| Saturday, January 15
By Tom Oates
Special to ESPN.com |
|
The oldest saying in football is that defense wins championships.
Well, guess what?
|  | | Dick Vermeil overcame the loss of Trent Green early to lead the Rams to the playoffs. |
It's still true in this new offensive-minded millenium.
We know the NFL is going through a phase where offense rules. We know that high-wire acts on offense dominate the regular season these days. We know that defenses have been placed in straightjackets by a rule book that's been re-written with television ratings in mind.
But defense still wins championships.
Just ask the Vikings.
A year ago, they were on the cutting edge of NFL technology. They had a playmaker-laden, quick-strike offense that could run inside, run outside, throw short, throw deep and seemingly score at will. Not only did no opponent stop Brian Billick's high-tech offense all season, no one even slowed it down.
In 1998, Minnesota scored more points -- 556 -- than any team in NFL history. Twelve of the Vikings' 15 regular-season wins were by 10 points or more. They outscored their opponents by 16.3 points per game overall and 23.6 points per game at home.
Yet, stroll through the Vikings' locker room today and you will be struck by the absence of jewelry. No one is wearing a championship ring from last season.
That's because defense still wins championships. Home-field advantage, playoff experience and an explosive, balanced offense all help, but a good defense is essential for a championship team.
The Vikings learned that lesson the hard way after rolling through the
regular season and routing the Cardinals in their first playoff game. In the NFC championship game, Atlanta exposed the flimsy Minnesota defense, rolling up 427 yards as the Falcons upset the heavily favored Vikings, 30-27, in overtime.
The lesson to be learned from that is simple. At some point in the
playoffs, it's not enough to just outscore the opponent. You have to stop the opponent.
Which brings us to the Rams, a team whose offense this season mirrored the Vikings' efforts from a year ago. With offensive coordinator Mike Martz pushing the buttons and quarterback Kurt Warner, halfback Marshall Faulk and wide receiver Isaac Bruce providing the big plays, the Rams were every bit as
explosive and balanced this season as the Vikings were last year.
In 1999, St. Louis scored more points -- 526 -- than all but two teams in NFL history. All 13 of the Rams' wins were by 13 points or more. They outscored their opponents by 17.8 points per game overall and 24.6 points per game at home.
Even though they played a schedule so soft that only Tom Osborne could have drawn it up, the Rams are sitting right where the Vikings were a year ago. They have the league's deepest offensive arsenal but they're wondering iftheir defense is good enough for them to win a championship.
They know their offense is. The Rams haven't scored fewer than 21 points in a game all season. Last year, the Vikings never scored fewer than 24 points in a game.
That offensive consistency essentially leaves it up to the defense and,
like the Vikings defense a year ago, the Rams defense is suspect. It could be a very good defense that has merely been overshadowed by the offense or it could be little more than a byproduct of the team's high-powered offense. At this point, no one knows.
Soon, everyone will know because the Rams and Vikings will meet in a divisional playoff game Sunday at the Trans World Dome in St. Louis. Since replacing quarterback Randall Cunningham with Jeff George after a 2-4 start,
the Vikings have won nine of their last 11 games and look a lot like the
offensive juggernaut that took the NFL by storm last year.
During the regular season, St. Louis was ranked first in the NFL in yards gained and Minnesota was third, setting the stage for what could be one of the greatest shootouts in NFL history.
"Minnesota's playing as good as anybody in the league right now, so I
think it's going to be a great football game," Warner said. "Two
high-powered offenses, stacked up against each other."
Actually, those high-powered offenses will be stacked up against two
low-profile defenses.
"The team that plays the best defense will win the ballgame," said Charlie Armey, the Rams' vice president of player personnel. "Because we're both so strong on offense, it most likely will come down to defense."
Defense is where the Rams believe they have an edge, one that will combine with home-field advantage (the Rams have trailed for only 4 minutes, 29 seconds at the TWA Dome this season) to offset their apparent deficiencies in schedule strength (Rams opponents had a 93-163 record; Vikings opponents were 110-146) and playoff experience (the Rams have 12 players who have been in a playoff game, the Vikings are the only NFL team that has been in the playoffs
the past four years).
Although its numbers are somewhat better, the Rams defense in 1999 looks eerily similar to the Vikings defense in 1998. Both have small, fast front sevens that can make life miserable for opponents, especially when the score is lopsided and they can fly around with abandon. Both have ball-hawking secondaries that are vulnerable to the big play.
Last year, Minnesota's defense ranked 13th overall, 11th against the rush and 19th against the pass. This year, St. Louis' defense ranked sixth overall, first against the rush and 20th against the pass.
Those numbers mean two things. First, because both defenses played from ahead most of the time, opponents were forced to pass. Therefore, each team's defense faced fewer running plays than almost every team in the league. Also, some of the high passing totals can be attributed to teams throwing the ball in desperation as they tried to catch up.
