A Critical Look at the Denver Defense

[shaka]

This is in response to this article attempting to discredit our offense based on opposing defenses:

http://www.milehighreport.com/2016/1/27/10846346/a-critical-look-at-the-panthers-offense

I'm using the same idea that the author does showing that Denver benefited from playing worse offensive teams than the Panthers.

Here are the statistical ranks of the offenses Denver played with averages at the bottom:

Here are the statistical ranks of the offenses Carolina played with averages at the bottom:

On average, the Broncos played easier offenses.  And lastly the defensive ranks and totals of the Broncos and Panthers:

Denver:  
Pass 1st - 3193 yards
Rush 3rd - 1337 yards
Total 1st - 4530 yards
Scoring 4th - 296 points

Carolina: 
Pass 11th - 3752 yards
Rush 4th - 1415 yards
Total 6th - 5167 yards
Scoring 6th - 308 points
 

Takeaways:  

• Denver played on average, weaker passing and running opponents then Carolina
• Difference between this "Elite" Denver defense and ours is...559 passing yards, 78 rushing yards and 8 points
• The Denver defense is great, our offense is good great.  Our defense is great, their offense is not very good.  
• fug Seattle, New Orleans, Atlanta and OBJ

Edit: fixed good to great for our offense

[Moose Hoover]

Our offense is great.

[GoobyPls]

This Denver D might be one of the best defenses in the last 15 years. The fact that they can be number one in so many categories while having an offense that led the NFL in INT and can barely stay on the field, speaks volumes.

 

 

[GRWatcher]

I hope you voted in the poll at the end of that article. How many points does our defense limit the Panthers offense to in the Super Bowl? I voted 28+ :)

[Jangler]

Open up with a 10 minute drive, wear them out right up front, then force Manning to throw a bazillion interceptions and pick6s.

 

[tondi]

Not to mention that for roughly half the season we were in games where we were blowing out the other team which leads to changes in both how they play offense and how we play defense.  At how many points this season did Denver have a 3 score or more lead?  That has a huge impact on how you play defense.

[Davidson Deac II]

27 minutes ago, GRWatcher said:

I hope you voted in the poll at the end of that article. How many points does our defense limit the Panthers offense to in the Super Bowl? I voted 28+ :)

I really hope our defense doesn't limit the Panthers offense in any way shape or form.  Unless perhaps our defense scores so much that the offense can take it easy.

[shaka]

12 minutes ago, GoobyPls said:

This Denver D might be one of the best defenses in the last 15 years. The fact that they can be number one in so many categories while having an offense that led the NFL in INT and can barely stay on the field, speaks volumes.

 

 

I get where you're going with this but from a yardage standpoint it actually helps their cause.  Look at the regular season game vs the Steelers.  Pitt had two scoring drives that result from turnovers.  Combined yards?  58. Every other scoring drive was at least 50 yards.  

 

They're a great defense and I haven't watched them enough to say they're one of the best in the last 15 years.  They could be, I don't know.  

 

But if people want to take pot shots at us saying we had a joke schedule or faced bad defenses, I'm going to call them out on playing cupcake offenses.  You lead the league in rushing defense after playing the Browns, Colts, Ravens, Chargers twice, Raiders twice, Lions and NE?  Good, you should that's 9 games against bottom of the barrel running teams.  

[Bozarden]

If the no. 6 scoring defense this year is great why isnt the offense with the most points in a season since 2013 only good?

[CatAttack]

Comments on that article are also "interesting"...

"If the Cardinals didn’t turn the ball over..."

"Seahawks completely shut down the Panthers in the second half"

"In the Divisional Round, it was a Comedy of Errors that allowed them to advance "

"AZ gave them the ball seven times! And most of those really were gifts."

"If only the Panthers first half lead wasn’t so huge..."

"The difference between the Panthers and our defense is they have depended more on turnovers to prevent scoring"

"Broncos defense would look better if we could subtract all the (Carolina) pick six scoring"

"But to spell it out, he completely melted down…those weren’t take aways, they were give aways."

"What QBs did your team pick off in the regular season…Winston, Mallett or Hoyer, Bortles, Hasselbeck, Bradford, Weeden or Mallett again, Cousins? That’s a pro bowl line up of QBs if I ever saw one."

"CAR’s defense is really good, but most of those INTs by Palmer and even Wilson in the divisional round were absolutely terrible decisions."

[GRWatcher]

7 minutes ago, Davidson Deac II said:

I really hope our defense doesn't limit the Panthers offense in any way shape or form.  Unless perhaps our defense scores so much that the offense can take it easy.

lol good one! Actually, I just copied & pasted the title of the the poll from SBNation which is why it sounds so funny.

[ickmule]

Just now, CatAttack said:

Comments on that article are also "interesting"...

"If the Cardinals didn’t turn the ball over..."

"Seahawks completely shut down the Panthers in the second half"

"In the Divisional Round, it was a Comedy of Errors that allowed them to advance "

"AZ gave them the ball seven times! And most of those really were gifts."

"If only the Panthers first half lead wasn’t so huge..."

"The difference between the Panthers and our defense is they have depended more on turnovers to prevent scoring"

"Broncos defense would look better if we could subtract all the (Carolina) pick six scoring"

"But to spell it out, he completely melted down…those weren’t take aways, they were give aways."

"What QBs did your team pick off in the regular season…Winston, Mallett or Hoyer, Bortles, Hasselbeck, Bradford, Weeden or Mallett again, Cousins? That’s a pro bowl line up of QBs if I ever saw one."

"CAR’s defense is really good, but most of those INTs by Palmer and even Wilson in the divisional round were absolutely terrible decisions."

"CAR’s defense is really good, but most of those INTs by Palmer and even Wilson in the divisional round were absolutely terrible decisions."

 

Never mind that it could have been great positioning by one of our defenders. These assclowns have never watched football with an open mind. 

 

[Cat]

58 minutes ago, GoobyPls said:

This Denver D might be one of the best defenses in the last 15 years. The fact that they can be number one in so many categories while having an offense that led the NFL in INT and can barely stay on the field, speaks volumes.

 

 

This

I'm getting less confident. Not to say we can't or aren't likely to win but my confidence is lessening.

[MadHatter]

10 minutes ago, Cat said:

This

I'm getting less confident. Not to say we can't or aren't likely to win but my confidence is lessening.

Then go take a Prozac and relax.

This game is not going to be close....we will blow them out. Their offense is pedestrian and will STRUGGLE to score.