| With fantasy drafts looming just over the horizon, | | | | allowed all of last season. Four - wow, that's easily |
| for most of us this is a time of last-minute | | | | best in the league. However, that might lead you |
| web-site perusing and web-site scouring in hopes | | | | to believe that they have a suspect secondary |
| of cooking up that special lineup that will get us a | | | | that gives up a lot through the air. Not so. With |
| coveted fantasy football championship. In the | | | | Philip Buchanon, Dunta Robinson, Marcus Coleman |
| search for that magical recipe, we all need one | | | | and Glenn Earl back there, they have the names |
| key ingredient: a good, strong defense. Take a | | | | to get it done. This year should show a |
| minute and peruse this portion of our fantasy | | | | cohesiveness to this group, who still managed 22 |
| cookbook that will let you in on the top five | | | | interceptions last year (5th in NFL), that may |
| fantasy defenses that should slide under the radar | | | | have lacked a bit in the past, as these young |
| in most drafts this summer. | | | | players are all maturing and learning the NFL game |
| 5. Arizona Cardinals: Year after year we look to | | | | and how to play with each other more and more. |
| this team to be a fantasy defense standout, but | | | | Regardless, this team still only allowed 21.2 points |
| like rice pudding without raisins, they seem to be | | | | per game, and keep in mind they play Indy twice |
| missing that one necessary bit of pizzazz that | | | | every year. They gave up 10 or less points in 4 |
| moves them from average dessert to dining | | | | games last season and helped sure up the middle |
| delicacy. This season, we think Denny Green's | | | | of their d-line by drafting DT Travis Johnson (Fla |
| finally getting it right. He focused more on defense | | | | St.) in the first round. Taking Vernand Morency |
| in the draft this season, spending first and third | | | | (Okl St.) in the 2nd round of the draft helped |
| round picks on cornerbacks Antrel Rolle and Eric | | | | solidify a ground game that should keep this |
| Green, which should help round out a now solid | | | | young, active defense well-rested this season, |
| secondary that actually has the depth to | | | | making them more appealing than a rack of ribs |
| incorporate productive nickel and dime schemes. | | | | and an ice-cold beer for this year's fantasy |
| With third and fifth round picks used to bulk up a | | | | fanatics. |
| linebacking core that needed a little help, the | | | | 2. Washington Redskins: This defense was my |
| Cards have properly rounded out a defense that | | | | personal choice for fantasy drafts last season, |
| has always had a strong defensive line. A look in | | | | which worked out wonderfully. This new season |
| at the numbers reveals that Arizona allowed just | | | | has whetted my appetite for drafting them once |
| 20.1 points per game in 2004, good for 12th in the | | | | again. Quietly, the Redskins were a defensive |
| league, while only allowing 35 touchdowns (T-9th in | | | | juggernaut last season. Playing in the low-scoring, |
| NFL). At 9th in passing defense (189.8 yd/gm) | | | | grind-it-out NFC-East, they are in the perfect |
| they force teams to pound the ball, which always | | | | division for low-scoring games. With Steve |
| eats up clock and lowers point totals, which are | | | | Spurrier at the helm, they could never play this |
| necessities for any fantasy defense. Overall, the | | | | type of football -- they were too loose and gave |
| Cards were right in the middle of the pack in | | | | up too many big plays. Now, in just one season |
| turnovers, 30, with 15 picks and 15 fumble | | | | under Joe Gibbs, the Skins have turned this |
| recoveries. However, they had a turnover | | | | defense into what many have been hoping it |
| differential of just +1. This typifies the missing link | | | | would blossom into for years. In '04 they were |
| for the Cardinals in the recent past -- they've | | | | 7th in the league in pass defense (186.1 yd/gm) |
| lacked a strong offense to help keep the defense | | | | and amassed a solid 40 sacks (T-9th). With |
| rested and off the field. But, it's hard to have an | | | | numbers like that, it would be natural to assume |
| offense when you don't have a good quarterback | | | | their run defense was suspect. Not so! In fact, it |
| or running back. Finally, Denny Green has seen the | | | | was quite the opposite, ranking 2nd in the league |
| light and has drafted a quality running back in J.J. | | | | at just 81.5 yards per game, allowing league bests |
| Arrington to compliment a quarterback, Kurt | | | | of 3.1 yards/carry and 76 total first downs on the |
| Warner, who can actually get the ball to his top | | | | ground! It's hard to score on a team with |
