533 Points

[Just Me]

For those who are curious, the worst defense in NFL history (in terms of points allowed) was the 1981 Baltimore Colts. They allowed 533 points in the 1981 season.

The Vikings are on pace to 'only allow' 512 points (as of the 10th game we have allowed 320 points or 32.0 per game). So if we keep up our 'defensive effort' we won't be the worst of all time, beating the 81 Colts by holding our opponents to 1.3 points less per game than they did.

[dead_poet]

Somewhat relevant. And I just liked the quote.

#Vikings DE Jared Allen: "Misery loves company. This year, I hope no one makes the playoffs."

[Mothman]

Somewhat relevant. And I just liked the quote.

LOL! That's pretty funny.

[Reignman]

Just to expand on the futility theme. Here are the most points given up through 10 games since 1960. Our 2013 Vikings are 9th out of 1489 teams. Thank goodness our HC is a defensive guru

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  1. 1964 Denver Broncos        342
  2. 1981 Baltimore Colts       339
  3. 1973 Houston Oilers        338
  4. 1966 Atlanta Falcons       334
  5. 1975 New York Jets         330
  6. 2000 San Francisco 49ers   323
     1972 New England Patriots  323
  8. 2012 Oakland Raiders       322
  9. 2013 Minnesota Vikings     320
 10. 1967 Atlanta Falcons       318
     2013 Jacksonville Jaguars  318
 19. 1965 Minnesota Vikings     310 (previous franchise worst)
294. 1984 Minnesota Vikings     243 (Steckel season)

And through 11 games. If we give up 35 points to Green Bay we'll tie the franchise record.

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  1. 1966 New York Giants       388
  2. 1981 Baltimore Colts       377
  3. 1973 Houston Oilers        370
  4. 1966 Atlanta Falcons       357
  5. 2012 Oakland Raiders       356
  6. 1965 Minnesota Vikings     355
  7. 1964 Denver Broncos        354
     1972 New England Patriots  354
  9. 1961 Oakland Raiders       350
     1975 New York Jets         350
171. 1984 Minnesota Vikings     288 (Steckel season)

[Just Me]

Just to expand on the futility theme. Here are the most points given up through 10 games since 1960. Our 2013 Vikings are 9th out of 1489 teams. Thank goodness our HC is a defensive guru
<Good stats clipped>

A couple of things to remember was that the 65 team played 14 games for the season and their average defense (points per game - for the whole season) was 28.785. It helped them that in their final two games they only allowed 7 and 17 points, respectively. The other stat that I found interesting was that this squad had an decent offense to go with the anemic defense so they finished 7-7.

Steckel's squad (3-13) played a 16 game season and their final average defense (points per game - for the whole season) was 30.25.

In terms of points differential:

1965 team: -20
1984 team: -208
2013 team: -80 (currently)

By extrapolating, we can estimate we will conclude the season with an approximate -128 points differential for the 2013 squad.

What all this means is: that the 2013 squad is likely to finish with the worst defense in history, but Steckel's team still holds the record for the "futility index" (a term I just made up) as the offense was also way worse than our current offense. Losing is losing, of course, and maybe should be the only criteria used for the "futility index," but I thought I'd point out why the 1984 squad seemed so bad.

[Mothman]

A couple of things to remember was that the 65 team played 14 games for the season and their average defense (points per game - for the whole season) was 28.785. It helped them that in their final two games they only allowed 7 and 17 points, respectively. The other stat that I found interesting was that this squad had an decent offense to go with the anemic defense so they finished 7-7.

Steckel's squad (3-13) played a 16 game season and their final average defense (points per game - for the whole season) was 30.25.

In terms of points differential:

1965 team: -20
1984 team: -208
2013 team: -80 (currently)

By extrapolating, we can estimate we will conclude the season with an approximate -128 points differential for the 2013 squad.

What all this means is: that the 2013 squad is likely to finish with the worst defense in history, but Steckel's team still holds the record for the "futility index" (a term I just made up) as the offense was also way worse than our current offense. Losing is losing, of course, and maybe should be the only criteria used for the "futility index," but I thought I'd point out why the 1984 squad seemed so bad.

That 1984 team is still the worst Vikings team I've ever seen.

Thanks for creating the futility index! That was an interesting post.

