[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Megatron96

TOP doesn't directly serve a single purpose.

TOP keeps their offense off the field as well as their defense on the field. You want to have a more effective running game in the second half? Keep their defense on the field for several long drives in the first half and they'll be gassed earlier and earlier in those second half drives. Just look at what happened to the Saints D tonight.

The side benefit of keeping their offense off the field, besides the fact that they can't score, is that it disrupts rhythm. Much of modern NFL offenses operates on timing and rhythm; by taking away possessions and also simply keeping them on the sideline, their rhythm can be disrupted. They can be forced to press if they get down multiple scores. It can even force the coaches to change their gameplan, further disrupting a team's confidence and mental stability.

And finally, if a team has proven that it can move the ball at will against your defense, and you still have to get another score, then the last thing you'd want is to give the ball back to them. You would by necessity have to figure out to prevent them from getting the ball back. Say by pinning them inside their end-zone and forcing some kind of turnover, or faking a punt, or recovering an onside kick. The point being, it would put pressure on a team to take more risks, to alter their gameplan, to operate outside their comfort zone.

So while the TOP in and of itself may not be an indicator of a team's success, it can create difficulty and even mass mental pressure on the opposing team's offense in the latter stages of a game. Again, just refer to the Saints game tonight for a textbook example.

I took all manner of hell for this position after the Houston game. Just a heads up.