bal_2.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/bal)
4th last week
#2 YPG
#3 YPP
#4 against the pass
#10 against the run
#9 in points allowed
#28 in turnovers caused
Two things are keeping these guys out of the winners circle more often. Defensive turnovers and an offense, last year they only lacked the offense, and thus fans the difference from the 04 record to the 05. They make this list cause they have earned it to this point, they are losing games sure but if you face the Ravens unprepared for playing one of the top defenses in the league, YOU WILL LOSE......
#4: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/jac.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/jac)
3rd last week
#6 YPG
#8 YPP
#3 against the pass
#24 against the run
#8 in points allowed
#7 in turnovers caused
#24 against the run???with that line? Want to know why they are suddenly struggling, look at that stat. How is that possible you ask? Well some day pull ole crunky aside and he will explain the importance of good safeties in the 4-3 as it applies to run stopping, follow along there is another upper tier team in the list struggling in the same area of defense with injuries to the same position, btw these guys only are hanging by a thread to this spot playing the Colts, Steelers and Bengals has put their strength of schedule on the high side, and it only goes down from here.
#5: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/pit.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/pit)
5th last week
#8 YPG
#4 YPP
#3 against the pass
#4 against the run
#5 in points allowed
#5 in turnovers caused
These guys are one of 4 in the top 10 that will just light you up. Their greatest strength can also be their greatest weakness against experienced QB's. THey like to flood blitz on spot, overloading a particular gap or side of the line, a saavy QB will recognize that an audible to a run away from the blitz or go with a hot read reciever, if they can't blitz early and often they are still good but not dominant.
#6: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/cin_2.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/cin)
6th last week
#15 YPG
#16 YPP
#11 against the pass
#23 against the run
#3 in points allowed
#1 in turnovers caused
Jags fans meet your 4-3 Safety-less brethren, one rub for these guys is they are causing turnovers. Their numbers are pretty average with the exception of turnovers caused, and as a result look at their points allowed, and that boys in girls is called adequately compensating for your short comings, I say well done. The down side is teams who can run the ball will make it hard for their defense to win it for them because possession is 9/10ths of the ball (or something like that).
#7: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/ind.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/ind)
7th last week
#4 YPG
#6 YPP
#9 against the pass
#11 against the run
#1(t) in points allowed
#6(t) in turnovers caused
Well looking at those numbers they could be slightly higher in my rankings, but for these guys the strength of schedule is working against them at the moment, stand by that is about to change.On a note of analysis they are young and still playing inconsistent at the start of big games, they tend to get too excitable early and get scored on, they need to work on playing steady the entire 60 minutes, fast opportunistic and have a few wood slingers, expereince will only make these guys better.
#8: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/was.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/was)
8th last week
#7 YPG
#11 YPP
#6 against the pass
#21 against the run
#13 in points allowed
#30 in turnovers caused
The Skins are the Jekyll and Hyde team of the year, looking un-stoppable one minute and looking like the all dairy farmers flag football alumni squad the next, inconsistency is taking its toll, they need to find a focus defensively, the talent is there, it is just the commitment and the belief in that system.
#9: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/den.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/den)
9th last week
#22 YPG
#23 YPP
#29 against the pass
#5 against the run
#15 in points allowed
#12 in turnovers caused
Guess what teams do against the Broncos defense well? That's right Denver will have trouble against teams that can consistently throw the rock, see Indy playoff disasters 03 and 04 for further details. Aside from that they make the top 10 because they are good, if you want to run on these guys, fa-getta-bout-it.
#10: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/mia.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/mia)
10th last week
# 16 YPG
#5 YPP
# 14 against the pass
# 20 against the run
# 14 in points allowed
# 22 in turnovers caused
Looking at these numbers you are saying Crunked, how can this be a top defense look at those numbers!, well, lets disect them for a moment in the NFL world your defense gets credited with special teams numbers too, and if you look at the most important stat up there for this point, its YPP(yards per play) you see they are top 5 in that while being , oh mediocre in everything else, this is a case where the special teams play is effecting the overall defense posturing in these standings, sometimes you can't see the forest for the trees.

Here are the average Joes that need to do some things consistently to move into the top 10 or suffer the fate of mediocrity forever. There are 3 teams here that will be top 10 if they can continue their level of play right now they still have to overcome some early season statistics, but the numbers are tight, oooooh so very tight between 7th-17th.

