Which NFL defensive power has best chance to win Super Bowl?

ARLINGTON, TX – NOVEMBER 20: Dak Prescott #4 of the Dallas Cowboys calls a play at the line of scrimmage during the fourth quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at AT&T Stadium on November 20, 2016 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

The Baltimore Ravens shook up the NFL rankings further with their dominant win over the previously red-hot L.A. Chargers.

This begs a big question. Are the elite defenses of the league ready to throw the playoffs into chaos and ruin the fun for everybody banking on shootouts galore? It certainly seems that way. Three such teams have made quite the run down the stretch. Chicago already locked up the NFC North. Dallas came from the depths of despair to being a win away from locking up the NFC East. Now Baltimore is breathing down the Steelers’ necks for the AFC North.

These teams may not have the prettiest records but they’re certainly battle tested and have the capability to beat just about anybody. The Bears beat the Rams two weeks ago. Dallas beat the Saints. Now the Ravens have handled the Chargers. There’s no reason to think any of them can’t make a run at the Super Bowl. So that leaves the deeper question. Who among them has the best chance the way things look at the present and why?

Case #1: Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are no strangers to following the old school formula to a championship. They did it in 2000 and to a lesser extent in 2012. Their big advantage is they have an offense that has found their identity. They run the football utilizing an extensive run-pass option package and only ask Lamar Jackson to throw off play action or when it’s necessary. If the defense keeps it close, this should lead to big plays late and a victory. It’s worked for them so far. The question is what will happen if an opponent stops the run and forces them to throw?

Case #2: Dallas Cowboys

More from NFL Mocks

An aggressive, well-coached defense like the Cowboys can simply wear opponents out with their ability to create pressure up from and having those athletic linebackers flying all over the place. They also have an All-Pro running back in Ezekiel Elliott and a resurgent Amari Cooper creating big plays. When that formula works, it’s led to some big victories over strong opponents. The problem is Dak Prescott, for all his leadership qualities, can be painfully inconsistent in big moments. He can just as easily make a big play one drive only to turn it over on the next.

Case #3: Chicago Bears

No defense in the NFL is better at creating turnovers. The Bears can do it all. They’ll stop the run and then use Khalil Mack and Akiem Hicks to terrorize the QB. Throw into that Pro Bowl secondary at your own risk. The big question everybody has is the offense. Mitch Trubisky is inconsistent, having great games followed by ugly ones. Jordan Howard has also been off this year. Their big advantage is the ever-dangerous Tarik Cohen and the shrewd play calling of Matt Nagy. That unpredictability is why people have hesitated to buy into them.

Current favorite: Dallas

There’s one key reason why the Cowboys hold an admittedly narrow edge over the Bears and Ravens. It’s their quarterback. For all his faults, Prescott is the only one between him, Trubisky, and Jackson who has prior playoff experience. One is in his second year after going 5-11 last season and the other is a rookie. Prescott’s prior knowledge of playing in a playoff atmosphere may end up getting Dallas further than any of those other teams.

Home/NFL Hot Takes