The 2002 Bucs defense just doesn't get the credit it deserves, and the further we get away from it the more of a shame that is.ProFootballReference has a simple stat called DSRS which is Team Defense Quality Relative to Average, in other words how good the defense was compared to other average defenses.The 2002 Bucs score a 9.8 (2nd best is a 4.4), the 85 Bears score a 9.4 (second best is a 5.2) , the 2000 Ravens get an 8.0 (second best is a 7.1), the 13 Seahawks get a 8.9 (second best is a 8.6) and the 2015 Broncos get a 5.5 (which is the 3rd best in football). In other words the Bucs not only had the highest score, they had the highest difference - which means 2002 was a good year for offenses league wide, which makes the Bucs historically good defense within that year even more impressive.I pulled up this stat, including the playoffs the 2002 Bucs team gave up 3100 yards passing, 12 TDs and 40 INTs. The Bucs also had 8 INTs returned for TDs.I actually saw a story about if the 2015 Broncos were the best defense ever and it made me puke in my mouth a bit. I had been on the Broncos defensive bandwagon all year, they looked special, but best of all time? Seriously? Additionally they didn't mention the Bucs, which have every right to be discussed as THE best of all time, not one of the best but the best. The Broncos do not.
