30 greatest defenses in NFL history
4. ’69 Chiefs
Perhaps the most unappreciated defensive unit on this list, the ’69 Chiefs were brilliant. The greatest linebacker trio of all time, Jim Lynch, Willie Lanier and Bobby Bell, was the basis for Hank Stram’s ‘triple stack’ defense. In such a system, the linebackers would stand right behind the defensive line, giving them lots of room to roam and make plays. It was the linebackers that were the stars of this defensive unit.
While Bell and Lanier were the Hall of Fame linchpins of this defense, there was quality right through the side. The Chiefs fielded five Hall of Fame caliber players in the Super Bowl victory over the Minnesota Vikings. Only Green Bay can top that. Alongside Bell and Lanier in the Hall of Fame, were defensive linemen Buck Buchanan and Curley Culp, as well as cornerback Emmitt Thomas.
The unit was brutal against the run. The rushing champion of ’69, Dickie Post, ran for 873 yards that year. In the two games against the Chiefs, he ran for a total of six. All in all, the Chiefs’ led the league in yards allowed per attempt in both the pass and the run, total yards in both the pass and the run, touchdowns allowed in both the pass and the run, total takeaways, total yards (by over 600) and total points by nearly ’70. No other team on this list can match that.
The only doubt on such a unit is the apparent weakness of the AFL. The Chiefs went on to win Super Bowl IV, battering the NFL’s No. 1 offense black and blue. They forced five takeaways, limited the second best rushing attack in the NFL to only 69 yards on 19 attempts and allowed just seven points. It was a performance that dispelled any doubts and proved the ’69 Chiefs’ defense is one of the best of all time.
Next: 3. '69-'71 Vikings