We’re going to do a ‘best NFL defense’ tournament to determine who are the top NFL defenses (not top defenses/DSTs for FF)...and it’s a way for me to go back through the personnel and coaching, etc., to see who we might be missing, good or bad, hiding in the weeds.
We’ll do a division per day, then the Final Four/Conference finals ending with the Super Bowl/finals. An 11-day series that carries us though the end of the month.
We have 7 categories for a ‘Best of 7’ style process...with a lean towards the importance of the two key positions on a defense: The CB group and the DT group.
The seven categories are...
Cornerbacks: The most critical spot, in our estimations.
Def. Tackle: The 2nd most critical spot.
Def. Coordinator: Management is key here.
Interior LBs: The non-pass rush LBs.
Pass Rush: Judging the pass rush as a whole, the front 7.
Def. Backs: Judging the CBs and SAFs.
Backups/Depth: The overall depth, judging the 2nd and 3rd team defenses for the team.
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AFC Conference Finals
Patriots v. Steelers
Cornerbacks: (PIT 1-0)...two great CB groups, but Pitt has the edge with the Ramsey acquisition added to their already good trio.
Def. Tackle: (1-1 tie)...lean Patriots because when healthy Barmore is the best DT on either team and Milton Williams added in free agency was a big upgrade.
Def. Coordinator: (NE 2-1)...I go Vrabel over Tomlin...Vrabel is a miracle worker with defensive personnel maneuvers. Tomlin’s defenses have been sliding the past few years.
Interior LBs: (2-2 tie)...I don’t love either group, but I’d rather have Pitt’s Payton Wilson and Cole Holcomb, assuming they are healthy (which is all we can do).
Pass Rush: (PIT 3-2)...Watt-Highsmith is tough to beat with Herbig and others for depth.
Def. Backs: (PIT wins 4-2)...the starters edge and depth edge goes to Pitt, but it is close.
Backups/Depth: (PIT 5-2)...Pitt has the overall depth edge as well.
The Steelers move on to the AFC Finals.
Texans v. Broncos
Cornerbacks: (DEN 1-0)...I’ll definitely take the Broncos group + depth too.
Def. Tackle: (1-1 tie)...a low key good rotational group for HOU.
Def. Coordinator: (2-1 DEN)...Vance Joesph has built good defenses at DEN and ARI in most recent years. DeMeco Ryans has been good at SF and HOU, but I think Joseph has been better.
Interior LBs: (DEN 3-1)...the Greenlaw signing and Singleton returning.
Pass Rush: (DEN wins 4-1)...the sack leaders for 2024 bring most everyone back, or upgraded them.
Def. Backs: (DEN 5-1)...Denver just better and deeper at every spot.
Backups/Depth: (DEN 6-1)...close, went down to the 3rd-teams to find a winner.
Denver moves on to the AFC Finals to face the Steelers.
Steelers v. Broncos
Cornerbacks: (DEN 1-0)...I went CB by CB for the top 4 and asked myself which CB that I would rather have...and Denver got 3 out of 4. It was close though.
Def. Tackle: (1-1 tie)...pretty clear for the Steelers.
Def. Coordinator: (DEN 2-1)...I respect Vance Joseph; he has been crafting nice defenses for the past few years with two different teams. The Steelers have been in decline on defense the past few years.
Interior LBs: (DEN 3-1)...the Steelers achilles heel.
Pass Rush: (DEN wins 4-1)...I mean, the Broncos led the league in sacks by distance last year. Pitt was bottom half of the league in sacks in 2024.
Def. Backs: (DEN 5-1)...slight edge to the Broncos.
Backups/Depth: (DEN 5-2)...could go either way but lean Pitt.
Denver is onto the Super Bowl/the finale.
