Superbowl predictions already?

Ok the numbers..

The average total offense ranking for the 8 teams we have played is 13.6. So not crap as starkiller suggested. We have played 4 teams with offenses ranked in the top 10. The bucs 6th ranked offense did give us some trouble.

I do agree with starkiller's premise that while this is a good defense this is not a 2000 ravens or 74 steelers type defense that can dominate with little offensive help. The 2000 ravens gave up just 10 points a game our D is giving up 15.5 points a game. Consider also that the teams we will have to beat in the playoffs have defenses that are just as good as ours. Pats are 8th in scoring defense, colts 3rd and the steelers have the best D in the business.

Unless our offense can get more balanced and our defense even better we have no chance. The steelers do have a chance to break the pats. see following post..

 

1974..

The 2 top teams supposedly were the raiders who had the league's best record, scored the most points and had the highest point differential and the dolphins who were defending 2 time champs. Many experts considered the raiders-dolphins playoff game the super bowl and don shula actually said that. That game one of the greatest ever played saw thew raiders beating the fins on a last second desperation pass from ken stabler. With the mighty dolphins out of the way it seemed inevitable that the raiders would win it all.

Unfortunately for the raiders the steelers were in the way. With all the hype about the raiders-fins game nobody paid much attention to the steelers who had manhandled OJ simpson and the bills 32-14. The steelers had the league's top rated defense and an offense ranked 8th with a pro bowl RB. .

The steelers went into oakland and easily beat the highly favored raiders 24-13 and the game really wasn't that close. The steelers defense dominated that top scoring raiders offense. The steelers went on to win their first super bowl.

I see similarities this year. The steelers again have the #1 defense and a pro bowl RB. Brady and manning getting all the attention while roethlisberger just plays great with 20tds and just 6 picks and a 112 passing rating.

You can't ignore any team that has the top rated defense, a top 10 QB and a top 10 RB.

 

Indy is #3 in total yards, New Orleans is #6, Houston (?) is #11, Jax is #16, Tampa is #17, Oakland is #22, Carolina is #25, and Atlanta is #27. That average is 15.9 (it's even worse, 17.75, based on points scored).

On the other hand, we got New Orleans when they were sucking, Houston without Andre Johnson, Tampa without Cadillac Williams, and Oakland and Carolina both playing with backup QBs.