Which was the greatest Super Bowl performance by a defensive unit?

[Podunkparte]

It's the Seahawks demolishing the "Best offense ever" from the first snap and spiritually ending that game before halftime.

Took the Broncos' will from that game, early.

 

[Black Adam]

Quite a few to choose from. But for the old timers...

Superbowl 4. Where the highly favored Vikings were held to 7 points by the Kansas City Chiefs...

 

[Pure Steel]

think pittsburgh's defense in Superbowl IX might have been the best one.

 

[Gman]

I love that they brought up the Chiefs here. The first SB winner was arguably the Chiefs best team even to this day because of the defense.

1. 85 Bears
1a. 00 Ravens
3. 07 Giants

Lots of great performances, though. Tampa Bay knew the plays against the Raiders. Broncos and Chiefs were depleted on Oline against the Seahawks and Bucs. I also think the Broncos took advantage of OL issues that the Panthers had in the SB. All good performances for sure but I think I'm okay with the top 3.

Easy to say the '85 Bears, but that was a lame duck Pats team.

Titans in 2000 in a losing effort was pretty special against a record breaking Rams offense. Almost pulled a huge upset.

Ravens in 2001. That defense the last end of that season is arguably better than the '85 Bears. Absolutely carried that team to a title, and won in blowout fashion.

Giants in '08 against the GOAT in his prime, and holding them to 14. And more importantly, winning.

And the Pats holding the Rams to 3 points in 2019, tying a Super Bowl record.

That Ravens defense led by Ray Lewis was just filthy... I remember watching that SB and thinking the Giants never even had a chance.

 

[UK Cowboy]

85 Bears. Patriots were pissing their pants and holding up a white flag at the coin toss

 

[PDay8810]

think pittsburgh's defense in Superbowl IX might have been the best one.

well...Tarkington was a disaster that day. Foreman was bottled up the moment he left the dressing room. This Viking team was on the decline and getting old on defense. Their last decent team.

Now the Cowboy team in SB VI curb stomped a team in Miami that soon became the toast of the league. Csonka, Kick, and Shula remember.

 

[Sir Robin Of Camelot]

1. 85 Bears
1a. 00 Ravens
3. 07 Giants

That would probably be my list as well but that SB IX Steelers defense (as mentioned previously) was pretty damn special. Hard to leave them off that top 3 but those top 2 have to be there in whatever order anyone wants to argue.

 

[Pure Steel]

well...Tarkington was a disaster that day. Foreman was bottled up the moment he left the dressing room. This Viking team was on the decline and getting old on defense. Their last decent team.

Now the Cowboy team in SB VI curb stomped a team in Miami that soon became the toast of the league. Csonka, Kick, and Shula remember.

Tarkenton was MVP the following year in 1975, they lost in the NFC Championship to the Cowboys on a Hail Mary to Pearson (pushed off) and lost the 76’ SB to the Raiders……hardly done

 

[Southieinnc]

85 Bears. Patriots were pissing their pants and holding up a white flag at the coin toss

Patriots were so beat up before the game that half the team went in for surgery the day after. Bears were a very strong defense and the Patriots would have been worse if not for Steve Grogsn taking over for our shitty starting WB

 

[fknhippie]

Actually, Dungy’s Tampa Bay 2 defense was developed by Chuck Noll which was used to destroy the Vikings in SB IX….easily one of the most dominant performances in SB history……

shut up!!

 

[fknhippie]

Tarkenton was MVP the following year in 1975, they lost in the NFC Championship to the Cowboys on a Hail Mary to Pearson (pushed off) and lost the 76’ SB to the Raiders……hardly done

Shut up again...

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

You gotta put the Seahawks up here, holding Denver who averaged 37 points a game all year,and 606 points in the regular season,the most in league history, and Seattle held them to 8 points! .. That was arguably the best Super Bowl defensive performance of all time…

2013 Broncos

Total Yards Per Game: 457.3 (1st)

Passing Yards Per Game: 340.2 (1st)

Rushing Yards Per Game: 117.1 (15th)

Points Per Game: 37.9 (1st)


Anyone that doesn’t tip your hat to that performance by Seattle is a Seahawks hater !!

But they did give up a touchdown and more than 300 yards of total offense, unlike some other Super Bowl defensive teams.

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

well...Tarkington was a disaster that day. Foreman was bottled up the moment he left the dressing room. This Viking team was on the decline and getting old on defense. Their last decent team.

