Top Defenses Ready To Dominate League

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

NFL.com article. Worth a read as it is based around the idea that the league is moving away from high powered offenses and instead towards simplified, talent based defenses. Anyway, Panthers:

 

 

 

1) Carolina Panthers

 

The Panthers finished the regular season hot on the Seahawks' heels in two important defensive statistical categories, ranking just behind league-leading Seattle in points and yards allowed (Carolina yielded just 15.1 and 301.2 per game, respectively). Their defense also played a key role in their run to the NFC South title; after starting slowly, Carolina won 11 of its last 12 contests in 2013, limiting the opponent in each win to 20 points or fewer.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000323875/article/panthers-bengals-49ers-can-rival-seahawks-defensive-dominion?campaign=Facebook_writers_brandt
 

[Evengelion]

If only we could find us a shot down corner. With this DL we could be close to being in the same league as seattle. The quest for that shut down corner is so elusive in the NFL. Harder to find than a franchise QB.

[beastson]

If only we could find us a shot down corner. With this DL we could be close to being in the same league as seattle. The quest for that shut down corner is so elusive in the NFL. Harder to find than a franchise QB.

 

Do we really need a shut-down? Or a pro-bowl CB? Its not hard to find at all, just suck and get a high draft pick

[Marguide]

Once you've achieved top 5 status, spending a lot of resources in FA or the draft to make a marginal improvement doesn't make sense. This is especially true when you have an offense ranked in the 20's.

 

If the clear, undisputed BPA at our pick happens to play DB, then yeah, maybe you go for it. Otherwise, we need to be focused largely on offensive BPA's, especially a playmaker/TD scorer.

[ItsNotGonnaBeAlright]

Look, I'm hoping for an offensive upgrade as well. Regardless of how it happens.

But, if there is young, cheap talent that could improve what is already an incredible unit then I'm not going to complain about it. 

[panthers55]

C'mon now we all know that this is a passing league and offense is the only way to win by scoring tons of points. 

 

What??  You say that the best defense embarrassed the best offense in the superbowl this year and that this has been a trend in the Superbowl most years.

 

Oh nevermind then..........

[bigdog10]

C'mon now we all know that this is a passing league and offense is the only way to win by scoring tons of points.

What?? You say that the best defense embarrassed the best offense in the superbowl this year and that this has been a trend in the Superbowl most years.

Oh nevermind then..........

Yep. It's comparable to baseball. The home run sells the tickets, the pitching staffs win the titles.

The media will always hype the offensive side due to the excitement, but when push comes to shove, a good defense is what you want.

[Marguide]

I don't think we'll have much of a choice if Hardy leaves. Addison is a very good pass rusher but he's not great at defending the run like Greg and Alexander is a decent/mid-level pass rusher with below average run defending. Regardless, as much as I want a WR or TE at 28, if the BPA is a DB or DE then we gotta go with defense again in the first round.

 

 

Before we pass final judgement on our young DE's, it would be prudent to remember that it wasn't very long ago when Hardy was viewed as lacking against the run.

 

Greg really came into his own in 2012. He was certainly not viewed as a potential star prior to that season.

 

So it's not a given that none of these guys can develop in a similar fashion.

[SauceBoss]

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS!?!? Guess I missed that memo.

[scarface]

I don't think we'll have much of a choice if Hardy leaves. Addison is a very good pass rusher but he's not great at defending the run like Greg and Alexander is a decent/mid-level pass rusher with below average run defending. Regardless, as much as I want a WR or TE at 28, if the BPA is a DB or DE then we gotta go with defense again in the first round.

 

I'm kinda hoping Ford or Easley is there for us in the second round and McGill or Jean-Baptiste or J. Watkins is there in the third round. That way, we're free to draft Seferian-Jenkins, Ebron, Lee, Matthews, Benjamin, Beckham or Moncrief in the first.

 

Did you just say draft Moncrief in the 1st?

[hepcat]

It goes in cycles.  The Giants showed in 2007 that a great pass-rush can stop even the best passing attack.  Both the 2007 Patriots and 2013 Broncos broke tons of offensive records but were beaten by the best pass-rush in the league in the Superbowl.  It goes in cycles because the best defense in the league doesn't always make it to the Superbowl.  You need a great team around a great defense to get to the big game.  The Jets of 2009 and 2010 had an amazing defense but were led by Mark Sanchez.  Defense wins championships, but offense will get you to the Superbowl.  

[frash.exe]

If only we could find us a shot down corner.

Darrent Williams?

[panthers55]

It goes in cycles.  The Giants showed in 2007 that a great pass-rush can stop even the best passing attack.  Both the 2007 Patriots and 2013 Broncos broke tons of offensive records but were beaten by the best pass-rush in the league in the Superbowl.  It goes in cycles because the best defense in the league doesn't always make it to the Superbowl.  You need a great team around a great defense to get to the big game.  The Jets of 2009 and 2010 had an amazing defense but were led by Mark Sanchez.  Defense wins championships, but offense will get you to the Superbowl.  

Actually either a great defense or a great offense can get you to the playoffs.  Once in the playoffs the side of the ball that got you there has to keep playing great and the other side of the ball has to elevate their game to be better than they were in the regular season.  That is what wins Superbowls.

[LinvilleGorge]

Do we really need a shut-down? Or a pro-bowl CB? Its not hard to find at all, just suck and get a high draft pick

 

This.  We don't necessarily need a shutdown CB or hell, even a true elite #1 WR.  What we need are legit starters at WR and CB.  Right now, between both the WR corps and CB corps, we have one legit starter out of the group and he's about to turn 35 and would be better suited to moving to the slot at this point in his career.