Fansided
Fansided

Philadelphia Eagles: 1991 Defense Ranked NFL Best in 30 Years

By Erik Lambert

Oct 4, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; A Philadelphia Eagles player's helmet rests on a heating post on the bench prior to the Eagles' game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; A Philadelphia Eagles player's helmet rests on a heating post on the bench prior to the Eagles' game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Oct 4, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; A Philadelphia Eagles player’s helmet rests on a heating post on the bench prior to the Eagles’ game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 4, 2015; Landover, MD, USA; A Philadelphia Eagles player’s helmet rests on a heating post on the bench prior to the Eagles’ game against the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /

The NFL has seen some incredible defenses in its history. Especially in the past 30 years. The Philadelphia Eagles know that better than most.

There are plenty of obvious options from the 2000 Ravens to the 2002 Buccaneers, 2013 Seahawks and 2015 Broncos. All were suffocating units that paved the way to Super Bowl championships. All made the list of the 30 best defenses in the past three decades according to the collaborative efforts of ESPN and Football Outsiders.

Using their Defense-adjusted Value Over Average (DVOA) they came away with a surprising realization in their research. The greatest defense dating back to the late 1980s was none of those units. It was in fact the 1991 Eagles who came away with the crown. Now only hardcore football fans will have any passing knowledge of this group. Those who do though understand that it’s probably the right choice.

Going it alone

"“Opposing quarterbacks completed just 44.1 percent of passes, the lowest rate for any defense since 1978. They led the NFL with 55 sacks and 43 forced fumbles. They finished third with 26 interceptions. And the defense wasn’t one-dimensional: The Eagles allowed just 2.97 yards per carry on the ground, which ranks fifth since 1978. They put up these obscene numbers in standard stats despite playing the fourth-toughest defensive schedule in the league. Their division rivals finished first (Washington), fourth (Dallas) and sixth (New York) in offensive DVOA.This was the late Buddy Ryan’s defense, but without Ryan. He had been fired as head coach at the end of 1990. Rich Kotite was the head coach and Bud Carson the defensive coordinator. Three of the four defensive linemen were selected as first-team All-Pros: Reggie White, Jerome Brown and Clyde Simmons. Linebacker Seth Joyner and cornerback Eric Allen joined them in the Pro Bowl.Unlike the 2000 Ravens and the 2002 Bucs, the 1991 Eagles didn’t get to build a legend with a dominating Super Bowl victory. The team couldn’t get enough out of Jeff Kemp, Brad Goebel and a 32-year-old Jim McMahon to even make it to the playoffs. Nonetheless, the 1991 Eagles were the best defense of the past 30 years.”"

Getting their due

It seems rather fitting that such an underrated defense gets its proper recognition, even if the stats behind it are a bit hard to quantify. At the end of the day though all one has to do is watch the tape. The 1991 Eagles were a feared defense. Plain and simple. Not a single person on the planet wanted to play against them. They stopped the run and ran over quarterbacks at will. If they’d just had any sort of credibility on offense the Eagles would’ve won the championship that year. Such is the sad case of poor Philadelphia luck.

Home/NFL Hot Takes