The top team in each conference runs the ball and plays defense (1 Viewer)

[MattFancy]

If there were one set criteria to winning this would be an easy game. The common denominators are a strong qb and good coaching, what's around them are variables.

Surely you're not suggesting that Seattle and Kansas City have strong QBs.

I think Seattle does. I don't think KC does. KC has the perfect formula for beating bad teams, but will usually lose to strong teams. Great defense, run game, and winning the turnover battle will keep them in games with the better teams, but in the end a QB needs to make a few plays to win those games. I have zero faith Alex will do that.

If your defense is as good as KC's (and your schedule as bad), you don't even need to run it well, just often. That should tell you they are really winning because of defense.

It's not like Jamaal Charles is having a great year rushing yardage wise. He only has 1 100yd game. The Chiefs success is due to running the ball well when they need to, playing great defense, and not turning the ball over. Pretty good formula for the playoffs. But I agree with others that I don't have much faith in Alex Smith to make a big play if they need him to.

 

[CalBear]

If there were one set criteria to winning this would be an easy game. The common denominators are a strong qb and good coaching, what's around them are variables.

Surely you're not suggesting that Seattle and Kansas City have strong QBs.

I think Seattle does. I don't think KC does. KC has the perfect formula for beating bad teams, but will usually lose to strong teams. Great defense, run game, and winning the turnover battle will keep them in games with the better teams, but in the end a QB needs to make a few plays to win those games. I have zero faith Alex will do that.

Wilson has potential but he's not there yet. He has two games this year with under 50% completions, two games with under 150 passing yards, two games with zero TDs. (Not all the same games). If he was on a team without a great defense he wouldn't be anywhere near 6-1.

 

[Khy]

Because its not about who is the top team after week 7?

How about the other top teams?

NE...throws the ball....elite QB (maybe not playing well this year for sure)

Indy...throws the ball...up and coming QB

Denver...throws the ball...elite QB

Dallas...throws the ball.

Green Bay...throws the ball....elite QB

New Orleans...throws the ball...elite QB

Chiefs: 250 passing attempts/203 rushing attempts - 55.2% Passing/44.8% Rushing

Seattle: 195 passing attempts/238 rushing attempts - 45.0% Passing/55.0% Rushing

New England: 285 passing attempts/195 rushing attempts - 59.3% Passing/40.7% Rushing

Indianapolis: 227 passing attempts/199 rushing attempts - 53.3% Passing/46.7% Rushing

Denver: 292 passing attempts/200 rushing attempts - 59.3% Passing/40.7% Rushing

Dallas: 265 passing attempts/148 rushing attempts - 64.2% Passing/35.8% Rushing

Green Bay: 220 passing attempts/165 rushing attempts - 57.1% Passing/42.9% Rushing

New Orleans: 237 passing attempts/152 rushing attempts - 61.0% Passing/39.0% Rushing

So honestly? None of these teams are really 'balanced' the closest of the bunch would be the Colts as they're nearly 50/50. That said, the Chiefs? Not really a running team... they're closer to GB than most people would probably realize. They are "RB Centric" in the sense that Jamaal Charles leads the team in targets with 57 and the RBs as a whole account for 75 of the overall 250 targets. So their "RB Percentage" is actually more like 61.4% to RBs and the rest passing. But regardless they're still a "passing team".

All we are seeing here is the top teams are playing good defense or are simply in bad divisions where good defense isn't required to win. Either way... this threads pointless.

 

[MAC_32]

If there were one set criteria to winning this would be an easy game. The common denominators are a strong qb and good coaching, what's around them are variables.

Surely you're not suggesting that Seattle and Kansas City have strong QBs.

I think Seattle does. I don't think KC does. KC has the perfect formula for beating bad teams, but will usually lose to strong teams. Great defense, run game, and winning the turnover battle will keep them in games with the better teams, but in the end a QB needs to make a few plays to win those games. I have zero faith Alex will do that.

Wilson has potential but he's not there yet. He has two games this year with under 50% completions, two games with under 150 passing yards, two games with zero TDs. (Not all the same games). If he was on a team without a great defense he wouldn't be anywhere near 6-1.

You're discounting his finish to 2012. Guy was a total stud from the Detroit game on.

I wouldn't categorize the San Fran game as a bad one either. Seattle got out to a huge lead and they went to burn out the clock mode.

I thought he played very well in the Indy game, despite the low comp %, and he ripped Arizona up. I thought he looked rusty early on vs. Carolina week 1, but as the game went on he played well - they just couldn't finish drives.

I didn't watch Houston and Tennessee, but the general feel I got from what I read about those games - Houston was a grinder on both sides of the ball and vs. Tennessee it looked like the whole Seattle team didn't show up. The fact that they won anyway is very telling about this team's talent though, yes.

 

[Tanner9919]

Chiefs and Seahawks.

I don't care about the yardage ranking, both of these teams have been the best the season at playing pass defense...i.e. stopping what most of the league is trying to do.

I get the Seahawks, Niners, Bengals..

but are the Chiefs' really that good? they've played an inept Giants team, Jags, Titans,Raiders,Texans - all of whom were starting first year QBs or scrubs..

they have to play SD and Denver twice, Colts, Redskins - all pass-happy offenses - during the second half of the season..

we'll see how the stand after that..