D-Fence!

I remember attending my first NFL game at the Superdome and some guy had a big posterboard "D" and then a posterboard cut out of a picket fence. I still find that entertaining. Mainly because someone from New Orleans could come up with it.

I have heard some grumblings about switching from players on defense to a team defense in the past, and while I'm not endorsing either, I thought it would be interesting to take a look at those three players at the very bottom that are usually an after thought. Just set someone in that spot so you don't pick up a zero and let the offense win the game. But who has had the best D and has it made the difference in any games?

Madd Skillz:
Edwin is averaging 12.44 points per week from his d-fence with a couple of players giving him double digit performances. John Abraham contributed 8 tackles, 1 sack, and a forced fumble on his way to 10 points in week 3 (10.0 points). Adam Archuleta had MS's best single game performance making 6 tackles, 2 sacks, and recovery a fumble (12.0 points) in week 7. Perhaps most notably on defense has been Ed Reed who has been a tremendous disappointment. Fresh off being the player of the year, Reed only has 18 tackles and is still looking for his first INT or fumble force/recovery.
Recap:
12.44 per week average
2 players reaching double digits
0 TDs

Cellar Dwellers:
Stembo is averaging a better defense than the number one team in the league (zing!). CD's D is averaging 13.44 points per week. He, though, has had no one reach double digits, but he did have a double digit defender on the bench in week one. However, he does have a defensive touchdown. In week 6, Atlanta linebacker Demorrio Williams found the end zone (I hate the term "pay dirt" just in case you were wondering).
Recap:
13.44 per week average
0 players reaching double digits
1 TD

Sex Panther:
The Gun has been stellar contributing 15 points per week on average. He is 0-3 when his defense combines to score less than 10 points and is 5-0 when reaching double digits. During his 4 game win streak, his D is helping out a stellar 18.625 points per week. Zach Thomas made 9 tackles, had a sack, and forced a fumble
(10.5) in week 3. Week 5 saw Robert Mathis give SP a big 12.5 boost. Zach Thomas was back again in week 6 with 10 tackles, a sack, and a forced fumble totaling 11.00 points. But the biggest performer of them all came just this past week from a freaking Arizona Cardinal. Bertrand Berry had 5 tackles, 2 sacks, as well as forcing and recovery a fumble. That's 14.5 points and more than half the teams make with three players on a given weekend.
Recap:
15.0 per week average
4 players reaching double digits
0 TDs

Blaine Browns:
The Browns get a modest 12.5 per week from their defense. Dwight Freeney is the only player of mention here having a strong week 3 against (gasp) the Cleveland Browns. Freeney had 5 tackles, 3 sacks, and a forced fumble on his way to 14.5 points.
Recap:
12.5 per week
1 player reaching double digits
0 TDs

ChamPeons:
Champ gets 11.81 points per week defensively. Very similar to the aforementioned Blaine Browns, ChamPeons only has one player in double digits. Jeremiah Trotter of Stephen F. Austin University forced a fumble, caught an interception, tackled Drew Brees, and made five other solo tackles in an 11.5 point effort.
Recap:
11.81 per week
1 player reaching double digits
0 TDs

Fred Lane's Wife:
Andy Viano's squad brings us the first team averaging in single digits. At 7.81 points per week, FLW has suffered through a weeks of 2.5, 5.5, 3.5, and 4.5. Furthermore, he has had no outstanding players with double digits weeks or defensive touchdowns. Boo to you Fred Lane's Wife. For shooting your husband.
Recap:
7.81 points per week
0 players reaching double digits
0 TDs

The Octagon:
Owner JR Radcliffe gets a solid 13.25 points per week from his defense. Much like Sex Panther, his defense tells much about his team's performance for any given week. Getting just 10.6 points in weeks he loses, Oct gets a big boost of 17.67 in weeks he has a win. JR's football man crush, Jason Taylor, had a huge week 1 nabbing 16.5 points scoring every way a defender can except for grabbing an INT (who really gets safetys? Totally doesn't count). Week 2 saw Troy Polamalu eclipse double digits with 3 sacks and 6 tackles (12.0 points). Jason Taylor again made it to 10 or more by putting up 12.0 points in week 5.
Recap:
13.25 points per week
3 players reaching double digits
1 TD

Father Abraham:
FA, well, it's not pretty. Just 10.7 points per week. Zero players in double digits. Zero defensive touchdowns. Zero points from a defender in three different weeks.
Recap:
10.7 points per week
0 players in double digits
0 TDs

Big Fat Guys:
I was blown away when I saw that Baron was averaging 20.3 points per week. Then I realized I divided by the wrong number and found the correct average to be a much more realistic 12.69 points per week. Donnie Edwards threw down Eli Manning, forced a fumble, and made 9 tackles in week 3 (10.50 points). Week 6 saw Brian Urlacher have 8 tackles and 2 sacks (10.0 points). Not too shabby.
Recap:
12.69 points per week
2 players in double digits
0 TDs

Who is Ron Mexico?:
The LaTomke crew is putting up 13.19 points per week. Just the last three weeks alone, WIRM is averaging an impressive 17 points per week from their trio. Bryant Young is the lone player in double digits when this past week he put up a 10.5 number.
Recap:
13.19 points per week
1 player in double digits
0 TDs

Top Defenses in points per week:
1. Sex Panther 15.0
2. *Cellar Dwellers 13.44
3. *The Octagon 13.25
4. Who Is Ron Mexico? 13.19
5. The Big Fat Guys 12.69
6. Blaine Browns 12.5
7. Madd Skillz 12.44
8. ChamPeons 11.81
9. Father Abraham 10.7
10. Fred Lane's Wife 7.81

* = Has a defensive touchdown

Hey Tomke, congrats, you are off the bottom of the rankings.

And if you are bummed about your team's defense (or Eli, JR, or Stem is curious), just read this and you'll realize that you are better off than this guy!