Historic defensive ratings...

[boogiewithstu2007]

Would you put the 2015 Broncos D in the top 10 of all time ? I think they might just sneak into the top 10 personally.... Some of the Broncos players are saying best of all time but the numbers don't back that up, there just high on emotion right now.... when they reflect they'll see that's not a good argument... But there definitely in the top 10 I think .... Also, they are one of the better pass rushing teams we've seen in a long time... Miller and Ware were just off the chain good....

 

[beardown07]

They are not even close to the best of all time.

 

[beardown07]

maybe top 10.


Definitely awesome

 

[TDs3nOut]

May not be the best, but they will certainly do till the best gets here!

 

[cdumler7]

Hard to really compare. I mean while the Broncos stats wise in some aspects don't compare they also probably played with one of the worst offenses that any top defense has had to play with. The turnovers alone have put them in terrible position and why they didn't win the scoring title this year. Still yeah I wouldn't say best ever but when you look at what they did in the playoffs to me you have to rank them top-10.

 

[ducky]

If we are just talking pass defense, is there another team you would rank above them in history?

They are the last team I would want to face if it is 3rd and 8.

 

[Broncos6482]

I saw a stat on NFL Network after the game, the 2000 Ravens and 2015 Broncos tied for fewest touchdowns allowed by a Super Bowl champion in the regular season and playoffs combined. I believe the number was 36.

They also held the number 1, 3, and 4 regular season scoring offenses to 10, 18, and 16 points. That's pretty remarkable.

 

[Money]

I saw a stat on NFL Network after the game, the 2000 Ravens and 2015 Broncos tied for fewest touchdowns allowed by a Super Bowl champion in the regular season and playoffs combined. I believe the number was 36.

They also held the number 1, 3, and 4 regular season scoring offenses to 10, 18, and 16 points. That's pretty remarkable.

The Ravens played 1 more game because they were a wildcard that year. Broncos D this year was certainly dominating though.

 

[Clayton]

Id probably rank them the highest.

They certainly won with maybe the worst championship offense of all time and given their competition you have to figure that their defense is elite going through 3 of the best offenses in the league.

 

[SJ76]

Broncos D is good, but Panther's offense came a in WEE bit over-confident.


1985 Bears
2006 Ravens
2002 Bucs

 

[beardown07]

from chicagobears.com...

The ’85 Bears hold a decisive edge over the ’15 Broncos in every major statistical category on defense, including points allowed (198-296), total yards (4,135-4,530), interceptions (34-14), sacks (64-39) and takeaways (54-27). And don’t forget that the ’85 Bears remain the only team in NFL history with back-to-back shutouts in the playoffs. It’s also important to note that the Bears went 15-1 in 1985, while the Broncos were 12-4 this past season. About the only thing the two teams have in common is that they both held their Super Bowl opponent to 10 points.


The back-to-back shutouts cements em' IMO.

 

[Broncos6482]

from chicagobears.com...

The ’85 Bears hold a decisive edge over the ’15 Broncos in every major statistical category on defense, including points allowed (198-296), total yards (4,135-4,530), interceptions (34-14), sacks (64-39) and takeaways (54-27). And don’t forget that the ’85 Bears remain the only team in NFL history with back-to-back shutouts in the playoffs. It’s also important to note that the Bears went 15-1 in 1985, while the Broncos were 12-4 this past season. About the only thing the two teams have in common is that they both held their Super Bowl opponent to 10 points.


The back-to-back shutouts cements em' IMO.

I don't know about the rest of those numbers, but I know the sack number for Denver is wrong.

Also, a straight numbers to numbers comparison is apples to oranges, the game has changed so much since then, a lot of what the Bears were allowed to do would be a penalty today.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I'd probably have them around 8th right on par with the 2013 Seahawks. There have been a few just in the last 10 years that are probably better.

 

[Jakology]

from chicagobears.com...

