At what point does the conversation shift from the best Texan's Defense to a Generational NFL Defense? ie - Doomsday 1 and 2, Steal Curtain, 85 Bears, Legion of Boom (I'm sure I missed a few while I was boycotting the NFL)
If the D can come up huge for the next 2 games then you have to have this conversation, we need to do that consistently against top level talent to get that moniker................
This. It can even be generational level, but if you don’t have the results to polish it off it doesn’t count.
They'll only be recognized if they win a Superbowl. Any other results, and they're just going to be forgotten as a really good defense with some records here and there but no one will care. As it should be.
This. The Baltimore Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, defense was the best I’ve seen. But only because they dragged Trent Dilfer to a Superbowl win.
This --- the best defensive teams I have ever seen were the Ravens and Titans twenty five years ago..... no one talks about them.
Generational is way too early. Now if CJ can turn into a game manager type and stop forcing plays. That might be the strategy to win. Relying on the defense can get your really far. The Broncos carried Peyton Manning's corpse to the super bowl championship.
A great defense can absolutely be remembered without a Super Bowl. The key is to get a nickname. See: Purple People Eaters, Orange Crush - pretty sure they made plenty of appearances on NFL Films, otherwise I wouldn’t know who they were.
Been quite a while since there’s been a “named” defense, right? Not sure that’s a thing these days. Even the bulls in parade moniker didn’t stick around here
Interesting thread considering it was started the day after we became the number two scoring defense in the league.
Winning Super Bowl, 1-2 years is enough. Not winning SB, 3+ years prolonged for identity. Like late 90's / early 00's Tampa Bay D has identity for its Tampa 2 scheme. They did win the SB with it. But probably had enough years without the SB for being remembered as innovative. For lifting what was the worst ever NFL franchise into legit contender. Texans D needs more years of this level for similar effect
And there's still 1/2 the games left against top 10 offenses. 2 against the actual #1 scoring offense the Colts, 1 against the Chiefs. So not looking so promising to regain scoring rank. Unless Texans get big shutdowns on Cards, Raiders & Chargers for extra security. (Or if the Texans offense can play worth a darn to help.. meaning yeah counting on THAT not looking "so" promising..)
I suggest the stats should be adjusted by number of plays. Throw out the scores against special teams and the offense because those were nor plays by the DEFENSE. Then see what that does to the rankings. Maybe bonus points for scores BY the Defense.
I can't speak to the Rams - but 2 of the last four TDs the Texans have allowed have been special teams TDs. They really need to reconfigure how they count defensive scoring.
I can understand PR being counted against the defense but not KR. I have no idea if they count INT/Fumble returns as defensive points allowed (because technically you're on defense after the change of possession), but they might.
Not me. Different players, generally, and absolutely different coaches. The camera never finds Matt Burke after a good/bad special teams play.
