Sep 15 2008
In NFL, Offense Breeds Dynasties
One popular sporting adage is “offense sells tickets, defense wins championships.” That cliche may be true on a year-by-year basis. However, to consistently, a team needs a superior offense.
Consider three top defenses during the Super Bowl era: the 1985 Chicago Bears, the 2000 Baltimore Ravens and the 2003 Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bears team was–and still is–the youngest team by average player age to ever win the Super Bowl. However, the squad that popularized Mike Ditka, Refrigerator Perry, Buddy Ryan and the Super Bowl Shuffle never returned to the biggest game. In 2006, a brand-new set of Bears reached Super Bowl XLI, losing to Indianapolis. The Ravens and Buccaneers quickly slipped out of the league’s elite and are still trying to reclaim their title form.
Sure, the best teams of the past 40 years had great defenses. They had also strong offenses. For example, the 1960s Green Bay Packers won the first two Super Bowls following the 1966 and 1967 seasons. Super Bowls I and II were played in January 1967 and 1968, respectively. The Super Bowl is now played in February. I am referencing the year of the regular season.
In all, Green Bay won five championships during the decade. The coach, Vince Lombardi, is in the Hall of Fame. The league championship trophy is named after him. In addition, the following players are inducted:
Offensive Line Forrest Gregg
Running Back/Kicker Paul Hornung
OL Jim Ringo
Quarterback Bart Starr
RB Jim Taylor
Defensive Back Herb Adderley
Defensive End Willie Davis
Defensive Tackle Henry Jordan
Linebacker Ray Nitschke
Safety Willie Wood
The 1970s Miami Dolphins played in three consecutive Super Bowls and won Super Bowl VII and VIII. In addition to Coach Don Shula, six players from that team are in the Hall:
RB Larry Csonka
QB Bob Griese
Center Jim Langer
Guard Larry Little
Wide Receiver Paul Warfield
LB Nick Buoniconti
The 1970s Pittsburgh Steelers won four Super Bowls in six years from 1974 to 1979. In addition to Coach Chuck Noll, nine players have been inducted:
QB Terry Bradshaw
RB Franco Harris
WR John Stallworth
WR Lynn Swann
C Mike Webster
DB Mel Blount
DE Joe Greene
LB Jack Ham
LB Jack Lambert
The 1980s San Francisco 49ers won four Super Bowls in the decade–following 1981, 1984, 1988 and 1989 seasons–plus a fifth crown in 1994. Hall-of-Famer Bill Walsh was the coach for the first three championships. Four players from the 1980s era are in Canton.
QB Joe Montana
QB Steve Young, although he was the starter only for San Francisco’s 1994 championship
DE Fred Dean
DB Ronnie Lott
The 1990s Dallas Cowboys won three Super Bowls in four years to add the team’s rich history. The Cowboys appeared in five Super Bowls during the 1970s and won two of them. However, those two wins were in the 1971 and 1977 seasons. Not really a dynasty. So far, two players from the 1990s era have been inducted:
QB Troy Aikman
WR Michael Irvin
However, Emmitt Smith–the all-time NFL leading rusher before he became Dancing with the Stars champion–is eligible for induction in 2009. Players must be retired at least five years before they may be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Coach Jimmy Johnson will be inducted also. A coach must be retired–one day is sufficient if the voting committee thinks he’ll stay retired–and all the coaches with three championships are already in Canton. The committee is just waiting to make sure Johnson doesn’t take a lucrative job next year. His name is bandied about every off-season.
The 2000s New England Patriots won three Super Bowls in four years. However, beyond quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick, there are no obvious Hall of Famers. Perhaps defensive end Richard Seymour. Maybe defensive back Rodney Harrison. Potentially linebacker Mike Vrabel or Tedy Bruschi. Probably an offensive lineman or two. You might mention wide receiver Randy Moss but most of his numbers came while he played with Minnesota. The team’s dominance means some players will be eventually inducted but time will tell who.
