Do QBs really win Championships or are DT's winning championships?

The saying is: "you need a QB to win a Championship" or "Defense wins Championships" but has anyone noticed the Defensive Tackle position may be what's winning titles? Basically, the best Defensive Tackle in any season has a real shot at winning a Superbowl. Even more so than having the best QB like Josh Allen or Lamar Jackson.

Here's a list of the last 10 Superbowl winning Defensive Tackles (and 1 defensive end, Von MIller)

2024 Jalen Carter (Eagles)
2023 Chris Jones (Chiefs)
2022 Chris Jones (Chiefs)
2021 Aaron Donald (Rams)
2020 Ndamukong Suh/Vita Vea (Buccs)
2019 Chris Jones (Chiefs)
2018 Malcolm Brown (Patriots)
2017 Fletcher Cox (Eagles)
2016 Malcolm Brown (Patriots)
2015 Von Miller (Broncos)

is this a coincidence....or.....are GM's overlooking a very valuable position by drafting QBs, LT's and WRs early in drafts each season?

 

Steelers are soft on DL and have been for years... even with the mighty Heyward who disappears against the better teams. Steelers haven't had a formidable D line since the days of Hampton, Kiesel and Smith.... aka 2 time Super Bowl Champs. Honorable mention: Kimo Von Oelhoffen

 

Yeah uhm NO

Allen Jackson haven't won a superbowl

 

That's some good off-season posting right there!

 

This is a great analogy. The current NFL is based on QB performance which is countered with defensive line pressure.

The Steelers haven't been good enough in any of these key areas for years, lack of QB play and the offensive line is not good enough.

Exactly. That playoff game against the Ravens hammered home that fact. The Steelers' defense wracks up stats early in the season but disappears late in the year and is completely MIA in the playoffs.

That is due to being on the field too much due to the offense.

It is also due to organizational philosophy in building a team. The Eagles build inside out while the Steelers are the opposite. We need to be two-deep in defensive line talent.

You are right, the defensive line is not good enough.

 

Teams win it all. There isn't one recipe to win it all. The Chiefs have won it recently with an all out air attack and mediocre defense. They just won because Mahomes, Kelce, and Hill would outscore their opponents. The Eagles won it with a strong rushing attack led by a high end RB and a running QB in Hurts, they coupled that with a pass rush that won inside and outside (DT's and EDGE). Us and the Ravens have won with high end game managing QB play and excellent defenses. The NYG won it simply with their pass rush and Eli turning into a gamer a couple times.

I think chasing a "one true formula" is incorrect. We need to find the pieces that are worth building around, and then maximizing that. You need to have studs to win it all. It doesn't necessarily matter which position those studs play... but you need a couple outstanding players to win it all. Draft and sign until you get those guys, and then build your team around the strengths of those players. That's how it should be done.

 

Funny looking at this list it is like every team that has won a Superbowl had a future hall of Fame QB on their team.

I think this list proves you need one of the leagues best QBs to win a Ring.

 

I totally agree with you. I think the best formula involves coaches that are flexible enough to maximize players skillsets into their schemes. I personally think that having a great DL and OL is a great start, regardless of schemes. With a great DL, warts on defense are much easier to cover up. I don't think we need to become the 49ers or Eagles to win a SB. We need to be better at drafting and have better player development. There's too many square pegs being drove into round holes on our roster, and being forced to acquire talent in FA to fill the holes of awful drafting led us to this point.

 

100% agree. There is no one path the winning the SB or 32 teams would be doing that every year. You do have to have some good players in specific positions and you have to have a team that plays well together. Good teamwork can make up for deficiencies in other areas.

 

QB can win it, but they better be fast against a great D-LINE.Wr best be open or QB better run hard and fast. OR throw in 2 seconds, be accurate ,and everything. But yes, a QB can win it.

 

Teams win championships, not quarterbacks or defensive tackles. It drives me nuts when I hear, "Brady won seven Super Bowls", no he was the quarterback of teams that won seven.

 

Funny, and how many of those Superbowls do they win without Tom Brady.

Now, name me one other player on the team you could say the Patriots would not have won the Superbowl without him.

Every year that rolls bye I think.. It Don't mean a thing unless you have a Big time QB on your team.

I will always thrust Joe Gibbs's name out their for best NFL Coaches of all time, because his teams won SuperBowls without a Hall of Fame QB playing.

Super Bowls won by Joe Gibbs and their quarterbacks

• Super Bowl XVII (1982): The Redskins won with Joe Theismann as quarterback
• Super Bowl XXII (1987): The Redskins won with Doug Williams as quarterback
• Super Bowl XXVI (1991): The Redskins won with Mark Rypien as quarterback

 

I think you will agree in Gibbs time a good running game and strong defense with a game manager was much more viable

 

Adam Vinatieri

 

It takes a whole village. Every position is important.

 

Can I introduce Cameron Heyword

 

Exactly, if the Bengals had a dominant defense, how much different is their season? How much better could Burrow have played? No one is arguing that the QB isn't the main player on the team, but if the team has a bad defense or a mediocre field goal kicker, he may not see a super bowl.

 

So, he was on the field all by himself, that is quite an accomplishment.

 

Agreed, that is why I believe in the expression for old coaches about the game has passed them bye.

 

Best analogy on this topic.


Games are won and lost in the trenches. If you are dominant on both?! Your chances to win playoff games skyrocket. If you have a Franchise QB along with elite trench play on both?!


You qualify as a Super Bowl Contender.

 

Kind of answers the question about Mahomes and the Chiefs 2 SB losses