2011 NFL Postseason Make-or-Break Time for 'Defense Wins Championships' Cliche

The old cliche "defense wins championships" has fought a valiant battle, but could be unseated soon.

Three of the NFL's most legit contenders for a Super Bowl haven't fielded a passable defense at any point in the season. But the other three most serious contenders for the crown are some of the best defenses in the league.

Just one look at the team's top three offenses is revealing.

The commonalities between the three teams are aplenty:

• All three rank near the bottom of the league in yards allowed
• All three rank narrowly in the top half of the league in scoring
• All three have prolific offenses that rank in the top five in both major indicators

It's clear that all three teams rely on their quarterback to keep them in games. The Packers have given up more yards on defense than they've gained on offense. That's quite the feat for a team that has lost just one game this season.

Meanwhile, the Patriots are on pace to give up more passing yards than any defense in NFL history. Again, quite the achievement for a team that is 12-3 and has already locked up a first-round bye.

Those aren't necessarily big confidence boosts for a stretch run in January, but that these teams have all been so successful to this point without a legitimate defense can't be a coincidence.

It gets even more interesting when you look at the other three contenders for the crown.

There are less commonalities to be had between these teams: All three rank in the top five in both major defensive indicators, and all three feature middle-of-the-pack offenses.

But the theme here is obvious: The first group will break the stigma, or the second group will reinforce it.

Looking at the two groups, though, a few other thoughts come to mind:

• The first group is all pass-heavy offenses, while the second group is all run-heavy
• Both groups play to their team's strengths: The first group wants a shoot-out, and the second group wants a slugfest

As the rules and the times have changed, the NFL's elite have split into two very discernible groups: the teams that field an elite offense and the teams that play stifling defense.

The matchups will be interesting to watch regardless: high-octane offenses, stifling defenses or any combination of the two. Each game will carry weight as we put together the final conclusion on this defense vs. offense postseason.

Which will win out in 2011 remains to be seen, but will be hugely important going forward. We could see a decreasing number of defensive players drafted early, as there will be less motivation to draft and develop top-notch defenses if they are proven to be obsolete, as is the case with the first group.

If one of the league's best defenses wins, though, the debate of defenseless defenses will get an interesting twist and a swift kick in the pants.

These two separate groups are evidence that both formulas work to win games in the regular season, and in the 2011 season, there is no clear front runner among them (except the Packers).

But one thing is for certain: Depending on which team lifts the Lombardi Trophy this February, the "defense wins championships" mantra will either be justified or dead.

Erik Frenz is the co-host of the PatsPropaganda and Frenz podcast. Follow Erik on Twitter.