J. Kapp 11 wrote:
Look man, YOU started this argument by saying Atlanta has 1/3 of a team.
You're the one who needs to defend his position, not me. But because I can't help myself, I'll do it anyway.
I just said give them special teams and that is 2/3. But at seasons end, they were 27th in points allowed, 25th in yards allowed, 28th in passing yards allowed and 17th in rushing yards allowed. And that is all AFTER these great games they played at the end of the year. They still had those numbers. Did they make progress, sure. They were downright horrendous before. Sorry, say whatever you want, but that is not a good defense. Were they "enough" to get to the SB? Obviously but I'm not going to sit here and say Atlanta is some complete team with the numbers that defense has put up all year. They got better I guess you could say, but they aren't a "good defense" and they are no way comparable to ours. Average at best. I just find it funny that we give up 2 30+ point games to Aaron Rodgers and Andrew Luck and so many on this board were saying this defense is overrated, nowhere near elite, yada yada yada. Yet now we have guys defending an Atlanta defense that ranked 27th in points allowed this year giving up 25.4. No less that was after they "improved". Hmmmm.....
"Many people" obviously includes you.
You're right. I'm not buying into them.
NFL.com wrote:
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Bottom line: Atlanta is a 12-win team that's playing in the Super Bowl. Laugh them off if you want, but you can't deny the fact that the defense has improved enough to get them there. When you have a historically potent offense, you don't need a top-5 defense. Just as the Ravens didn't need a top-5 offense when they won the SB with a historically stubborn defense. But that also doesn't make either of them "1/3 of a team." The Vikings are 1/3 of a team, which is why they're 8-8 and watching from home for the 40th straight year.
Like I said, I'm not going to call Atlanta a complete team. They have an average at best defense. The #1 offense and good special teams. That's 2/3 of a team. I said that before but now you're resorting back to me saying 1/3. I gave them the nod on special teams even though Devin Hester isnt on the team.
However at this point, I would give our ST the nod as well. With Walsh gone, the only weak link we really have is Locke. Sherels and Patterson are two elite returners. Forbath was solid. Atlanta has the edge on us with the kicking game but nowhere near the return game. So why arent you giving us the nod for special teams?? Without Walsh here, I would say it's pretty damn good.
My whole point behind everything was that Atlanta was 2/3 of a team and are contending for a SB. The Vikings have 2/3 of a team but are so horrifically bad on one side of the ball that we couldnt contend. Point being, if they could get their offense to improve like Atlanta got their defense to improve a little, then it's possible for us to contend. Our offense doesnt need to be "good". It needs to be average. Like Atlanta's defense. Some people act like that is impossible. Lets see how the draft and FA turn out and then we can judge.