2002 Defense vs. 2020 Defense

2002 by big margin

that was probably top 5 defense in history, current one performed great in the playoffs and unbelievable in the SB, but thats all

1. 1999
2. 2002
3. 2005
4. 2020

Tough to get a straight comp SB to SB because so many will be “2002” just with all the HOFers, great season and the rest. Great topic. Look forward to the responses.

Mahomes is probably going to break every record and win 3+ Super Bowls and they embarrassed him.

Shaq Barrett had 10 QBP. Ten. By himself. In the Superbowl.

Who was that wanted to trade that guy last offseason?

Also, the 2002 team played in a different era. They would be picking up all sorts of holding, PI, and roughing the passer penalties in this era.

The 2002 defense was pretty clearly the better overall defense. But you could argue the 2020 defense had a better playoff run, although the 2002 run was pretty damn impressive too.

2002 – allowed 12.3 PPG:

Allowed 6 points to Jeff Garcia’s 49ers (13th scoring offense) – 3 Int and 4 sacks
Allowed 10 points to Donovan McNabb’s Eagles (4th scoring offense) – 1 Int, 2 sacks, and TD
Allowed 21 points to MVP Rich Gannon’s Raiders (2nd scoring offense) – 5 Int, 5 sack, and 3 TD’s

2020 – allowed 19.5 PPG:

Allowed 23 points to Tayor Heinicke’s WFT (25th scoring offense) – 1 Int and 2 sacks
Allowed 20 points to Drew Brees’ Saints (5th scoring offense) – 3 Int
Allowed 26 points to MVP Aaron Rodger’s Packers (1st scoring offense) – 1 Int and 5 sacks
Allowed 9 points to Patrick Mahomes’ Chiefs (6th scoring offense) – 2 Int and 3 sacks

I’d argue the dismantling of that Raiders offense was even more impressive than what the Bucs did to Mahomes and Co. yesterday. That score was 34-3 with 2:30 minutes left in the third quarter before the Raiders got a few garbage time TD’s.

Yeah I’d say there was some growth and development going on during the year. So as for overall you have to give the nod to 2002. But as to the Superbowl performance you can’t top that. They held Mahomes and Co. in single digits without a TD. Two of the 3 FGs were long ones. You can’t say any defense in NFL history could have done better against that offense.

10 Drives:
3 FGs (49,34,52)
2 TO Downs
3 Punts
2 INTs
0 TDs

They should have had another INT if Arians had thrown the challenge flag.

Nelson and Gill were eating their tackles too, no? Count their pressures per snap and count the holdings.

Shaq: 10 pressures in 47 pass rush snaps
JPP: 6 pressures in 54 pass rush snaps
Gil: 1 pressures in 3 pass rush snaps
Nelson: 2 pressures in 16 pass rush snaps

Is the implication that Nelson and Gill are comparable to Shaq Barrett, who you told everyone the team should trade in the offseason?

You were trashing this team 2 months ago like everyone else now you want to pretend they had it all along.

Trashing the team and acknowledging poor play are two different things. My position was always a 10-12 win team that could do damage in the playoffs. Care to tell me how I was wrong?

Thanks for posting that Biggs3535

The 2002 D helped slay a dragon by beating the Uggles on the road. Not the same, but close with this team beating the Saints with those losses before

Getting Vea back was the biggest help these last two games

2002 defense was better

But

2020 defense is younger. The only older guys are suh david & jpp.

Everyone else is what 27 or younger?

Secondary is all 24 or younger.

Crazy.

And add the holding calls drawn for each. So thats 2/3 for Gill and 3/16 for Nelson

That’s not how that works. You can’t just add a pressure without adding to the snap count

The implication is that the Chiefs tackles were terrible, not that they’re better than Barrett.

JPP must be pretty shitty, then.

And I’m not saying the Chiefs tackles played well. They clearly didn’t. But it’s foolish to attempt to denigrate Shaq in the process. I don’t GAF who was out there. The guy you wanted to trade last offseason got 10 QBP’s in the fuggin’ Superbowl.

2020 needs to do it over a sustained time to be in the same discussion as 2002. 2002 was not the only great year or first year that defense was lights out. 2020 had a great postseason run. However 2020 is not great until they achieve what 2002 did which was being great and the top of the hill for several seasons.

02 was better but 2020 D not far behind. And this years defense as others pointed our are extremely young. Starting DBs are still under their first contract, White, and Vea.

So there’s def room for improvement next year.

The 2002 Defense was older and seasoned, the 2020 Defense is basically young and ascending. Their best is yet to come.

Is Shaq better than Rice, no. Is Davis better than Barber, no. Is David better than Brooks no. Is Whitehead better than Lynch, no. It is at the next tier that things get closer. JPP is better than Spires (although I do love me some Spires). Until the last 2 games I would have said I preferred Quarles over White but apparently COVID was all he needed to get better in coverage. Similarly I was a big fan of Kelly who was underrated. Playoff SMB is better than Kelly but regular season isn’t. Winfield might already be better than DJax.

The 2002 defense was a top 5 defense of all time, probably top 3. I don’t think there’s any disputing that fact.

It was also a completely different era. 12.3 PPG against is simply not possible in today’s NFL. Back then, it was a feat to throw 30 TD passes, this season half the league had 30.

The run this Bucs defense went on in the playoffs, do do what they did to Brees, Rodgers, and Mahomes… 3 former league MVPs, I think, I’m not sure.. but it might be even more impressive.

I’d love to see a DVOA analysis of our playoff run in 2002 compared to 2020

I think we will go back, time and time again, and watch the Saints, Green Bay, and Chiefs games, and if we are being objective, not just comparing this year’s team to 2002, but any super bowl winning team, and see, this was the best defensive run ever. It’s easily top 5.

When you contrast it with the week 12 game at home vs. the Chiefs it becomes even more jarring. Beginning to end, 2002 is better, I’ll take the 2020 playoff run. One hell of a year Buc’s fans.

Side note: The Vea push is something I could get used to watching for the next 7 years or so.

Can you get used to watching washed up weak arm brady?