The ’85 Bears hold a decisive edge over the ’15 Broncos in every major statistical category on defense, including points allowed (198-296), total yards (4,135-4,530), interceptions (34-14), sacks (64-39) and takeaways (54-27). And don’t forget that the ’85 Bears remain the only team in NFL history with back-to-back shutouts in the playoffs. It’s also important to note that the Bears went 15-1 in 1985, while the Broncos were 12-4 this past season. About the only thing the two teams have in common is that they both held their Super Bowl opponent to 10 points.


The back-to-back shutouts cements em' IMO.

Yeah nobody can touch that resume. The Ravens' defenses of the early 2000s might have been more talented, but they didn't put up the same kind of numbers. I'd take the Bears, Ravens, the Steel Curtain, hell even the Seahawks with their run of #1 scoring D for 4 years in a row now are better. The Broncos gave up slightly less yards, and have a better pass rush, but everywhere else the Seahawks were better.

 

[Jakology]

I don't know about the rest of those numbers, but I know the sack number for Denver is wrong.

Also, a straight numbers to numbers comparison is apples to oranges, the game has changed so much since then, a lot of what the Bears were allowed to do would be a penalty today.

The great defenses don't care about the penalties. Same goes for the Broncos this season. Talib is an absolute asshole, but you have admit that he plays physical and doesn't give a fuck. He's going to do everything to get an offense's head. Miller and Ware play with reckless abandon out there, and have gotten their fair share of penalties too. Sometimes taking a penalty can be worth it just to send a message to the other team.

 

[Broncos6482]

The great defenses don't care about the penalties. Same goes for the Broncos this season. Talib is an absolute asshole, but you have admit that he plays physical and doesn't give a fuck. He's going to do everything to get an offense's head. Miller and Ware play with reckless abandon out there, and have gotten their fair share of penalties too. Sometimes taking a penalty can be worth it just to send a message to the other team.

My point was, they were allowed to mug receivers back then in ways you can't do today. That makes playing defense easier.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

My point was, they were allowed to mug receivers back then in ways you can't do today. That makes playing defense easier.

I don't think coaches really had much of a clue how to attack the 46 either back then. Put today's OC's back in 85 and I'd be shocked if we remember the '85 Bears as the best defense on an offhand basis.

 

[cdumler7]

The great defenses don't care about the penalties. Same goes for the Broncos this season. Talib is an absolute asshole, but you have admit that he plays physical and doesn't give a fuck. He's going to do everything to get an offense's head. Miller and Ware play with reckless abandon out there, and have gotten their fair share of penalties too. Sometimes taking a penalty can be worth it just to send a message to the other team.

Right they don't care about penalties but that is not what he is talking about. What defenses were allowed to do back in the 80's is completely different than what is allowed today. So saying "well they held teams to few yards and points." Well when the NFL has tried to give every advantage to the offense since the 80's then of course the points per game is going to go up. So again very hard to compare especially from a different era like the 80's. The Seahawks of 13' are probably the best team to try and compare them too since really most of the rules haven't changed since then. Then again though they had a much more explosive offense that helped that defense out compared to the Broncos as another poster put it maybe having the worst offense that has ever won a Super Bowl.

 

[Jakology]

My point was, they were allowed to mug receivers back then in ways you can't do today. That makes playing defense easier.

To be honest, I think this narrative is absolute bullshit. The 5 yard bump is still there. I've seen Revis, Sherman, and Peterson all just absolute trash a WR within that 5 and make them fall putting them out of the play. Multiple times. And physical play goes on all the way down the field between both the corner and WR. Yeah, pass interference and defensive holding can be very tickytac sometimes, but that's rare. The physicality is still there.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

To be honest, I think this narrative is absolute bullshit. The 5 yard bump is still there. I've seen Revis, Sherman, and Peterson all just absolute trash a WR within that 5 and make them fall putting them out of the play. Multiple times. And physical play goes on all the way down the field between both the corner and WR. Yeah, pass interference and defensive holding can be very tickytac sometimes, but that's rare. The physicality is still there.

Look up Night Train Lane and tell me it's a BS narrative.