What is the winning formula in your opinion

[SDC-SBV-1D]

Has anyone seen a game where a team dominates on the offensive and defensive lines and still lose? I havent, im sure its not that simple, but in the nfl, so much emphasis is placed on teams' skill position but its still a game of big men pushing other big men.

[allan]

Originally Posted by Strife9878

Going to try to just pick 3 points in each.

General:

• Don't beat yourself on any front: In a league that is as balanced talent wise as the NFL is... you can't be giving away points, or field position regularly.
• Strong Coaching: You need a coaching staff that keeps the players motivated, ready to perform, manages the clock well, and can adapt to anything and everything thrown at them.
• Depth: No matter how good the starters roster spots of 1-25 are (counting the 3 ST specialists) if you can't win with 26-53 you are going to lose some games. I don't know how many times each fanbase uses the injury excuse every year... not knowing how hurt the rest of the league is/was.

Offense:

• Strong QB play First and foremost... you need a QB who can move the ball down the field. The teams I have seen constantly winning seem to do this pretty well. There are different kinds of QBs... but you can't win without a good one.
• Strong OL Play: I watched the playoffs and was very amazed by the OLs they have. That isn't to say they got beat but. When Brady and Manning didn't have the quick pass they wanted they had time to move around and buy time. Kappernick was able to take off and run because even though the secondary played well enough for the coverage sack, the OL left him enough of a hole to run for it and turn nothing into something.
• Team built around the QB: If your QB isn't mobile you give him a pocket. If he is you design plays to use everything he has without putting him in harms way to much. As good as some teams are at running, building around a RB doesn't seem to be the path to championships.... nor do teams that try to build around one receiver/TE.

Defense:

• Sacks, Sacks and more Sacks: Anyone have a sight with stats and rankings by team over the last decade or so? I remember hearing that the Super Bowl winners tend to be top 5 in sacks but I could be wrong here. Still with the importance of the QB on O, it is very important to knock him down with the ball in his hands as much as possible.
• Stop the run: I put sacks as more important then this... but if you let other teams control the clock, then you let them control the game.
• Pressure with a 4 man rush: I alwlays have been a huge critic of DCs that refuse to adjust when they can't win this way... but when the good QBs get thrown off by a 4 man rush the secondary's chance of winning is a lot better if they have LB help.

I second this, great post in response to the original question. Thank you! Looking forward to more opinions!

[DutchCheddar]

Play great defense and run the football.

[biggestfan]

Originally Posted by SDC-SBV-1D

Has anyone seen a game where a team dominates on the offensive and defensive lines and still lose? I havent, im sure its not that simple, but in the nfl, so much emphasis is placed on teams' skill position but its still a game of big men pushing other big men.

I have never seen this. If you dominate in the trenches you will win games. Teams with skilled players may make it a game, but eventually the more fundamentally sound teams will win. If we were to play the 49'ers 4 times a year currently, they would beat us 3 out of 4 times. The reason i use them as an example is because they exemplify fundamentally sound. As were some of the Bill Parcells teams of the 80's and 90's and the Jimmy Johnson teams of the early 90's. The reason the Cowboys were able to dominate the Bills was that the Bills ran a small 3-4 defense that couldnt match up with dallas's oline. the 86 Giants did the same thing to Denver. Denver was always the victim of this in superbowls until they too became funadamentally sound. These are just a few examples but you can look at many more to validate this point

[chargertom]

The winning formula? Simple. Score more points than the other team.

[The Moekid]

Originally Posted by chargertom

The winning formula? Simple. Score more points than the other team.

not even really a formula when you put it that way

[charger1_sj]

Originally Posted by The Moekid

not even really a formula when you put it that way

Doesn't matter because it never fails.

[biggestfan]

Originally Posted by chargertom

The winning formula? Simple. Score more points than the other team.

I think it's being disciplined too. The buttoned up teams are usually perennial contenders. They may not win or dominate every game, but they are always in the conversation because they are capable of playing very good football for long stretches.

[chargertom]

Originally Posted by charger1_sj

Doesn't matter because it never fails.

You know it!