But what happens when the game is close? Last year, the Vikings defense was exposed in the NFC Championship Game by an Atlanta offense that ran the ball well and used that rushing attack to set up the deep pass. This year, the Rams defense will face an almost identical offensive dilemma.
The Vikings still have the best wide receiver tandem in the NFL in Randy Moss and Cris Carter. And they still have a quarterback, George, who can get them the ball deep. Mostly though, they're running the ball now that halfback Robert Smith is 100 percent recovered from hernia surgery and they've discovered the benefits of two-tight end sets.
In the past five games, the Vikings have rushed for 147.7 yards per game, with Smith accounting for 111 per outing. By comparison, the Vikings averaged 103.4 yards rushing in the season's first 12 games. In their 27-10 first-round playoff victory over the Cowboys, Smith rushed a season-high 28 times for a team playoff-record 140 yards.
The Rams allowed opponents only 74.3 rushing yards per game this season and have gone 18 straight games without allowing a 100-yard rusher. If they can control Smith with their front seven, something the Cowboys couldn't do, then they can use their safeties to double-team Moss deep.
The Rams think they have the speed on defense to control the Vikings. They set a team record with eight defensive touchdowns, including three by linebacker Mike Jones. They tied for the league lead with Jacksonville with 57 sacks and defensive end Kevin Carter became first Rams player to lead NFL in sacks with 17. Shut-down cornerback Todd Lyght tied for third in the NFC with career-high six interceptions and the Rams led NFC with 29 picks.
The Rams also think they have the credentials on defense to control the Vikings. Carter, end Grant Wistrom, tackle Ray Agnew, cornerback Todd Lyght and safety Devin Bush are all former first-round draft picks (although not
all by the Rams). Cornerback Dexter McCleon was a second-rounder. Rookie Dre'
Bly, another second-round pick, is an emerging nickel back, important because McCleon has been susceptible to big plays.
"I think we'll match up well against them," Rams offensive tackle Fred Miller said. "We've got a high-powered offense; they've got a high-powered offense. But I think our defense is a little bit better than theirs."
It wasn't last season. When the teams met Sept. 13, 1998 at the TWA Dome, the Rams and Vikings combined for 69 points and 831 yards of offense. There were three scoring plays of 70 yards or longer, and the Vikings escaped with a 38-31 victory that didn't end until they stopped then-quarterback Tony Banks' bid for a game-tying touchdown inside the 1-yard line on the final play of the game.
"We are a better football team than we were last year both offensively and defensively," Rams coach Dick Vermeil said. "I think we are a pretty good defensive team, but (the Vikings) will test you. They can score. You can't make a mistake and you can't give them anything. If you can prevent the one-big-play type of thing, then you have a shot at them."
If you're the Rams defense, that's a big if.
Hobbled 'Skins visit Tampa Bay
Talk about bad timing.
A year ago, the Redskins offensive line was decimated by injuries, which led to an astronomical 61 quarterback sacks, which led to a 6-10 record.
This year, the Redskins offensive line stayed unusually healthy, which led to only 31 quarterback sacks, which led to a 10-6 record.
In soaring to the No. 2 ranking among NFL offenses this season, the
Redskins missed only five man games on the rebuilt line. Those came when
Keith Sims had a knee injury and was replaced by Brad Badger. Otherwise the
group of tackle Andy Heck, Sims, center Cory Raymer, guard Tre' Johnson and rookie tackle Jon Jansen has been intact.
Good health can be fleeting in the NFL, however. As they prepare for their divisional playoff game with the Buccaneers on Saturday, the Redskins could be looking at two new starters in the offensive line.
In last week's 27-13 playoff victory over the Lions, Heck tore a hamstring and Raymer pulled a rib muscle. Heck won't play against the Buccaneers. Raymer, listed as doubtful all week, has been upgraded to probable for Saturday, although rib injuries are touchy and his day could end on any play.
Their replacements won't inspire much confidence in quarterback Brad Johnson or running back Stephen Davis, who will play a reduced role due to knee and ankle injuries. Fifth-year man Kipp Vickers, who will replace Heck, started six games with the Colts in 1996 and hasn't started since. Second-year man Mark Fischer, Raymer's backup, has never played an offensive
snap in the NFL.
Such turmoil on the line couldn't have come at a worse time for the
Redskins, who will be going against the quick, aggressive Tampa Bay defense, which is ranked third in the NFC. Four Buccaneers linemen -- Warren Sapp,
Marcus Jones, Chidi Ahanotu and Brad Culpepper -- have six sacks or more for a defense that can be as disruptive as any in the NFL, especially for inexperienced offensive lines.
"Their defensive front, it's so quick, so fast," Redskins coach Norv
Turner said. "They've got an outstanding blitz package. If you're not ready to play, it can be humbling."
Tom Oates of the Wisconsin State Journal writes a weekly NFC column that appears every Thursday during the regular season. |  |
War Room preview: Vikings at Rams
