[Killer in the Sun]

Each week I watch this defense get better and better. I am very surprised at just how good they are. I think people around here do not realize just how good they are because they are more looking for qb sacks, very big (Jonathan Jackson) hits and such. They are missing the fire for all the smoke so to speak. It left me thinking just how good are they? So, I thought about it for a while. I have hung my hat on the 2002 Mayfield Cardinals defense as probably the best I ever saw. With that in mind, I chose to compare scores for each years teams all the way back to and including the 2002 season. Since we have only played 7 games so far this year, I looked at the totals for each years defense all the way back to 2002. This years young Cardinal defense, which will return 7 starters next year and another 2 that get a lot of playing time, has given up 75 points thus far. Really, I am short changing them because I know for sure that 9 of those points should not be credited to their defense. So this is what I found out for each year in the first 7 games.

2013 136 points, 14-1 state champs
2012 133 points, 14-1 state champs
2011 46 points, 14-1 state runners up
2010 73 points, 15-0 state champs
2009 112 points, 13-2 state runners up
2008 190 points, regional finals
2007 78 points, regional finals
2006 123 points, semi finals
2005 87 points, state runners up
2004 178 points, semi finals
2003 97 poi9nts, semi finals
2002 71 points, 15-0 state champions

These are the point totals given up by each Cardinal team by year through the first seven games. The strength of schedule and for the most part all the teams are pretty much the same year after year. I think this shows really good signs for where this bunch is at this time.

You could say the same about any of these teams in regard to the subs giving up points. I don't buy the strength of schedule is the same every year even though we play a lot of the same teams.

When the season is over and everyone can look back and reflect, will be the time to put this team and defense in perspective.