| flight receivers. To boot, this team held on to | | | | numbers like these. Perhaps that's why the Skins |
| Josh McCown, which gives them the option of | | | | were 5th in the league in points against (16.6 per |
| now one of the best back-ups in the league. | | | | game) and tied for 4th in the league in total |
| Expect a top 10-15 defense out of the Cardinals, | | | | touchdowns against (30). Now, Spurrier would |
| who might now have the tools to get it done in | | | | have thought this cake was finished cooking and |
| the NFC-West. | | | | let it simply cool by the window. However, Gibbs |
| 4. Miami Dolphins: No matter how bad their record, | | | | is a wise old man and decided to tinker with the |
| never count this team out as having a bad | | | | icing a bit, drafting CB Carlos Rogers (Auburn) |
| defense. They are like the Atlanta Braves of the | | | | with the 9th pick in the draft and adding a couple |
| football world , as whoever they put out there on | | | | of solid linebacking prospects with his 5rd and 6th |
| defense knows how to get the job done. Despite | | | | round picks. Rogers has brought a nice little |
| a troublesome 4-12 record last season, the | | | | position battle to camp, which should raise the |
| Dolphins quietly allowed just 22.1 points per | | | | levels of play of all involved. This defense will by |
| contest. Digging a bit deeper, one might realize | | | | dangerous again this year and, perhaps, is worth |
| this number would have been still lower had the | | | | your pick on fantasy draft day. |
| Dolphins not thrown 8 interceptions that were | | | | 1. Buffalo Bills: Our top sleeper choice for fantasy |
| returned for touchdowns (no other team had | | | | defenses for the 2005 season has to be the |
| more than 4). This alone would bring down their | | | | Buffalo Bills. This team has all the ingredients, has |
| points allowed down to 18.6 per game, good for | | | | passed the taste-test, and is ready for Betty |
| 8th in the league! This problem should be | | | | Crocker's cookbook. Look at the numbers here. |
| remedied as Miami is going to get back to the | | | | The Bills were 8th in the league allowing just 17.8 |
| type of football that kept them in the playoffs | | | | points per game in 2004. They allowed just 6 |
| year after year in the recent past: running the | | | | rushing touchdowns all season, good for 2nd in the |
| football. With Ricky Williams cleared for camp and | | | | league. Their passing defense was 3rd in the |
| Ronnie Brown ready to roll, this team is going to | | | | league at just 164.0 yards per game, totaling 45 |
| spend down after down between the tackles and | | | | sacks, good for third in the league. This |
| little time in the air. That means low-scoring, fast | | | | well-rounded D was also 7th in the league against |
| games - a great defensive recipe. And like a true | | | | the run at 100.2 yards per game. Ok, now, sit |
| master chef, Dave Wannstedt still had his faculties | | | | down and brace yourself. Without much press, |
| about him enough to draft 4 defensive players | | | | this Bills team grabbed a league best 39 turnovers! |
| after Arrington, including Matt Roth (Iowa) and | | | | Only Carolina had more interceptions and only 3 |
| Channing Crowder (Florida). Add these ingredients | | | | teams recovered more fumbles. Overall, Buffalo |
| to a defensive dish that already includes names | | | | allowed under 10 points 3 times last season and |
| like Jason Taylor, Zach Thomas, Junior Seau, | | | | 20 or less points in 12 of their 16 contests. You |
| Tebucky Jones, Kevin Carter, and Sam Madison, | | | | could almost make the argument that this was |
| and you're staring at one tasty treat. Still not | | | | the best defense in the league and almost |
| convinced? Keep in mind this Dolphin defense was | | | | certainly top five. Not much has changed in the |
| still 2nd in the league against the pass last season | | | | offseason and this team continues to improve on |
| (162.0 yd/gm) and will finally be happy and healthy | | | | offense, which should help the defense as well. |
| up front on defense to stop the run. This is a | | | | Further, the Bills dodge the Colts again this season |
| great year to get back on a perennial favorite | | | | and play a soft out-of-division schedule including |
| defense that many will have written off. | | | | Tampa Bay, New Orleans and Oakland, which |
| 3. Houston Texans: "Four". That is the number | | | | should help in turnover differential and low point |
| that typifies this defense. Not only does 4 | | | | totals. This is the steal of the fantasy draft this |
| represent the number of marshmallows I can fit | | | | season, so if you have the chance, be sure to |
| in my mouth at one time, it also signifies the | | | | grab up the Buffalo Bills defense on draft day. |
| number of rushing touchdowns the Texans | | | | |