What Does It Take To Win an SFL Championship?
This article may help someone such as Bill Cook since he clearly does not have the answer. Seriously though what does it take to win a title? I have said it many times, in my opinion it takes skill to make it to the playoffs but a good run game, great defense and some old fashioned lady luck to win in the playoffs. I wanted to take a look at where each SFL super bowl team stood in terms of offense and defensive ranking. Here goes:
2002 Super Bowl:
AFC Champion Indianapolis Colts vs NFC Champion St Louis Rams
Rams won 51 to 31
Game summary: Offensive slobber knocker- The Rams passed for 334 yards while the Colts passed for 357. Both teams starting QB?s (Kurt Warner for the Rams and Peyton Manning for the Colts) missed time in the game due to injury. The Rams also ran the ball at will gaining 223 yards on the ground. The Colts gained only 55 yards on the ground.
Colts regular season:
- Passed for an amazing 5630 yards
* Had two WR?s with 1000+ yards, with Reggie Wayne leading the way with 2197 yards.
- Had 4 WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1170 yards
- Offensive rank: #1 with 420 yards per game
- Passing rank: #1 with 342 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #29 with 78 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #16 with 335 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #17 with 219 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #20 with 115 rushing yards allowed per game
Rams regular season:
- Passed for an amazing 3919 yards
- Had one WR with 1000+ yards
- Had 2 WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1201 yards
- Offensive rank: #10 with 352 yards per game
- Passing rank: #7 with 241 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #13 with 111 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #25 with 339 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #14 with 224 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #19 with 114 rushing yards allowed per game
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2003 Super Bowl:
AFC Champion Baltimore Ravens vs NFC Champion St Louis Rams
Ravens won 27 to 24
Game summary: This was a more balanced game than the first SFL super bowl. The Rams passed for 311 yards vs 208 for the Ravens. The Rams rushed for 86 yards while the Ravens ran for 126 yards.
Ravens regular season:
- Passed for 4021 yards with starting QB Jeff taking all QB snaps in the season. (The punter was credit with 1 pass attempt.)
- Had two WR?s with 1000+ yards.
- Had 3 WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1920 yards
- Offensive rank: #2 with 388 yards per game
- Passing rank: #6 with 240 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #4 with 148 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #3 with 278 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #7 with 186 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #5 with 92 rushing yards allowed per game
Rams regular season:
- Passed for 4311 yards
- Had two WR?s with 1000+ yards
- Had 4 WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1074 yards
- Offensive rank: #10 with 352 yards per game
- Passing rank: #7 with 241 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #13 with 111 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #19 with 330 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #16 with 208 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #22 with 123 rushing yards allowed per game
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2004 Super Bowl:
AFC Champion Miami Dolphin vs NFC Champion Washington Redskins
Redskins won 33 to 3
Game summary: This was a game won by the Redskins dominating on defense. Neither team had the huge offensive outburst seen in previous SFL super bowls.
Dolphins regular season:
* Passed for 3552 yards with starting QB Tim Couch taking all QB snaps in the season.
- Had zero WR?s with 1000+ yards.
- Had 3 WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1597 yards
- Offensive rank: #2 with 388 yards per game
- Passing rank: #18 with 205 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #13 with 122 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #9 with 312 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #14 with 209 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #10 with 104 rushing yards allowed per game
Redskins regular season:
- Passed for 3832 yards
- Had two WR?s with 1000+ yards
- Had two WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1477 yards
- Offensive rank: #9 with 352 yards per game
- Passing rank: #9 with 228 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #11 with 124 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #25 with 342 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #28 with 236 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #11 with 105 rushing yards allowed per game
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2005 Super Bowl:
AFC Champion New England Patriots vs NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals
Cardinals won 31 to 28
Game summary: Unlike the 2004 SFL super bowl this game had quite a bit of offense. It was a close game between two very good teams.
Patriots regular season:
- Passed for aprox 3700 yards
- Had one WR?s with 1000+ yards.
