Defensive Report Card: 2011 Season

Defense does win championships.  However, as Offense is evolving rapidly as we have witnessed this season, analysts have failed to note that Defenses have also been evolving to counter passing trends that break down secondaries with "Bend but not Break" Defenses.  This year's post season runs should be fascinating as traditional pass rush defenses and team defenses with balance in all categories will compete with Offenses designed to break them down and make them pay for not getting to quaterbacks behind dominant offensive lines (where the new dominance is seen as much in pass protection as it is in big-time rushing attacks).

(AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)

	Total		Rushing		Pressure
SF	317750	=	230250	+	87500
Hou	301000	=	196000	+	105000
Dall	272500	=	175000	+	97500
Bal	264250	=	154250	+	110000
Phi	261250	=	141250	+	120000
Atl	259500	=	179500	+	80000
Minn	259500	=	137000	+	122500
Mia	256500	=	156500	+	100000
NO	253250	=	170750	+	82500
Det	251250	=	151250	+	100000
Pitt	246750	=	171750	+	75000
Chi	242750	=	172750	+	70000
Cinn	236500	=	126500	+	110000
Was	226250	=	128750	+	97500
NE	221500	=	124000	+	97500
Jax	221000	=	151000	+	70000
NYG	220250	=	107750	+	112500
GB	219250	=	154250	+	65000
NYJ	192000	=	114500	+	77500
Oak	190250	=	102750	+	87500
Car	178250	=	98250	+	80000
SD	177250	=	97250	+	80000
Den	173500	=	71000	+	102500
Sea	172750	=	87750	+	85000
Arz	148750	=	48750	+	100000
Tenn	144500	=	74500	+	70000
Buff	143000	=	73000	+	70000
StL	139000	=	44000	+	95000
KC	132250	=	59750	+	72500
Cleve	122500	=	50000	+	72500
Ind	76750	=	4250	+	72500
TB	61000	=	3500	+	57500

Here are the season ending Sack Leaders:

Minn

Phi

NYG

Bal

Cinn

Hou

Den

Mia

Det

Arz

Dall

Was

NE

StL

SF

Oak

Sea

NO

Atl

Car

SD

NYJ

Pitt

KC

Cleve

Ind

Chi

Jax

Tenn

Buff

GB

TB

(AP Photo/Tony Tribble)