Best post-'77 defensive games

[Rupert Patrick]

One game that was a defensive struggle and played in poor weather conditions was the 1977 Bears 12-9 OT victory over the Giants to snag the NFC Wild Card in Week 14. I might even venture to say it was the most underrated game of the 1970's, a game with a lot of action and a great ending between two old school teams. This must have been what watching football in the 1930's was like.

[JohnTurney]

The 1990 49ers Giants game was very good defense IMO

[Rupert Patrick]

The 1990 49ers Giants game was very good defense IMO

Both the Monday Night game and the NFC Championship.

[Bob Gill]

I seem to recall a 1980 game between the Raiders and the Eagles -- in Philadelphia, I think -- that wound up 10-7, with the Eagles winning. Those were two very good teams, good enough to meet again in the Super Bowl, and unlike some of the others mentioned, I think the low score there was actually attributable to outstanding defense, rather than lousy offense. I thought it was the best game of the season. Unless of course I'm remembering it all wrong, and the final score was 31-17 or something -- or the Eagles and Raiders didn't play at all that season.

[Gary Najman]

What about the Saints-Patriots game in week 14, 1983, a year after the Snowplow Game? The Patriots scored a touchdown on the first drive of the game, and that was all the scoring. Of course, there was snow. Both teams back then were in the hunt for the playoffs (but both didn't qualify, they finished 8-8) and New Orleans had the 2nd ranked defense in yards in the league (yes, before Sam Mills and Pat Swilling) while New England had the 3rd ranked defense in points allowed.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDDL6KUe ... ata_player

[Gary Najman]

I seem to recall a 1980 game between the Raiders and the Eagles -- in Philadelphia, I think -- that wound up 10-7, with the Eagles winning. Those were two very good teams, good enough to meet again in the Super Bowl, and unlike some of the others mentioned, I think the low score there was actually attributable to outstanding defense, rather than lousy offense. I thought it was the best game of the season. Unless of course I'm remembering it all wrong, and the final score was 31-17 or something -- or the Eagles and Raiders didn't play at all that season.

You're right, in that game Jim Plunkett was sacked 8 times, and was scorless until the third quarter. With Philadephia leading 3-0 in the 4th quarter, Plunkett threw an 86-yard TD pass to take the lead, but then the Eagles drove and scored the winning TD for a 10-7 win. Interestingly, the very next week the Raiders played against Denver in MNF and won 9-3. They maybe the only Super Bowl champions who got shoutout in the first half of two consecutive games in the season.

[74_75_78_79_]

I seem to recall a 1980 game between the Raiders and the Eagles -- in Philadelphia, I think -- that wound up 10-7, with the Eagles winning. Those were two very good teams, good enough to meet again in the Super Bowl, and unlike some of the others mentioned, I think the low score there was actually attributable to outstanding defense, rather than lousy offense. I thought it was the best game of the season. Unless of course I'm remembering it all wrong, and the final score was 31-17 or something -- or the Eagles and Raiders didn't play at all that season.

You're right, in that game Jim Plunkett was sacked 8 times, and was scorless until the third quarter. With Philadephia leading 3-0 in the 4th quarter, Plunkett threw an 86-yard TD pass to take the lead, but then the Eagles drove and scored the winning TD for a 10-7 win. Interestingly, the very next week the Raiders played against Denver in MNF and won 9-3. They maybe the only Super Bowl champions who got shoutout in the first half of two consecutive games in the season.

Matt Millen said in America's Game '80 Raiders that it was that very game in Philly, though they lost, that made them feel confident about going all the way. He said something along the lines of if that's the best the NFC had and they gave them a good game at the Vet and in the cold, they should be fine in January. Makes me wonder how he and team felt after losing at home to Dallas two weeks later (no TDs by either team in the 2nd half). I'm very surprised that game wasn't mentioned at all especially considering it was against...Dallas. It was the last game they would lose but it did essentially cost them the division title. Getting back to the subject of defensive battles, I do remember that special Thursday Night game which kicked off the week of that Raiders/Dallas match (or at least the final score). Would rather not discuss it.

On a closing note, I wonder if that defensive slugfest over Oakland, despite winning it, wore Philly out a bit causing them to lose three of their last four? Of course having to play three of the league's best in that span (@SD, Atl, @Dal) didn't help. Perhaps the bye week opening round (losing the finale to Dallas by less-than-25) was what the doc ordered.

[Bryan]

The Steelers 13-3 win over the Oilers at Houston in 1978 was a pretty intense defensive struggle. Lots of ambulance action.

[74_75_78_79_]

The Steelers 13-3 win over the Oilers at Houston in 1978 was a pretty intense defensive struggle. Lots of ambulance action.

Not too familiar with that one other than the final score and the fact that after the previous matchup vs Houston (losing at home MNF), Steelers would only allow a single TD total vs Houston the next 3 games vs them.

Back to that Raiders/Eagles regular season match from '80, you point out Teo the Raiders going scoreless in the first half back-to-back, well upon taking a deeper look at the Eagles '80 season I see that 4 of their last 5 games (starting with that 10-7 win over Oakland) they themselves were shutout in the first half. Only against Atlanta in Week #14 did they score in the first half - 14 pts - but were still shutout yet again in the first quarter.

Ten times during that '80 season did Philly go scoreless in the first quarter including their last five games. The divisional round vs Minn made it 6 in a row. Being that it was the only playoff game I didn't watch that entire '80 post-season, just knowing the final lopsided score, I didn't know until right now that the Vikes actually opened up an early 14-0 lead and it still being a game going into the 4th. They finally scored in the 1st the following week vs Dallas but, again and for the 12th time total in '80, went scoreless 1st Q vs Raiders in SBXV.

[Rupert Patrick]

I think I might have found the best defensive game since 1977:

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/b ... 070oti.htm

Between the 1985 Bears and the 2013 Seahawks, I think the two best single season defenses were the 2000 Ravens and Titans. When they met in the Divisional Playoffs it was a classic, with the Ravens breaking a 10-10 tie with two fourth quarter defensive TD's.