[Br4dw4y5ux]

To listen to all the sports commentators the last couple of weeks you'd think that having a high-powered passing attack was required to win it all in the NFL today. The common wisdom is that the rules and conditions of play have been changed enough over the last couple of decades that a team without a potent offense, largely based on air power, is at a huge disadvantage in the playoffs.

I thought I'd take a look at the basic proposition and see if I could discern truth or error in it: is it in fact required to have a high-powered passing attack to win it all in the NFL today?

Here are the numbers for the last four Super Bowls, with the winners regular season rank in 4 categories: passing offense, passing defense, rushing offense and rushing defense.

2008 - Steelers: 17, 1, 23, 2

The Steelers won based on having the best defense in the NFL. Their offensive ranking was subpar in both the running game and the passing game. They beat the #2 passing team, the Cardinals.

2007 - Giants: 21, 8, 4, 11

The Giants won based on having a solid defense and a good rushing attack. Their offensive ranking was subpar in the passing game - which was the only facet of the Giant's team that was not ranked in the top 11. They beat the #1 passing team, the Patriots.

2006 - Colts: 2, 2, 18, 32

The Colts won based on having a great passing offense and a great defense against the pass. They beat the Bears who were a balanced attack on offense, being 14 rushing and 15 passing and who were 6 against the rush and 11 against the pass. The Bears were just out-classed as a team with no significant offensive strengths and a defense not strong enough to carry them to a title.

2005 - Steelers: 24, 16, 5, 3

The Steelers won based on a solid defense that was capable of shutting down the opponent's rushing attack and based on their own ability to run the football. They beat the Seahawks who were ranked 13 passing and 3 running.

Ok, so in the last 4 Super Bowls a passing-based team won 1 time and in the other 3 the team that was defensively oriented took the trophy. That's the last 4 Super Bowls clearly not dominated by high powered passing attacks but instead by a solid defense. In the last 2 Super Bowls a high-powered passing attack was present and it got beat by a good defense.

Rex Ryan is right. He's got the team you want to have at this time of the year if you want to win a Super Bowl.

[BadgerOnLSD]

Bump.

Quality post, shouldn't get lost.

[Murrell2878]

Just to point out the 2006 Colts won because their defense stepped up in the playoffs and completely shut down the running game which they hadn't done at all durng the season

[Poeman]

good thread....I do think the Colts are quick and great on the ends of the defensive side this year.

However our key strength vs. their defense should be the tell all tale.

Our Rush vs Their Rush Defense
Our Defensive Line vs Manning

[WhiteShoeWillis]

Would you please stop with the logic? Chicks dig the long ball.

[BadgerOnLSD]

Originally Posted by WhiteShoeWillie

Would you please stop with the logic? Chicks dig the long ball.

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