30 greatest defenses in NFL history
9. ’58 Giants
In the ’50s, similarly to more recent years, the stars of the sport all played on the offensive side of the ball. Otto Graham at the Browns, Bobby Walston of the Eagles and Frank Gifford from the Giants themselves were the main attractions. The Giants’ defense of the late ’50s changed all this. Suddenly, the stars of the franchise were on both sides of the ball. A ferocious, brutal defense was as exciting to watch as an explosive, gung-ho offense.
The main attraction of such a defense? The All-Decade linebacker Josh Huff, who was the first defensive star in the NFL. He was the first defensive player to make the cover of TIME magazine and was the first player to ever be mic’d up during a game. The Giants defense was built around Huff playing what was then a new position, middle linebacker. The 4-3 formation was invented by the assistant coach of New York in order to stop the all-conquering Browns’ and Colts’ offenses and it worked.
From 1958, the Giants had the best defense in the NFL in three of the next four years. Such was the superiority of that defense, that not only was the game changed forever, but the pronunciation of the word ‘Defense’ changed. The word is pronounced “Duh-fense”, but the outstanding play of the Giants inspired fans to chant the inaugural “DEFENSE! DEFENSE!” Changing the way a word is said? That is proof if ever you needed it. Oh, and the aforementioned assistant coach was the little-known Tom Landry.
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