2013 Seahawks D vs 2000 Ravens D (Shut Outs)

Ok so we've heard a lot of talk about best defenses in history and a lot of people are putting us well after the Bears defense and the Ravens defense. One of the main arguments I hear for the Ravens 2000 defense is that they had 4 shut outs that season whereas the Seahawks only were able to get one shut out during the 2013 season. I thought there might be some statistical data that could explain it, because we know that offenses have become more potent in the last 20 or so years. I decided to look through just the scores of the two seasons in question.

In 2013 it is true the Seahawks only had 1 shut out, but the NFL as a whole had a total of only TWO shut outs the entire regular season (both were against the Giants with the other coming at the hands of the Panthers)

When you look through the 2000 season, you see that the Ravens had 4 shut outs, and that does sound impressive looking at it like that, but is it still as impressive if I tell you that along with the Ravens 4 shut outs, that there was a total of EIGHT other shut outs in the NFL that year making TWELVE total? What if I were to say that 3 of the 4 teams they shut out were also shut out by other teams that same year? Here is the breakdown:

Ravens 4 shutouts: Cowboys, Browns, Bengals & Steelers.

Steelers had 2 shutouts: Browns & Bengals

Jaguars had 2 shutouts: Browns & Bengals

Titans had 2 shutouts: Cowboys & Browns

Bucs had 1 shutout: Bears

Dolphins had 1 shutout: Seahawks


To me, this tells me that scoring was not as easy to come by that season. The Ravens held 4 of 12 NFL shutouts where we held 1 of 2 NFL shutouts.

Basically the conclusion I come to is that they are two very different seasons and you can't really compare each statistic straight across the board to declare a "best defense"

Well some of the guys that played on the 2000 Ravens defense consider us as good if not better than they were.

So the people that matter (and have more insight), put us as equals.

I think that closes the case then.

TwistedHusky":2wiffaro said:

Well some of the guys that played on the 2000 Ravens defense consider us as good if not better than they were.

So the people that matter (and have more insight), put us as equals.

I think that closes the case then.

Click to expand...

The comparison of the two is what got me thinking about it, but honestly, I just don't think you can ever completely compare two teams from different years straight across statistically. It's just not going to work out fairly at all. You have to look at what each does within the confines of the time they played in. Honestly, I think it will always be debatable about where the top teams all sit historically, and I'm extremely glad to say that this Seahawks defense will always be a part of that discussion. That in itself makes them one of the best defenses of all time and that is really all you ever want to be able to say. At least that's how I look at it.


I did find it interesting though looking over the two seasons, it really is a small pool to pull from, but there seems to be a lot of repetition in the teams who get shut out. Cleveland being shut out 4 times alone in the 2000 season, and the Giants being the Only team shut out in 2013 (and having it happen twice to the number 1 and number 2 Defense) says as much about the offenses of a given season as it does the defenses.

It is pretty impossible to compare eras.
I've been looking at defensive statistics since the super bowl a lot.. but maybe it's just easier to argue we're in the top 5 teams assembled all time?
The ravens do have a major argument for best defense since they had practically no offense but we've had a pretty good (7th overall) offense this year, combined with a 3rd best all time defense. That should put us in one of the best teams ever assembled argument.

The best defense since the ravens is nothing to laugh at either. That's 413 other assembled teams since 2000 we're better than.

If you're talking eras you should check the stillirs in the mid 70s. Can't remember for sure but think the 75 team had 5 shutouts.

:les:

Here's a thread that I started a week or so back in order to specifically answer the question being asked... which D was better?... the 2013 Seahawks or the 2000 Ravens?

When the data is normalized for both the era (total scoring changes over time) and for strength of schedule (the two teams did not face the same opponents), the Seattle D was statistically better.

Read the while thread.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=90163

I just don't see a way to truly determine which one was better.

In my opinion the Ravens D was just slightly better, but both are obviously in the conversation. I see the Hawks and I am amazed, but I remember that Ravens D and being just as impressed by a team that I wasn't a fan of. I did however become a Ravens fan because of that defense. They were so good for so long it is hard to argue.

I read through the whole of both threads and would still have a question on it. And the way to possibly distinguish the answer too. If one could determine the DVOA of the teams during their run with the statistics available at the time, this would allow the perspective statistics make a possible ruling. I know it wont fix the whole picture as there are intangibles available, but from a mere statistics point, the question may be answered. Just a thought if someone were to desire to crunch stats.