It’s the NFL’s version of a news flash, a this-just-in reminder that comes along from time to time about the way things work on the way to winning the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
With one weekend of playoff games in the books, what remains are some marquee quarterbacks and some big, bad and bloody-knuckle defenses.
“Offense puts people in the stands, but defense wins championships,” veteran running back LaDainian Tomlinson said after helping the New York Jets eliminate Peyton Manning and the Colts with a last-play, 17-16 victory Saturday night in Indianapolis.
Star quarterbacks Tom Brady, Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers notwithstanding, odds are defense will win this year’s championship when Super Bowl XLV is played Feb. 6 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
After road wins by the Baltimore Ravens (30-7 at Kansas City) and the Green Bay Packers (21-16 at Philadelphia) on Sunday, seven of the NFL’s eight toughest regular-season defenses to score on are still playing.
The New England Patriots, who had the league’s best regular-season record (14-2), was ranked No. 8 in the 32-team NFL in scoring defense.
The only defensive misfit remaining in the final eight was the biggest misfit when the postseason opened.
The Seattle Seahawks, who won the NFC West with a 7-9 record, survived a 41-36 shootout Saturday with the defending NFL champion New Orleans Saints. Seattle was ranked 25th in the league in scoring defense during the regular season.
The Seahawks advanced to the NFC semifinals despite allowing 474 yards against New Orleans, including 404 passing by Drew Brees. They won despite trailing 10-0 in the first quarter and despite quarterback Matt Hasselbeck’s third pass of the game being intercepted.
“An unbelievably electric day around the stadium,” Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said afterward at Qwest Field in Seattle. “It was 10-0. That’s a tough crew over there. . . . There were so many chances to just say, ‘OK, we’re lucky to be here.’ “
The Jets, meanwhile, held Manning to 225 yards passing — his third-lowest output of the season. The Colts rushed for 93 yards and scored only one offensive touchdown.
The Chiefs entered Sunday’s game against Baltimore at Arrowhead Stadium with the NFL’s No. 1 running game. They won the regular-season rushing title, averaging 164.2 yards per game. Running back Jamaal Charles scored on a 41-yard gallop Sunday on the Chiefs’ sixth play from scrimmage.
But on their 18 other carries, the Chiefs gained 67 yards (3.7 average). They had only two drives Sunday longer than five plays and didn’t have the ball longer than eight plays on any possession.
Chiefs coach Todd Haley called Baltimore’s blowout “a tough ending to a really fun year.”
The Packers, with defensive coordinator Dom Capers a possible candidate for the Broncos’ head coaching job, used a variety of blitzes to slow the Eagles’ potent offense.
Green Bay sacked Michael Vick three times and used veteran cornerback Charles Woodson — a former NFL defensive player of the year — as a “spy” to keep tabs on Vick as a runner and keep the Philadelphia quarterback in the pocket.
So the tone is set for the AFC and NFC semifinals this weekend, with defensive heavyweights going at it in the AFC. Baltimore (ranked No. 3 in scoring defense) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (ranked No. 1) will meet for the third time this season. The Jets play the Patriots in another third meeting.
The Jets are faced with dealing with Manning and Brady in back-to-back playoff games. Brady, who is expected to win the league’s MVP award, has a 14-4 record in playoff games — including a 3-1 mark in Super Bowl starts.
Jeff Legwold: 303-954-2359 or jlegwold@denverpost.com
