Eagles' SB LIX defense great — but not the best
Guess where we rank Philadelphia's dominant LIX effort in Super Bowl history?
By halftime of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans, talking helmets at FOX were already trying to put Philadelphia’s defensive effort into historical perspective. The Eagles held Kansas City’s offense — a unit guided by Andy Reid, one of the NFL’s most innovative head coaches ever, and Patrick Mahomes, this generation’s top quarterback — to just 14 yards, in 30 minutes, on the NFL’s biggest stage.
Reid and his offense found no respite in the third quarter. Though Mahomes would late in the game pad his stats into respectability with the help of blur-fast rookie wide receiver Xaver Worthy, the damage inflicted by the Philadelphia defense was lethal.
The accolades that started at halftime for the performance of DC Vic Fangio’s defense have continued since the conclusion of Philadelphia’s 40-14 victory. But where really does the Eagles’ defensive gem rank among the greatest in Super Bowl history? Is it the best ever? Or is that assessment a casualty of recency bias.
We took a couple of days to clear our heads and size up where the Philadelphia defense’s accomplishment really fits in Big Game annals. As will become clear early in the list, the caliber of the offenses smothered factors heavily into our ranking.
Here’s our Top 5 of the best performances by a defense in Super Bowl history.
1. Los Angeles Raiders vs. Washington, Super Bowl XVIII
The Washington offense, led by quarterback Joe Theismann, put up a then-league record 541 points in 1983, with an NFL-best +209 point differential. In the Divisional Round, it scored 51 points on the Los Angeles Rams and was the reason the fathers of today’s Commanders were Super Bowl favorites. Instead, the Raiders routed Washington, 38-9.
L.A.’s defense ranked fourth in the NFL during the 1983 regular season but was especially lock down in the playoffs, allowing 24 combined points in wins over Pittsburgh and Seattle. Fronted by future HOFame end Howie Long and featuring perhaps the best cornerback duo in NFL history, Hall of Famer Mike Haynes and HOF-worthy Lester Hayes, the unit not only limited Washington to nine points but sacked Theismann six times and held him below 50 percent passing. It also turned in the game’s most decisive play, when LB Jack Squirek returned a Theismann swing pass five yards just before halftime to make the score 21-3. That was a historically significant call by defensive coordinator Charlie Sumner, who replaced Matt Millen with Squirek and told the young linebacker to watch for running back Joe Washington on a screen pass. Squirek listened. The rout was on.
2. San Francisco 49ers vs. Miami Dolphins, Super Bowl XIX
Forty years later, only a few may remember how hot quarterback Dan Marino was heading into the Super Bowl following the 1984 season. In an astounding regular season, the second-year phenom set league marks in TD passes (48) and yards (5,084) and then passed for four TDs and 421 yards in Miami’s 45-28 AFC Championship win over Pittsburgh.
The 49ers cooled off the young QB and then some in defeating Miami, 38-16. Marino led his team to two early scores and a 10-7 first-quarter lead, but San Francisco defensive coordinator George Seifert made a key decision to play exclusively nickel. From that point forward, the D-Line harried Marino, sacking him four times. The pressure allowed the heralded Niners secondary — the only backfield in NFL history to boast four Pro Bowl players in the same season — to take over. In SB XIX, the 49ers’ nickel was more of a dime (with six DBs), with safety Tom Holmoe and versatile LB/safety Jeff Fuller joining the all-star foursome of Ronnie Lott, Eric Wright, Dwight Hicks and Carlton Williamson. The group intercepted Marino twice, both in the end zone, including a leaping theft by Wright.
3. Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chiefs Super Bowl LIX
Aren’t you proud of us not letting recency bias impact our ranking? No doubt the performance by Philadelphia’s defense on Sunday in the Eagles’ 40-14 rout was special. Why is it not higher? A couple of days’ reflection brings us back to the stark reality that the Kansas City offense just isn’t the powerhouse it once was — and has not been since the front office sent Tyreek Hill and his one-of-a-kind speed to South Beach. Sketchy, if not awful, pass protection and the lack of a running game were all too evident on Sunday.
