http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1192447/index.htm
This was my argument back when we had the whole defense sucks
This was my argument back when we had the whole defense sucks
Teams with high-scoring offenses typically don't rank in the upper echelon in total defense because they surrender a lot of yards late in games, while the other team is playing catch-up—the Packers give up roughly 20% more yards in the fourth quarter than they do in any other.
The Saints won the Super Bowl two years ago with the league's highest-scoring offense and its 25th-ranked defense. The Colts won the title in '06 after tying for second in scoring and ranking 21st in total D. And the Patriots claimed their first Vince Lombardi Trophy while ranking sixth in scoring and 24th in total defense.
A statistic more connected with postseason success—even more than points allowed—is scoring differential (points scored minus points given up). Fifteen of the past 21 Super Bowl champions have finished first or second in that category. The Pack was second in 2010 and is No. 1 this year with an average differential of 14.3 points a game.