[maembe]

Our defense is overrated. I bet if you looked at something like points/yards per possession we would look even worse. We're letting teams methodically drive down the field, chewing up clock, otherwise we'd be giving up way more points. Has there ever been another team to go an entire game with forcing a punt of turnover?

[Mothman]

Our defense is overrated. I bet if you looked at something like points/yards per possession we would look even worse. We're letting teams methodically drive down the field, chewing up clock, otherwise we'd be giving up way more points. Has there ever been another team to go an entire game with forcing a punt of turnover?

Sure, that's happened many times.

[Eli]

As offenses continue to score more points, defenses will continue to surrender more points...kinda makes sense.

Here's an interesting stats page. The average points per game is up in the last seven years, but only by a little. Go back and look at 1965 and 1948. It's interesting that there were two short periods, in the early 70s and in the early 90s, where scoring was down for a couple of years.

http://www.pro-football-reference.com/y ... coring.htm

[Reignman]

What all this means is: that the 2013 squad is likely to finish with the worst defense in history, but Steckel's team still holds the record for the "futility index" (a term I just made up) as the offense was also way worse than our current offense. Losing is losing, of course, and maybe should be the only criteria used for the "futility index," but I thought I'd point out why the 1984 squad seemed so bad.

I like to focus on the defense because Fraziers strength should be defense. And despite the amount of points we've scored, our offense is still anemic. Most of our points since the Panthers game have come in garbage time.

But haha "futility index", I love it ... the new category that is, not the fact that it's being used in a discussion about the 2013 Vikings. With the new criteria in hand, I went back and found the worst teams through 10 and 11 games using the futility index.

Through 10 games.

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  1. 1967 Atlanta Falcons      -212
  2. 1966 Atlanta Falcons      -205 (expansion team)
  3. 1972 New England Patriots -190
  4. 2013 Jacksonville Jaguars -189
  5. 1960 Dallas Cowboys       -183 (expansion team)
  6. 1975 Chicago Bears        -182
  7. 1967 Miami Dolphins       -180
  8. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -178 (expansion team)
  9. 1984 Houston Oilers       -177
     1961 Washington Redskins  -177
100. 1961 Minnesota Vikings    -110 (expansion team)
187. 2013 Minnesota Vikings     -80 (Frazier)
231. 2011 Minnesota Vikings     -71 (Frazier)
401. 1984 Minnesota Vikings     -46 (Steckel)*

And through 11 games.

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  1. 1966 Atlanta Falcons      -222 (expansion team)
  2. 1972 New England Patriots -221
  3. 1967 Atlanta Falcons      -215
  4. 1973 Houston Oilers       -208
  5. 1975 Chicago Bears        -203
  6. 1966 New York Giants      -200
  7. 1961 Washington Redskins  -198
  8. 2008 St. Louis Rams       -197
  9. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -195 (expansion team)
 10. 1981 Baltimore Colts      -192
 99. 1961 Minnesota Vikings    -120 (expansion team)
213. 2011 Minnesota Vikings     -81 (Frazier)
402. 1984 Minnesota Vikings     -46 (Steckel)*

*The 1962, 1963, 2005, 1979, 1967, 2010, and 2001 Vikings were worse than Steckel through 10 and 11 games in the futility department. However it's really the final 6 games of the '84 season when the Vikings quit on Steckel. They went 0-6 and got outscored 241-79 (-162) or an average of 40-13.

Most futile teams over a full season.

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  1. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -287 (0-14)
  2. 1981 Baltimore Colts      -274 (2-14)
  3. 1990 New England Patriots -265 (1-15)
  4. 2009 St. Louis Rams       -261 (1-15)
  5. 2000 Cleveland Browns     -258 (3-13)
  6. 1972 New England Patriots -254 (3-11)
  7. 2008 Detroit Lions        -249 (0-16)
  8. 1973 Houston Oilers       -248 (1-13)
  9. 1967 Atlanta Falcons      -247 (1-12-1)
 10. 1966 New York Giants      -238 (1-12-1)
 31. 1984 Minnesota Vikings    -208 (3-13) (Steckel)

[Just Me]

I like to focus on the defense because Fraziers strength should be defense. And despite the amount of points we've scored, our offense is still anemic. Most of our points since the Panthers game have come in garbage time.

But haha "futility index", I love it ... the new category that is, not the fact that it's being used in a discussion about the 2013 Vikings. With the new criteria in hand, I went back and found the worst teams through 10 and 11 games using the futility index.