Still, the Eagles defense had something to do with exposing those weaknesses. The big win may not rank in the top 10 in Super Blowouts, but it does nab a high spot in our list.
Only in the Super Bowl loss to Tampa Bay in No. LV had Patrick Mahomes, then plagued with an injured ankle, looked as shaky and shaken as he did on Sunday. DC Vic Fangio’s unit sped up Mahomes all day, or at least until the game was decidedly out of hand. Fangio did not blitz; instead, he relied on a relentless and overwhelming pass rush by the Eagles’ front four — the real MVP of the Eagles’ win — with all due respect to quarterback Jalen Hurts and his terrific day.
The Philly pressure resulted in six sacks of Mahomes (the most in his career) and forced the future Hall of Famer into two costly interceptions, including a pick-six by rookie corner Cooper DeJean. Lost in the flashy sacks and turnovers was the play of All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who recorded no sacks or tackles but created opportunities for line mates thanks to the double-teams he commanded on pretty much every play.
4. Chicago Bears vs. Patriots Super Bowl XX
Chicago’s 46-10 rout was the crowning achievement of one of the greatest individual seasons by an NFL defense. When people utter the term “the ‘85 Bears” — the word “defense” does not even need to be mentioned, so dominant and frightening was Buddy Ryan’s group for the entirety of the 1985 season.
That group was no more so than in its destruction of New England’s offense in the New Orleans Superdome. Led by a quartet of Hall of Famers — Dent, Singletary, Hampton, McMichael — fueling Ryan’s max-pressure 46 Defense, the Bears bludgeoned Patriot quarterbacks Tony Eason and Steve Grogan for a Super Bowl record seven sacks and forced a pair of interceptions, including a return for a score by Reggie Phillips (like DeJean, a rookie). Seven was also the number of yards New England mustered against Chicago’s swarming front seven. End Richard Dent forced two fumbles, recorded 1.5 sacks, and left the Big Easy as XX’s MVP.
But the win also marked the end of Ryan’s tenure as Chicago’s defensive coordinator. Despite the wealth of defensive talent, the Bears would not return to the Super Bowl for more than two decades.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Vikings Super Bowl IX
For all the color and fireworks associated with the city of New Orleans, Super Bowls there tend to be one-sided, defense-dominated affairs.
The last of the New Orleans Super Bowls held outdoors in Tulane Stadium certainly qualifies. Super Bowl IX, which followed the 1974 season, was the second-coldest Big Game ever — and the last to be played in inclement conditions for 30 years — outdone only by Super Bowl VI, also taking place at Tulane Stadium.
But as much as the cold and overnight rain made for difficult conditions, it was Pittsburgh’s Steel Curtain defense that shuttered Fran Tarkenton and the Minnesota offense in a 16-6 win. Though they failed to sack Tarkenton, the Steelers held the veteran quarterback to just 102 yards passing, intercepting him three times. Tarkenton, who would win league MVP the following season and retire in 1978 as the NFL’s all-time leader in passing yards and TDs, had a quarterback rating of just 14.1.
Even more impressive than what Pittsburgh’s D did to Scramblin’ Fran was how decisively it shut down the Vikings’ ground game. Running back Chuck Foreman, Rookie of the Year the season before, managed 18 yards on 12 carries, with a long of 12 yards — meaning he ran for just six yards in his other 11 carries. Steel curtain, indeed.
Vikings 21 carries for 17 yards against the Steelers in Super Bowl IX - and with 102 pass yards amidst 3 INTs, 4 fumbles (2 lost) amidst the Steel Curtain tormenting Fran Tarkenton.
With one SC member arriving to the stadium from a hospital bed (Dwight White) and the other (overlooked #PFH0F-er LC Greenwood) playing volleyball with FT.
Absolutely dominating and terrorizing defensive performance. Imo the best in Super Bowl history - if recency doesn't dominate.