Which defense would you rather have?

[ThomasTomasz]

The 2000 Baltimore Ravens defense, or the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense? Discuss

 

[Maynard]

my opinion is based on the fact that i hate the ravens. i would take any defense over the ravens

 

[Leftwich]

Brad Johnson was a better QB than Trent Dilfer the year he won a superbowl, so i'll take the Ravens Defense.

 

[cmnelson87]

Ravens. They just simply didn't let teams score in the playoffs that year. You put a decent offense with that defensive performance, and it's probably a historic playoff run


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[KINGOFOOTBALL]

First youre a bum for not providing the starting lineups or any stats.:reversewave:

2002 BUCS
LDE G Spires
LDT A McFarland
RDT W Sapp*+
RDE S Rice*+
LLB A Singleton
MLB S Quarles*
RLB D Brooks*+
LCB B Kelly
RCB R Barber
SS J Lynch*
FS D Jackson


2000 RAVENS

LDE R Burnett
LDT S Adams*
RDT T Siragusa
RDE M McCrary
LLB P Boulware
MLB R Lewis*+
RLB J Sharper
LCB D Starks
RCB C McAlister
SS K Herring
FS R Woodson


Both teams had 2 sure fire HOFers including each having a player who was at a GOAT discussion type level. Several guys who you could argue were in the top 3 at there positions. Both excellent coaching.

DL- Both had nightmare pairs of Defensive Tackles. However the Bucs had a much , much better edge rusher in Rice. Although he was blah against the run with that DT set it didnt matter. Boulware (OLB**) and Burnett actually had there least productive sack seasons in 2000 but obviously the threat and talent were there. DL goes to TB for sure.

LBers- Easily goes to Bal. Brooks was a superb OLB but Ray Lewis was inhuman and GOAT level that year. Boulware and Sharper were better overall than overachievers Singleton and Quarles.

Secondary- This is where it gets tough. You have the Bucs with slightly above average talent playing in a HOF system. The Ravens had 1st round talent at the CBs and a top 3 all time DB at Safety. McAlister was phenomenal and a superb cover guy. Starks was excellent in coverage and a ball hawk.
Lynch > Herring , but in every other way possible the Ravens secondary was better than the Bucs. Ravens were glued to guys and were air tight in coverage that year. Both secondaries were helped tremendously by there DLines. Ravens never worried about playing the run...ever. The Bucs secondary basically played the waiting game all year as that front line forced an insane amount stray balls and rushed plays. They punished everyone with the luxury of being able to sit back and ball hawk or hit. My preference is Bal here.

They played in close enough proximity for an easy comparison. To me the Ravens were a scarier and more dominant team. That roster could be transported to any era and play any set of Xs and Os and be a dominant unit. I think outside of the 70s Steelers they are the most balanced positionally of all the all time great defenses. Ray Lewis tips the scales here. Bal absolutely destroyed running games that year. Lewis ,Goose and Adams were the Bermuda triangle. RBs were just hopeless and Id seen it before...but not since where OL/RBs were just humiliated by a front 7. Lewis was a huge part of that , what makes it worse is that sideline to sideline he played as good as any Lber every. Any run or pass under 15 yards was bound to have Lewis involved. His ability to disrupt both passing and running lanes was the best Id ever seen from a LBer period. He made plays MLB really shouldn't be able to make. Even if the rest was a push he is the X factor.

 

[buckeye]

I will go with Ravens. That defense was just nasty.

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