Like the Ravens when they won there 1st SB they had there Smith (Dilfer) & the a stifling D. Think we have that in 2015?
I do. It's called playing smart, complementary team football. It's gotta start with the head coach he has to let the QBs know it's not all about them, team first.
Too many new parts this year in the machine. Perhaps 2016 we can make some noise but this year we're gonna be finding out just what kind of team we really have without the human hype machine gassin up his players with delusions of grandeur. Hear that sound? Silence is f'n Golden!!!!
It's not impossible. If the defensive line is as good as it can be and the secondary is as good as it can be, this could be a special defense. The key then would be Smith playing average football. That might be enough. The question is, can Smith play average football? I don't think it's likely to all fall our way, but it's not impossible.
Take a look at the list of stating QB's in the SB since trent Dilfer's year. Also consider which QBs won the superbowl. Make what you want of it. 01 Trent Dilfer, Kerry Collins 02 Tom Brady, Kurt Warner 03 Brad Johnson, Rich Gannon 04 Tom Brady, Jake Delhomme 05 Tom Brady, Donovan McNabb 06 Ben Roethlisberger, Matt Hasselbeck 07 Peyton Manning, Rex Grossman 08 Eli Manning, Tom Brady 09 Ben Roethlisberger, Kurt Warner '10 Drew Brees, Peyton Manning '11 Aaron Rodgers, Ben Roethlisberger '12 Eli Manning, Tom Brady '13 Joe Flacco, Colin Kaepernick '14 Russell Wilson, Peyton Manning '15 Russell Wilson, Tom Brady
Also don't want to be a party pooper, but the ravens defense that year allowed just over 10 points a game in the regular season. They also allowed a total of 23 total points in the 4 playoff games they played. Our D won't be close to that good. But, I'd like to think Geno can be a better qb than dilfer was that year.
Dilfer's turnover ratio in 2000 wasn't terrible: 12 Tds, 11 picks, 8 fumbles but only 2 fumbles lost. So he didn't lose too many games (like Geno). So if Geno operates in a more conservative offense and makes fewer mistakes he doesn't have to be good to help this team win games. In other words a game manager can win in the NFL.
You can win the SB playing good D and protecting the football the Seahawks proved that recently. You have to play complimentary ball though, and I'm sure there were a few big throws Dilfer made for them along the way that don't get talked about. As for the OP, no I don't think we have the 00 Ravens D.
Good QB is def important but when it comes down to it a good to great defense is the reason teams win the Superbowl. As good as Brady and Belichick are , they have never won a Superbowl with an average to below average defense. Rodgers didnt win his Superbowl til his D came through. Same with Brees. When the Giants won the D was playing its best. The Seahawks D is amazing. Can our defense be as good as that? Maybe. Time will tell. Dilfer was great for the 2000 Ravens when he took over. Chances are they dont win the Superbowl that year if Tony Banks was still their starter like he was when the year started. So no matter how good a defense is you have to have a capable guy under center at the very least.
saying we are similar to that ravens team based on QB and Defense is a flawed viewpoint: 1) by that standard, any team with a crap qb and good defense could claim to be a title team in that mold, which obviously isnt true. 2) More importantly, that ravens team was alot more then just a dominant defense: -They had ELITE special teams. arguably one of the best of all time when you factor in the playoffs. 15 yards per punt return and 5 return touchdowns. also blocked 6 kicks, returning 2 for touchdowns. had 3 special teams touchdowns in the playoffs. they made 90% of their FG attempts, including 12/14 from 40+ yards. they were 2nd in the nfl in downing their opponents inside the 10 yard line. their special teams was just as impressive as their defense... especially in the playoffs. -their running game was outstanding. 138 yards per game. 2nd highest 3rd down conversion percentage via the run. 3) Their offensive line was elite. anchored by hall of famer Jonathan Ogden and perrenial pro bowler edwin muiltalu and jeff mitchell and also had mike flynn. that line was excellent in both run and passing games 4) as mediocure as dilfer was, he didnt turn it over. just 1 turnover during those playoffs in 4 games Most of all, they had scoring defense. it is almost impossible for any team to replicate the scoring they got from special teams and defense in those playoffs Wildcard Round: 3 points allowed, Ravens D/ST scored 0 points Divisional Round: 10 points allowed, Ravens D/ST scored 14 points (int return, blocked kick returned) Conference Round: 3 points allowed, Ravens D/ST scored 0 points Superbowl: 7 points allowed (giants only score was a kick return), Ravens D/ST scored 14 points (2 int returns) So during the entire playoffs, the ravens defense/ST scored 28 points and allowed just 23. thats not just great defense, it is elite, basically perfect defense that also scores points. They basically could have won the superbowl without taking an offensive snap. Our oline isnt on that level Our special teams isnt on that level Our defense even if it is on that level likely isnt going to perform that well and score as often Our QB will have to come a long way to turn it over as little as dilfer did i think it extremely unrealistic we even approach those levels
again, oversimplified.... its more then playing good d and protecting the football, you also need to get excellent returns/score on special teams, be elite in the kicking game, and be able to run especially in the redzone. i dont think our special teams is anywhere close to the seahawks/ravens superbowl teams.
The Bills were 9-7 last year mostly because of a great D and after benching EJ starting a decent veteran game manager in Orton. And they were smart signing Cassel. We should do the same thing although I'm not totally confident that Fitz is the guy.
The league is different now. Too many QB's out there who can put up 30 no matter how good a defense is. At some point in the playoffs, Geno would need to make a few big throws, and I doubt anyone can have any faith in him doing that without throwing a costly pick..
I don't think the 2000 Ravens are the right team to consider: it's the Giants. - Really strong D - Guys who can make a play at WR - Team that can run the ball - QB that throws for a lot of yards, but turns the ball over too much, who gets hot late & wins a number of close games by making a few big plays when it counted. Eli had a number of good runs in the playoffs, and all credit to him for winning two SBs. But he was also a play or two away from losing two SBs, and he still turns the ball over way too much. He's also had two really good runs in the playoffs, and in 4th quarters of games that saved his team. Eli is obviously better than Dilfer, but, we also saw with Sanchez that you can get good QB play at the right time from a guy that is inconsistent, and make a run in the playoffs. I think we just need Geno to get hot at the right time & put the ball in a place where Marshall & Decker can make the right plays. Then you have to get a bit lucky, which all teams need.
That's crazy. As good as our defense has been the past six years or so...they never got the takeaways or scores.
I don't. I think it's just wishful thinking and a fan pipe dream. The odds of that happening are so incredibly small. When you consider the QBs the Jets have, the chances are nil. We don't have a smart game-managing QB who doesn't make TOs or beat himself. Fitz is smart, but he still beats himself with stupid decisions and TOs. We all know about Geno and his TOs. I think it is nothing but just a fan pipe dream, something to convince themselves that the Jets have a chance this year. Realistically, their chances are slim and none. The only way would be for the light to suddenly go on for Geno, he becomes a quality starter, and throws something like 25 TDs and only 8-12 picks and doesn't fumble the ball away. What are the odds on that?