Now the Cowboy team in SB VI curb stomped a team in Miami that soon became the toast of the league. Csonka, Kick, and Shula remember.

Didn't the Vikings represent the NFC in the Super Bowl TWO YEARS LATER????

 

[PDay8810]

Tarkenton was MVP the following year in 1975, they lost in the NFC Championship to the Cowboys on a Hail Mary to Pearson (pushed off) and lost the 76’ SB to the Raiders……hardly done

lol...so salty.

yep I was two years off, they had some of the purple people eaters still around. Tarkington was bad in SB 9. I was in Rice Stadium that day.

Francis was real good in 75 throwing to the runnningbacks 90% of the time. Lost to Dallas in the divisional round that year with the Hail Mary pass. Minnesota played horrible defense that last series.

Pushed off?
Funny coming from a Steelers fan.
I always respected the Franco statue at Pittsburgh International Airport.

So salty.
lol

 

[PDay8810]

Didn't the Vikings represent the NFC in the Super Bowl TWO YEARS LATER????

yep...they were in the middle of losing 3 outta 4 SB

 

[Pure Steel]

lol...so salty.

yep I was two years off, they had some of the purple people eaters still around. Tarkington was bad in SB 9. I was in Rice Stadium that day.

Francis was real good in 75 throwing to the runnningbacks 90% of the time. Lost to Dallas in the divisional round that year with the Hail Mary pass. Minnesota played horrible defense that last series.

Pushed off?
Funny coming from a Steelers fan.
I always respected the Franco statue at Pittsburgh International Airport.

So salty.
lol

Try to get your facts straight

 

[jerseyhawksfan79]

But they did give up a touchdown and more than 300 yards of total offense, unlike some other Super Bowl defensive teams.

Would it be better if they gave up a TD and stopped the 2pt conversion? So 6pts vs 8pts you'd rank them higher?

 

[Sharkonabicycle]

You gotta put the Seahawks up here, holding Denver who averaged 37 points a game all year,and 606 points in the regular season,the most in league history, and Seattle held them to 8 points! .. That was arguably the best Super Bowl defensive performance of all time…

2013 Broncos

Total Yards Per Game: 457.3 (1st)

Passing Yards Per Game: 340.2 (1st)

Rushing Yards Per Game: 117.1 (15th)

Points Per Game: 37.9 (1st)


Anyone that doesn’t tip your hat to that performance by Seattle is a Seahawks hater !!

Not shocked it took a Hawks fan to call it out. I assume most of the NFL fanbase was disinterested in watching the Broncos/Seahawks of all teams... and everyone just wrote the Seahawks off and assumed the Broncos would easily win. That was obvious with the odds, celebrity picks (lol, celebs know fuck all generally but they do 'influence' idiots in our society), and the expert picks (which okay, carry some merit).

Yes I'm OBVIOUSLY a Seahawks fan, but that game blew my mind. I didn't expect Seattle to play like that. Julius Thomas who was such a huge part of the offense was just BLOWN UP (guy got shot backward 5 yards) like it was nothing. It just set a tone that, "Yah, we'll give ya garbage time points at best. Get the fuck outta here."

And Manning's face after the Harvin kick return (I guess that was worth the 1st rounder) basically with just a "Are you fucking kidding me?" expression, was about as demoralizing as it got. Even at that point I was like, "WTF? Did Seattle hack the planet and put all their team on 'Excellent mode' and everyone on the Broncos 'in poor condition'? It literally felt like someone played with the 'stats' of the players. It was one of the most boring Super Bowls to watch as a neutral fan because of how stupidly dominant Seattle's D was.

I kind of watched the 2nd half and in part just was like basically every game except the Skins/Bucs in the first week of the playoffs this year. I was like, "I'm witnessing my first Seahawks SBOWL as a lifelong fan... but it's just kind of over."

Pretty sure I was on my laptop most of the 3rd and 4th quarter looking at other stuff because the game was just over (still glancing at the screen, was not turning that off). The best offense (statistically) in NFL history was not doing fuck all against that defense.

 

[PDay8810]

View attachment 387178

Try to get your facts straight

you as well
lol

 

[saturdaysarebetter]

Would it be better if they gave up a TD and stopped the 2pt conversion? So 6pts vs 8pts you'd rank them higher?

Have two-point conversions ever decided a game (and I'm not talking Super Bowl games)? They do in college in overtime. Defense is on the field and not a kicking specialist am I right?