Through 10 games.

Code: Select all

  1. 1967 Atlanta Falcons      -212
  2. 1966 Atlanta Falcons      -205 (expansion team)
  3. 1972 New England Patriots -190
  4. 2013 Jacksonville Jaguars -189
  5. 1960 Dallas Cowboys       -183 (expansion team)
  6. 1975 Chicago Bears        -182
  7. 1967 Miami Dolphins       -180
  8. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -178 (expansion team)
  9. 1984 Houston Oilers       -177
     1961 Washington Redskins  -177
100. 1961 Minnesota Vikings    -110 (expansion team)
187. 2013 Minnesota Vikings     -80 (Frazier)
231. 2011 Minnesota Vikings     -71 (Frazier)
401. 1984 Minnesota Vikings     -46 (Steckel)*

And through 11 games.

Code: Select all

  1. 1966 Atlanta Falcons      -222 (expansion team)
  2. 1972 New England Patriots -221
  3. 1967 Atlanta Falcons      -215
  4. 1973 Houston Oilers       -208
  5. 1975 Chicago Bears        -203
  6. 1966 New York Giants      -200
  7. 1961 Washington Redskins  -198
  8. 2008 St. Louis Rams       -197
  9. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -195 (expansion team)
 10. 1981 Baltimore Colts      -192
 99. 1961 Minnesota Vikings    -120 (expansion team)
213. 2011 Minnesota Vikings     -81 (Frazier)
402. 1984 Minnesota Vikings     -46 (Steckel)*

*The 1962, 1963, 2005, 1979, 1967, 2010, and 2001 Vikings were worse than Steckel through 10 and 11 games in the futility department. However it's really the final 6 games of the '84 season when the Vikings quit on Steckel. They went 0-6 and got outscored 241-79 (-162) or an average of 40-13.

Most futile teams over a full season.

Code: Select all

  1. 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers -287 (0-14)
  2. 1981 Baltimore Colts      -274 (2-14)
  3. 1990 New England Patriots -265 (1-15)
  4. 2009 St. Louis Rams       -261 (1-15)
  5. 2000 Cleveland Browns     -258 (3-13)
  6. 1972 New England Patriots -254 (3-11)
  7. 2008 Detroit Lions        -249 (0-16)
  8. 1973 Houston Oilers       -248 (1-13)
  9. 1967 Atlanta Falcons      -247 (1-12-1)
 10. 1966 New York Giants      -238 (1-12-1)
 31. 1984 Minnesota Vikings    -208 (3-13) (Steckel)

Thanks for doing the work on the "futility index".

1 small correction, though: By game 11 Steckel's futility index was -74 (I think you just repeated the game 10 index). Also we have played 10 games (11 weeks) and our point differential is -80. Not sure if you meant to say the Vikings are in week 11 or played 11 games, but in either case, the futility index is -80. (Probably a typo and you did post *alot* of stats, so it's understandable. Just thought I'd point it out).

I had not realized that at this point in the season we are worse (with respect to the futility index) than the similarly situated Steckel squad. I also found it interesting that with the exception of the Bucs and Detroit, it is actually "hard" to go "O-fer" for a season. Even the "worst teams" were usually getting 1 or two wins.

[Reignman]

Thanks for doing the work on the "futility index".

1 small correction, though: By game 11 Steckel's futility index was -74 (I think you just repeated the game 10 index). Also we have played 10 games (11 weeks) and our point differential is -80. Not sure if you meant to say the Vikings are in week 11 or played 11 games, but in either case, the futility index is -80. (Probably a typo and you did post *alot* of stats, so it's understandable. Just thought I'd point it out).

I had not realized that at this point in the season we are worse (with respect to the futility index) than the similarly situated Steckel squad. I also found it interesting that with the exception of the Bucs and Detroit, it is actually "hard" to go "O-fer" for a season. Even the "worst teams" were usually getting 1 or two wins.

You're right, Steckel was at -74 through 11 games. You caught me, I'm a big Steckel fan and was just trying to make him look better lol. I got the rank right, so I don't know what I was looking at when I copied the -46. It couldn't be -46 through 10 AND 11 games unless they tied that 11th game, which they did not, they lost 45-17. And there were no byes in '84, those didn't start until 1990. And I went by team games for all the stats, not weeks because each team has their bye at different weeks in the season.