#11:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/car.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/car)
#12:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/dal.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/dal)
#13:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/buf.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/buf)
#14:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/det.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/det)
#15:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/phi.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/phi)
#16:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/sea.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sea)
#17:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/atl_2.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/atl)
#18:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/nyj.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nyj)
#19:http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/sdg.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sdg)
#20: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/stl.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/stl)
#21: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/ten.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/ten)
#22: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/gnb.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/gnb)
#23: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/ari.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/ari)
#24: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/nwe.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nwe)
#25: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/kan.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/kan)
#26: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/oak.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/oak)
#27: http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/nor.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nor)

After you fall of the average Joe list,you should be ashamed to say you play NFL ball. Come on there is rebuilding and then there is just plain stinking up the place. These guys have their placement yanked cause I don't recognize or respect weakness.Now before I get flack from the newbies I just want to say a couple of these teams have started to turn it around, so don't give me the "they have played good for (fill in the blank) weeks", the bottom line is they havent played good long enough to get out of the hole, and this is (as always) a season perspective on the defense, so if they dont like being here get on their humps about staying better, and they will crawl out.Until then, here are the defenses your teams offense looks forward to having on the schedule.



http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/cle.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/cle)http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/nyg_2.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nyg)http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/min.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/min)http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/hou.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/hou)http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/sfo.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sfo)

[lawdog93]

I think Denver's passing yards per game is so high because they shut down the run so well, and get out to big leads, that teams have no choice but to throw the rock. their points per game average isn't too bad.

[jjflr]

Crunked, sorry man but I've got to call B.S. on the Giants being in the bottom 5 D's in the league.

Just using YOUR criteria:

The Giants D is:

#2 in takeaways
#10 in points allowed
#20 in YPP
#25 in YPG

That doesn't add up to #30 D in the league.

They should be middle-of-the-pack around 16th somewhere.

You have to remember that one reason they give up more 'yardage' per game is that their offense is #1 in scoring in the league. They are often playing 'soft' in the 3rd and 4th quarters.

Also, their offense is NOT ball control. They only hold the ball about 28 and a half minutes a game. They score quickly. This leaves their D on the field quite a bit.

The Giants D is DEFINITELY top 20, probably top 15.

[Blackmallard]

Any chance of an analysis of why exactly those five teams are a cut below the average teams? Specifically, I was aware that the Giants strength this year was offence, but I have not really followed their games and was unaware that their defence was signifigantly worse than other defences rated as average.

[Parrish]

The 49ers keep getting better and better each week, so I'm happy about that. Heck, I'm happy they kept the offense that is averaging the most points a game to only 24.

[wilshade]

The reason why the Ravens have such a poor turnover ratio is brutally simple . . . . . .


In order to want to force a turnover, you have to be willing to sacrifice your body. And, in order to be willing to sacrifice your body, you have to believe that your offense is going to do something with the ball once you give it to them. If you were a Ravens defensive player, would YOU be willing to sacrifice your body for that offense?

[hdawg3]

The reason why the Ravens have such a poor turnover ratio is brutally simple . . . . . .


In order to want to force a turnover, you have to be willing to sacrifice your body. And, in order to be willing to sacrifice your body, you have to believe that your offense is going to do something with the ball once you give it to them. If you were a Ravens defensive player, would YOU be willing to sacrifice your body for that offense?

Balitmore didnt have much of an offense when they won the SB and they still had players sacrificing their bodies then.

[Crunked]

Any chance of an analysis of why exactly those five teams are a cut below the average teams? Specifically, I was aware that the Giants strength this year was offence, but I have not really followed their games and was unaware that their defence was signifigantly worse than other defences rated as average.