- Had 3 WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1884 yards
- Offensive rank: #4 with 382 yards per game
- Passing rank: #9 with 237 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #3 with 145 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #27 with 363 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #28 with 241 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #24 with 122 rushing yards allowed per game
Cardinals regular season:
- Passed for aprox 3600 yards
- Had one WR?s with 1000+ yards
- Had two WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1325 yards rushing
- Offensive rank: #12 with 347 yards per game
- Passing rank: #16 with 229 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #15 with 118 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #17 with 336 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #12 with 218 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #20 with 118 rushing yards allowed per game
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2006 Super Bowl: AFC Champion Oakland Raiders vs NFC Champion Washington Redskins
Redskins won 24 to 13
Game summary: This was another SFL super bowl won in large part due to the Washington Redskins strong defense. It was another game without a ton of offensive explosion.
Raiders regular season:
- Passed for aprox 3200 yards
- Had one WR?s with 1000+ yards.
- Had two WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1895 yards
- Offensive rank: #10 with 356 yards per game
- Passing rank: #25 with 197 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #2 with 158 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #7 with 318 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #14 with 226 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #5 with 92 rushing yards allowed per game
Redskins regular season:
- Passed for aprox 3900 yards
- Had one WR?s with 1000+ yards
- Had three WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1915 yards rushing
- Offensive rank: #13 with 346 yards per game
- Passing rank: #16 with 229 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #3 with 142 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #2 with 306 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #2 with 196 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #17 with 109 rushing yards allowed per game
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2007 Super Bowl: AFC Champion San Diego Chargers vs NFC Champion New Orleans Saints
Saints won 15 to 13
Game summary: The trend continues, a defensive battle won by the team who controlled the running game.
Chargers regular season:
- Passed for aprox 3200 yards by a rookie QB.
- Had zero WR?s with 1000+ yards.
- Had three WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1604 yards
- Offensive rank: #15 with 343 yards per game
- Passing rank: #26 with 195 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #2 with 148 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #24 with 345 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #29 with 243 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #7 with 102 rushing yards allowed per game
Saints regular season:
- Passed for aprox 3100 yards
- Had one WR?s with 1000+ yards
- Had two WR?s with 600+ yards
- Leading RB had 1918 yards rushing
- Offensive rank: #13 with 348 yards per game
- Passing rank: #29 with 178 yards per game
- Rushing rank: #1 with 170 yards per game
- Defensive rank: #2 with 296 yards allowed per game
- Passing defense rank: #12 with 215 passing yards allowed per game
- Rushing defense rank: #1 with 80 rushing yards allowed per game
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Whomever controls the running game controls the SFL Super Bowl- That is correct, every single SFL Super Bowl winning team led in rushing yards. Every. Single. Time.
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A Look At Playbooks
This should to no surprise but the Broncos playbook has dominated in the super bowl matchups.
2002 Indianapolis Colts
Offensive: Colts
Defensive: Mixed
2002 St Louis Rams- Champions
Offensive: Rams
Defensive: Bears
2003 Baltimore Ravens- Champions
Offensive: Titans
Defensive: 3-4
2003 St Louis Rams
Offensive: Pass Balanced
Defensive: Bears
2004 Miami Dolphins
Offensive: Mixed
Defensive: Mixed
2004 Washington Redskins- Champions
Offensive: Packers
Defensive: Mixed
2005 New England Patriots
Offensive: Broncos
Defensive: Balanced
2005 Arizona Cardinals- Champions
Offensive: Mixed
Defensive: Mixed
2006 Oakland Raiders
Offensive: Broncos
Defensive: Bears
2006 Washington Redskins- Champions
Offensive: Broncos
Defensive: 3-4
2007 San Diego Chargers
Offensive: Broncos
Defensive: 49'ers
2007 New Orleans Saints- Champions
Offensive: Broncos
Defensive: Cover 2
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