Wait a minute. The Saints and Jaguars now have great defenses? And the Giants and Broncos can’t stop anyone? What the heck is going on?
I find the decline of the G-Men to be the most puzzling. They’ve got the same players, the same coordinator and the same system, yet last year they ranked 2nd in scoring defense. This year only four teams are allowing more points.
Similarly with Denver. It was 4th in scoring defense last year. After allowing 51 and 41 points the last two weeks, only three defenses have allowed more points. In that case, the team brought in a new head coach and ousted defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
In this century, only nine other teams have finished in the bottom-5 in scoring defense the year after finishing in the top 5. (I’ve got those teams tagged with black dots.)
DEFENSES ALLOWING 7 MORE POINTS PER GAME | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Before | Points | Diff |
2000 | • St. Louis | 15.13 | 29.44 | 14.31 |
2013 | • Chicago | 17.31 | 29.88 | 12.56 |
2001 | Tennessee | 11.94 | 24.25 | 12.31 |
2010 | • Dallas | 15.63 | 27.25 | 11.63 |
2007 | Baltimore | 12.56 | 24.00 | 11.44 |
2011 | Tampa Bay | 19.88 | 30.88 | 11.00 |
2002 | Chicago | 12.69 | 23.69 | 11.00 |
2009 | • Tennessee | 14.63 | 25.13 | 10.50 |
2001 | Indianapolis | 20.38 | 30.38 | 10.00 |
2007 | • Miami | 17.69 | 27.31 | 9.63 |
2002 | Cincinnati | 19.31 | 28.50 | 9.19 |
2010 | Denver | 20.25 | 29.44 | 9.19 |
2004 | • Dallas | 16.25 | 25.31 | 9.06 |
2013 | Atlanta | 18.69 | 27.69 | 9.00 |
2017 | NY Giants | 17.75 | 26.44 | 8.69 |
2009 | • NY Giants | 18.38 | 26.69 | 8.31 |
2002 | Pittsburgh | 13.25 | 21.56 | 8.31 |
2014 | Carolina | 15.06 | 23.38 | 8.31 |
2013 | Minnesota | 21.75 | 30.00 | 8.25 |
2005 | Philadelphia | 16.25 | 24.25 | 8.00 |
2017 | Denver | 18.56 | 26.56 | 7.99 |
2000 | San Francisco | 19.75 | 27.50 | 7.75 |
2000 | Buffalo | 14.31 | 21.88 | 7.56 |
2014 | • New Orleans | 19.00 | 26.50 | 7.50 |
2011 | Green Bay | 15.00 | 22.44 | 7.44 |
2015 | Detroit | 17.63 | 25.00 | 7.38 |
2001 | Detroit | 19.19 | 26.50 | 7.31 |
2012 | Philadelphia | 20.50 | 27.75 | 7.25 |
2004 | San Francisco | 21.06 | 28.25 | 7.19 |
2012 | New Orleans | 21.19 | 28.38 | 7.19 |
2004 | Tennessee | 20.25 | 27.44 | 7.19 |
2012 | Jacksonville | 20.56 | 27.75 | 7.19 |
2006 | Indianapolis | 15.44 | 22.50 | 7.06 |
2010 | Arizona | 20.13 | 27.13 | 7.00 |
The Jaguars and Saints, on the other hand, are on pace to finish as two of the most improved defenses every. They’re both allowing over 10 fewer points per game.
In this century, only two other defenses have improved by 10 points per game.
Four defenses in the last 17 seasons have gone from the bottom 5 to the top 5. That includes the Giants a year ago, so they’re pulling a yo-yo act right now.
DEFENSES ALLOWING 7 FEWER POINTS PER GAME | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Team | Before | Points | Diff |
2001 | St. Louis | 29.44 | 17.06 | 12.38 |
2002 | Indianapolis | 30.38 | 19.56 | 10.81 |
2017 | Jacksonville | 25.00 | 14.89 | 10.11 |
2017 | New Orleans | 28.38 | 18.33 | 10.04 |
2016 | • NY Giants | 27.63 | 17.75 | 9.88 |
2001 | Chicago | 22.19 | 12.69 | 9.50 |
2013 | • New Orleans | 28.38 | 19.00 | 9.38 |
2011 | • Houston | 26.69 | 17.38 | 9.31 |
2001 | San Francisco | 26.38 | 17.63 | 8.75 |
2008 | Baltimore | 24.00 | 15.25 | 8.75 |
2014 | Minnesota | 30.00 | 21.44 | 8.56 |
2000 | Tennessee | 20.25 | 11.94 | 8.31 |
2004 | Arizona | 28.25 | 20.13 | 8.13 |
2000 | New Orleans | 27.13 | 19.06 | 8.06 |
2005 | Chicago | 20.69 | 12.63 | 8.06 |
2004 | San Francisco | 27.56 | 19.56 | 8.00 |
2010 | Detroit | 30.88 | 23.06 | 7.81 |
2009 | Denver | 28.00 | 20.25 | 7.75 |
2009 | NY Jets | 22.25 | 14.56 | 7.69 |
2013 | Carolina | 22.69 | 15.06 | 7.63 |
2014 | Houston | 26.75 | 19.19 | 7.56 |
2008 | Miami | 27.31 | 19.81 | 7.50 |
2013 | Kansas City | 26.56 | 19.06 | 7.50 |
2001 | San Francisco | 27.50 | 20.06 | 7.44 |
2003 | Buffalo | 24.81 | 17.44 | 7.38 |
2017 | LA Chargers | 26.44 | 19.11 | 7.33 |
2011 | San Francisco | 21.63 | 14.31 | 7.31 |
2009 | Dallas | 22.81 | 15.63 | 7.19 |
2017 | Carolina | 25.13 | 18.00 | 7.13 |
2000 | NY Giants | 22.38 | 15.38 | 7.00 |
2000 | Philadelphia | 22.31 | 15.31 | 7.00 |
2000 | Baltimore | 17.31 | 10.31 | 7.00 |
—Ian Allan