Sure, 4 of these teams are improving and if the trend continues they will be moving into the mediocre category, a sentence that fell on some deaf ears, soooooooooo
Lets start here since jjflr has issues with them being in the bottom 5 anyway.
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/nyg_2.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/nyg) The average yards per game the Giants are allowing as a defense is 341.8 ( average is around 300) good is below 300 per game generally speaking. They are averaging 5.2 yards per play which is a mediocre total and not all that revelaing in this instance as the top team in this category has a 4.2 and the worst 6.0. The Giants have fared well in turnovers caused, and for two weeks their totals in general have been dramatically improved. Strahan, is back to sacking etc,. so a portion of their recent success can be attributed to defense.Where they are still hurting is in 3rd down completion stops, they are allowing the 28th overall best or worse depending on your perspective conversion rate and that equates to opponents staying on the field and moving the sticks, their red zone defense is pretty taunt which causes opponents to settle for field goals more often than not but opponents are still moving up and down the field. Lastly they are also 27th in defensive penalties which is normal for a team with a new coach, a young squad and or a team that is playing undisciplined and unfocused. jjflr probably wont want to hear that, but those are the facts based on the teams statistics.
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/cle.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/cle)These guys allow 339 yards per game on defense, (2 yards better than the Giants for those of you playing at home) Their 3rd down percentage is only one percent better than NYG, so as you can begin to see there are some statistical similarities to these 5 teams. What keeps the Browns down they give up 129.4 games rushing on average.....thats alot Put that with an average pass defense. Crennell is rebuilding and its going to take some time to get the prototype players he wants for his system.
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/min.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/min)The Vikings are one of the other teams that has a real possibility of climbing out of the hole they have improved greatly the last two weeks, but those two weeks are still not enough to improve their previous lows. They are one of those defenses whose statistics have them homvering around 27th best, but they find themselves here based on a lower strength of schedule than some of the teams scraping the bottom of the average joe list, the strength of schedule tends to even out over the course of a season, and it will eventually with these guys, but right now they are 27th statistically, and bottom 5 because of opponents strength rating
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/hou.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/hou)The Texans, are hurting for a number of reasons, and the biggest reasons are this they have some key defensive injuries. Add in the Free agent disappointment named Phillip Buchanon, add a dash of Sophomore slump ala Dunta...and you have a defense that bends and bends and bends, they don't cause many turnovers, they don't get consistent QB pressure, they do have some good run stopping DT's but it doesnt do much good if you opponents are running outside and throwing the ball all day, statistically they are near or at the bottom in most categories.
http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/v/nfl/teams/1/80x60/sfo.gif (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/teams/sfo) Another anamoly team, they are under a new coach and a new system, the coach does not have any of the key pieces yet to make his system function the way he wants it too, they started out so poorly they were a country mile from the other 31 teams. Since that time the Coach has slowly started to get his message across the players are buying into the system and each week for about 4 weeks now (ask parrish he knows exactly how long :) ) anyway for a while now they have improved and may just crawl their way into the average joe camp by the time its all said and done.

[Panther5407]

I don't know about Dunta Robinson being in a sophomore slump. I mean, he has put up numbers like last year yet but then again, wouldnt you rather pick on Buchanon or Faggins rather than attempt to pick on Dunta?

[Shoey]

The Bills should NOT be that high. at this point I don't even consider us top 20, we've completely fallen apart on that side of the ball

[Crunked]

I don't know about Dunta Robinson being in a sophomore slump. I mean, he has put up numbers like last year yet but then again, wouldnt you rather pick on Buchanon or Faggins rather than attempt to pick on Dunta?

Look I am a huge Dunta fan, but facts are facts, he is not getting picks because there is no pass rush and with Buchanon being a liability and Faggins being a good 2nd DB not a #1 why worry about Dunta, he can't be everywhere so you lull him into submission by throwing away from him and then when he is not expecting it you burn him.....his stats are down this year, you can attribute it to anything you want, it doesn't necessarily mean its his fault, it is a product of the situation actually, but the result is he is not putting up the numbers he did last year, hence the slump.

[chiefzilla]

From a statistical standpoint, yeah, the Chiefs don't belong in the top 20.

But if you look at it from another standpoint, they certainly do. First off, 4 out of 8 teams they've faced are statistically ranked in the top 10 in offense. 6 out of 8 are in the top 15.

I know strength of schedule is factored in. But it does seem to me that there are a ton of NFC East and AFC West teams lumped into the bottom of the rankings, even though anyone who's seen KC, Oakland, San Diego, and New York play, should probably have a hard time believing that any of those teams belong in the bottom 15. Meanwhile, there are teams like St. Louis, Tennessee, Arizona, Green Bay--those defenses are just awful, period. Even against good offenses, they give up a good share of yards.

I said that no system is perfect. But i think an even stronger weight needs to factor in strength of schedule. jjflr is right, in that the Giants should not be punished for giving a lot of points to powerhouse offenses. The AFC West and the NFC East put up points and yards in droves, and they rarely give up turnovers. If you only give up 20 points to the Chargers or the Raiders or the Chiefs, that's an outstanding performance.

[Tiki Tiger]

I love your articles Crunked, but you havent done the power rankings for a while, none the less i think that if jacksonville could stop the run thay'd be #1.

200 posts!!! Do i get reputation or something? Anyway great to be here at PSH