Decade of the 1970s Team Defensive Leader Boards

LOOKING BACK

By John Turney

The 1970s was a good time to be a football fan, especially if you loved defense. The press was good at assigning nicknames, offenses hard to work to move the ball, especially if they wanted to pass. Receivers didn't run free on crossing routes, quarterbacks couldn't sit in the pocket for 4-5 seconds, tackles didn't seem to be missed very often. It was a fun time.

The Super '70s is a fine book we recommend if you are into the 1970s like we are. Tom Danyluk does a great job in the text and interviews and Paul Zimmerman wrote a fine forward to the volume.

Here are the leaders for the 1970s in the major defensive categories. You can see the Steel Curtain, Doomsday, Orange Crush, the No Name Defense, the Purple People Eaters, even the Sack Pack. 

Decade of the 1970s  Top Defensive Teams

Fewest Rushing Yards Allowed
Season Average
1	Rams		1599
2	Cowboys		1614
3	Steelers		1662
4	Broncos		1734
5	Dolphins		1829
6	Vikings		1904
7	Raiders		1912
8	Redskins		1922
9	49ers		1937
	Colts		1937

Doomsday Defense. Danbury Mint

Fewest Total Points Allowed
Season Average
1	Vikings		212
2	Rams		213
3	Dolphins		214
4	Steelers		215
5	Cowboys		232
6	Redskins		238
7	49ers		253
8	Raiders		256
9	Broncos		260
10	Colts		262

Minnesota Front Four. Danbury Mint

Fewest Passing Yards,

 Season Average

1 Vikings 1906

2 Falcons 2038

3 Lions 2071

4 Rams 2085

5 Cowboys 2086

6 Steelers 2090

7 Bengals 2183

8 Bears 2218

9 Dolphins 2234

10 Patriots 2262

11 Raiders 2279

No Name Defense. Danbury Mint

Fewest Total Yards Allowed
Average Per Season
1	Rams		3685
2	Cowboys		3700
3	Steelers		3753
4	Vikings		3809
5	Bengals		4039
6	Lions		4055
7	Dolphins		4068
8	Broncos		4082
9	Redskins		4129
10	49ers		4143
11	Raiders		4187

Steelers Front Four. Danbury Mint

Most Sacks,
Average Per Season
1	Rams		44.4
2	Cowboys		43.2
3	Steelers		39.3
4	Redskins		38.5
5	49ers		38.1
6	Colts		37.6
7	Raiders		37.3
	Oilers		37.3
9	Patriots		36.8
10	Bears		34.8
11	Broncos		34.6
12	Vikings		34.2
13	Bengals		33.8
14	Packers		32.8
15	Lions		31.7
16	Browns		31.3
17	Dolphins		30.9

Orange Crush Defense. Danbury Mint

Most Interceptions,
Average Per Season
1	Steelers		26.4
2	Raiders		24.0
3	Chiefs		23.9
4	Rams		23.6
5	Vikings		23.1
6	Redskins		22.5
7	Colts		21.5
8	Dolphins		20.5
9	Bengals		20.1
10	Lions		20.0
11	Broncos		19.7
	Oilers		19.7
	Chargers		19.7
14	Cowboys		19.5
15	Bears		19.3
16	Falcons		19.2

Doomsday I Defense. Danbury Mint

Lowest Opponent Passer Rating
1	Steelers		50.7
2	Vikings		53.8
3	Redskins		56.5
4	Rams		57.7
5	Raiders		58.1
6	Falcons		59.4
7	Cowboys		60.0
8	Bengals		62.2
9	Dolphins		63.7
	Chiefs		63.7

Fewest Rushing TDs Allowed
Season Average
1	Rams		8.1
2	Steelers		8.4
3	Cowboys		10.0
4	Vikings		11.2
	Dolphins		11.2
6	Redskins		12.0
7	Raiders		12.1
8	Broncos		13.0
9	49ers		13.3
10	Packers		13.8

Defensive TDs
Decade Total
1	Bengals		27
2	Rams		25
3	Chiefs		24
	Lions		24
5	Redskins		23
6	Broncos		21
	Bills		21
	Browns		21
9	Vikings		19
	Oilers		19
11	Raiders		18
	Colts		18
	Falcons		18

Lowest Yards per rush, Decade
1	Steelers		3.52
2	Rams		3.632
3	Cowboys		3.634
4	Broncos		3.64
5	Buccaneers		3.70
6	Bears		3.82
7	49ers		3.84
8	Redskins		3.86
9	Packers		3.937
	Oilers		3.937

Fewest First Downs Allowed
Average per Season
1	Rams		214.3
2	Vikings		219.6
3	Cowboys		220.5
4	Steelers		223.7
5	Dolphins		228.4
6	Colts		233.0
7	Lions		236.9
8	Broncos		237.0
9	49ers		242.3
10	Falcons		243.3
11	Raiders		244.8
12	Redskins		245.2

Fewest First Downs Rushing   Avg. per Season
1	Rams		84.3
2	Cowboys		86.2
3	Steelers		88.3
4	Broncos		95.7
5	Dolphins		96.8
6	Colts		99.5
7	Raiders		103.0
8	Vikings		103.1
9	Redskins		104.4
10	49ers		105.0

Fewest First Downs Passing Allowed
Average per Season

1	Vikings		101.3
2	Falcons		106.6
3	Lions		108.4
4	Bills		108.8
5	Steelers		110.1
6	Rams		110.9
7	Cowboys		113.9
8	Packers		114.1
9	49ers		114.5
10	Bengals		114.7
11	Colts		116.3
12	Browns		116.8
13	Raiders		117.4
14	Dolphins		118.2
15	Patriots		118.3
16	Broncos		118.7