Worst pass rush for a Super Bowl team

[SeahawkFever]

Inspired by the thread I saw of worst Super Bowl receiving corps, I thought it would be interesting to ask what the worst pass rush to be in the Super Bowl is.

I nominate the 2008 Cardinals; only 31 sacks and only one player with as many as five sacks, and there was nothing that would have shortened the season.

They have a slightly above average number of quarterback hits, but a below average number of tackles for a loss.

In the playoffs I see two sacks in three of the games, and three sacks in another.

[Crazy Packers Fan]

Not the worst, but the 2001 Patriots weren't all that great. Of course, they weren't too great at almost anything, probably the weakest team to ever win a Super Bowl.

[JohnTurney]

Not the worst, but the 2001 Patriots weren't all that great. Of course, they weren't too great at almost anything, probably the weakest team to ever win a Super Bowl.

2018 Patriots not much better -- mostly run stuffing DEs, OLbers not that effective with nickel rushers, either

[Brian wolf]

You look at the Patriots champions and you think the pass rush wasnt all that great but these guys could be versatile, unselfish and assignment experienced. Some tough guys too. The champion defenses in 2001,03, 04 would physically wear down opponents.

On the other side of the coin, people talk about the great pass rush teams with nicknames like the Purple Gang/People Eaters, Doomsday, Fearsome Foursome, Steel Curtain, Goldrush, etc but the Raiders from 1983-87 could have been the best pass rushing team. Just waves of players coming after QBs. Even great QBs like Fouts, Elway, Marino and Montana couldnt escape them. Rod Martin was also an underrated, versatile LB.

[SeahawkFever]

You look at the Patriots champions and you think the pass rush wasnt all that great but these guys could be versatile, unselfish and assignment experienced. Some tough guys too. The champion defenses in 2001,03, 04 would physically wear down opponents.

On the other side of the coin, people talk about the great pass rush teams with nicknames like the Purple Gang/People Eaters, Doomsday, Fearsome Foursome, Steel Curtain, Goldrush, etc but the Raiders from 1983-87 could have been the best pass rushing team. Just waves of players coming after QBs. Even great QBs like Fouts, Elway, Marino and Montana couldnt escape them. Rod Martin was also an underrated, versatile LB.

By Gold Rush do you mean mid 70’s 49ers?

Also, the early 2000’s Patriots pass rushers may not stand out to you individually, but they got 41 sacks in 2001, 41 in 2003, and 45 in 2004.

The 08 Cardinals who I listed up top and who I thought of off the top of my head had only 31 sacks, and nobody with more than five.

[Brian wolf]

Good call SeahawksFever ... yeah, didnt type in Gold Rush right. Those Cardinals are there and usually, it was the linebackers that got the sacks for the Patriots, rather than an outstanding line, though Seymour got better and made the HOF. Sometimes its a tough call because many teams wont make the SB without a good rush.

The Doomsday defense for Dallas is interesting, because though they went to the SB in 1970 and 71, Lilly and Andrie werent getting to the QB like they used to, but Jethro Pugh was getting over 13 sacks. No one else had over six but Andrie made big plays in those postseasons. How he and Pugh arent in the HOVG is anyones' guess?

[7DnBrnc53]

Sometimes its a tough call because many teams wont make the SB without a good rush.

The 1981 49ers are a good example. They only would have had 24 sacks outside of Fred Dean, who had 12 that year (to raise the team total to 36, which still isn't great, but it was good enough that year).