Stats, Nfl Defense

BC303

Does Defense Win Championships?

December 16, 2012

Does Defense Win Championships?

“Defense wins championships.” This is a phrase that has been thrown out in the sports world for decades. We hear peewee coaches using the phrase, newspapers, the television, all the way up to the professional levels. The phrase has been instilled in the heads of many sports fans to the point they criticize a defense in their successes and failures. Now, the question that may lie in many of these fans’ heads is: “Does defense really win championships?” We know that defense is an important factor in any sport and through research; we will come to the conclusion if the defense is the determining factor of in championships within the NFL.

The origins of this phrase is undetermined therefore, we have taken a cluster sample of the last half of Super Bowl champions. The NFL is now heading to its 47th Super Bowl this season and currently has 32 teams. Listed below is a list of the past 23 Super Bowl Champions and where they ranked as a defense.

DEFENSE |

Year | Team | Total Yards | Scoring | Total Defense |

2012 | New York Giants | 27 | 25 | 26 |

2011 | Green Bay Packers | 5 | 2 | 3.5 |

2010 | New Orleans Saints | 25 | 20 | 22.5 |

2009 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 1 | 1 | 1 |

2008 | New York Giants | 7 | 17 | 12 |

2007 | Indianapolis Colts | 21 | 23 | 22 |

2006 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 4 | 3 | 3.5 |

2005 | New England Patriots | 9 | 2 | 5.5 |

2004 | New England Patriots | 7 | 1 | 4 |

2003 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 1 | 1 | 1 |

2002 | New England Patriots | 24 | 6 | 15 |

2001 | Baltimore Ravens | 2 | 1 | 1.5 |

2000 | St. Louis Rams | 6 | 4 | 5 |

1999 | Denver Broncos | 11 | 8 | 9.5 |

1998 | Denver Broncos | 5 | 6 | 5.5 |

1997 | Green Bay Packers | 1 | 1 | 1 |

1996 | Dallas Cowboys | 9 | 3 | 6 |

1995 | San Francisco 49rs | 8 | 6 | 7 |

1994 | Dallas Cowboys | 10 | 2 | 6 |

1993 | Dallas Cowboys | 1 | 5 | 3 |

1992 | Washington Redskins...