Best games of the season of all-time great defenses

[Saban1]

in regard to the 1969 Vikings, their 51-3 rout of the Browns is a strong contender. The Browns had 169 yards of total offense, while their defense had no answer either. The Vikes scored the first nine times they had the ball, then finally punted on their last possession. Vikes held the Browns to 39 offensive plays, 151 total yards and eight first downs. In the latter instance, they didn't get their first FD until the second quarter.

I will chalk the 51 to 3 loss to the Vikings in 1969 and the 34 to 0 loss to Baltimore in 1968 to Cleveland's let downs that they almost always suffered during the late 60's the week after their Dallas games. Dallas was their main rival in the Eastern Conference at that time and the Browns were always way up for them. Trouble is that they seemed to crash down the following week. Even after losing to the Cowboys, Cleveland seemed to always play badly, like their 31 to 14 loss to Detroit after losing the opener to Dallas in 1967.

1961 Packers - 37 to 0 over the Giants.

1954 Browns - 56 to 10 over Detroit Lions. Cleveland started slow that year with some new players replacing retired players, but after 3 games their defense was their greatest ever. They allowed 72 points in their last nine games which is an average of 8 points per game. Cleveland managed to squeeze by Washington in one game, 62 to 3.

Regarding the 1967 Cleveland/Detroit game, won by the Lions 31 to 14, there may be a couple excuses other than the post Dallas game letdown. For one, flanker Gary Collins missed the game due to an injury. Tight end Milt Morin also missed that game, but Morin missed most of the season due to an injury or injuries. The Detroit game was the only game that the Browns' Collins missed. Collins was Cleveland's main possession receiver and usually could be counted on for a TD or two.

Detroit had a tie with Green Bay in their opener and thought that they may have had a chance to win the Central Division of the Western Conference. To win the division, they could not afford to lose very many games with Green Bay in their division. Cleveland, on the other hand, played in an easier division (Century Division) and their only real threat early on was thought to be the St. Louis Cardinals, but the Cardinals seemed to have a tendency to self destruct, and they had lost their opener to the New York Giants. So, the Browns could probably let a couple of games slip away and still win their division.

One other thing, early in the game, Leroy Kelly fumbled on Detroit's 5 yard line. Of course, those things are part of the game, but Cleveland may have had a 21 to 3 lead early on, and Detroit may have played it differently if that was the case.

What was really bad for Cleveland that day was Detroit seemed to run the ball at will against them, especially in the second half.

[74_75_78_79_]

1983 Raiders - SBXVIII vs Washington's juggernaut offense, 38-9

1984 Forty Niners - SBXIX vs Marino, 38-16

1989 Forty Niners - divisional over Vikes...NFCC over Rams...SBXXIV itself over Denver...take your pick!

1991 Redskins - NFCC vs Barry Sanders, 41-10 (opener over Det, 45-0, #20 didn't play)

1991 Eagles - MNF win at Hou, 13-6, vs Warren Moon

2004 Patriots - divisional over Peyton, 20-3

2013 Seahawks - SBXLVIII over Peyton

[BD Sullivan]

The 1963 Bears helped put George Allen on the potential head coach radar, and had shown hints of their dominance the year before. Their 57-0 slaughter of the Colts saw them allow 118 yards of total offense, but it was still a work in progress. Their 62 defense finished fifth overall before topping the list the following year. Collecting 13 more picks, allowing 31 fewer first downs and giving up an average of almost one yard per play less all season helped make it happen.

[Saban1]

in regard to the 1969 Vikings, their 51-3 rout of the Browns is a strong contender. The Browns had 169 yards of total offense, while their defense had no answer either. The Vikes scored the first nine times they had the ball, then finally punted on their last possession. Vikes held the Browns to 39 offensive plays, 151 total yards and eight first downs. In the latter instance, they didn't get their first FD until the second quarter.

I will chalk the 51 to 3 loss to the Vikings in 1969 and the 34 to 0 loss to Baltimore in 1968 to Cleveland's let downs that they almost always suffered during the late 60's the week after their Dallas games. Dallas was their main rival in the Eastern Conference at that time and the Browns were always way up for them. Trouble is that they seemed to crash down the following week. Even after losing to the Cowboys, Cleveland seemed to always play badly, like their 31 to 14 loss to Detroit after losing the opener to Dallas in 1967.

1961 Packers - 37 to 0 over the Giants.

1954 Browns - 56 to 10 over Detroit Lions. Cleveland started slow that year with some new players replacing retired players, but after 3 games their defense was their greatest ever. They allowed 72 points in their last nine games which is an average of 8 points per game. Cleveland managed to squeeze by Washington in one game, 62 to 3.

The Browns may have suffered another letdown after their playoff loss to Dallas in 1967 by the score of 52 to 14. They lost 30 to 6 in the old playoff bowl to the Los Angeles Rams, but that game was really just a glorified exhibition game, so I am not sure what the game really meant, if anything.

Actually, the Browns probably had their worst season of the 60's in 1967 despite the great play of men like Leroy Kelly, Paul Warfield, Gary Collins, Ernie Green, and Gene Hickerson. Ralph "Catfish" Smith did a good job taking the place of tight end Milt Morin, who missed most of the season due to injury.

[Evan]

Okay, so now that we've gone through the exercise of picking the best games of the best defenses, who is your choice for the ultimate, single, best defensive one-game performance in NFL history?

Again, keeping in mind caliber of opponent, specific contributions by the defense as opposed to the offense running up the score, what was at stake, and any other criteria that matter to you.

[Saban1]

Baltimore Colts playoff loss to Green Bay in 1965. The Colts, playing with halfback Tom Matte at quarterback, due to season ending injuries to Johnny Unitas and Gary Cuozzo, were leading the Pack 10 to 7 late in the 4th quarter when Don Chandler kicked a field goal to tie the game up. On that kick, Chandler cursed and acted disgusted at missing (Vince Lombardi chewed Chandler out for that), but the referee, standing behind Chandler, called the kick good (films showed that the kick was wide by about a couple of feet). In the overtime, Chandler kicked another field goal and the Packers won 13 to 10 to move on to the NFL Championship game.

Anyway, Baltimore lost, but it was kind of heroic football on their part. After all, they had a halfback playing quarterback that day, and lost a game that they apparently should have won, and they were playing Green Bay, who was not any weak sister. Very tough defense on the Colts part kept them in that game.

Due to that game, the sides of the goal posts were made much higher the following year.

[Rupert Patrick]

Okay, so now that we've gone through the exercise of picking the best games of the best defenses, who is your choice for the ultimate, single, best defensive one-game performance in NFL history?

Again, keeping in mind caliber of opponent, specific contributions by the defense as opposed to the offense running up the score, what was at stake, and any other criteria that matter to you.

I think the Steelers performance in Super Bowl IX has to be on the short list. The way they totally contained Tarkenton, and even more surprisingly, Chuck Foreman, is a marvel to watch.

[JuggernautJ]

Is it possible one of the great defensive performances of all time came from an otherwise mediocre defense?

The 2007 NY Giants were 17th in D but had one of the all-time great games in holding the undefeated Patriots to 14 points in Super Bowl XLII.

....keeping in mind caliber of opponent, specific contributions by the defense as opposed to the offense running up the score, what was at stake...

If we look at stakes and caliber of opponent it's hard to ignore the 07 Giants....
(though I would never include them on a list of great, or even good, defenses)