Tennessees defense is a big reason why. With studs like Brian Burns, Shaq Thompson, and Jaycee Horn on all three levels of the defense, this unit could emerge in 2023, especially if they end this season on a high note. -- Todd Archer, Defensive efficiency: 74.5 Stat to know: The Rams defensive line ranked tied for first in the NFL in time to pressure generated with a mark of 2.48. Rushing Leader: Derrick Henry, 2027 Yds. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The Colts might also need to upgrade at edge rusher over Yannick Ngakoue and even safety could become a position to address. The Minnesota Vikings ended their disappointing 2021 campaign with an 8-9 record, missing the postseason altogether and firing their general manager and head coach. They need to find a way to turn those drives into field goals to right the ship. But that could also be a function of how much teams are throwing against Cincinnati. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. | 8th most accurate ranker in the FantasyPros ECR for sleepers (2020) Once No. Look for the defense to be addressed. Roquan Smith will make an immense impact going forward, making the Baltimore defense that much more difficult to run against. It didn't help that they spotted the Chiefs 14 points with two lost fumbles in Week 4. The Lions need to make some changes immediately, and head coach Dan Campbell knows it. Since the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year tore his pectoral at the end of regulation in Week 1, the Steelers have given up an average of 23 points per game and recorded just three total sacks. This is on head coach Brandon Staley, who is/should be on the hot seat and on his way out of town. The return of Dalvin Tomlinson presumably against the New York Jets will be a big addition to the run defense. -- Stephen Holder, Defensive efficiency: 46.0 It might work against the quarterbacks they faced, but life is about to get much more difficult with Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence and Geno Smith on deck. Joe Rexrode weighs in on who he thinks will miss out on the playoffs this year. Its Week 14, and while some team defenses are living up to the hype, others have fallen short or exceeded expectations. -- Katherine Terrell, Defensive efficiency: 21.8 League rank: 32nd. In the NFC Championship Game, DeMeco Ryans unit handled the Eagles offense until late in the second quarter, when undisciplined play by players extended the drive. This would be a bottom-feeding team in the NFC if Smith didnt bail out this defense as much as he has. Its difficult to imagine the Cleveland Browns defense performing worse with a new defensive coordinator. Tennessees pass rush should also improve in 2023 with the return of Harold Landry. 1 in the NFL defense rankings. Find the most recent updates each day . It. However, they also lost some talent in free agency, and it has shown throughout the year. A variance of this magnitude will only get you so far in the postseason. -- Kevin Seifert, Defensive efficiency: 76.1 A top-11 unit in points per game, the Titans defense is one of the stingiest defenses against the run, allowing the fewest rushing scores in the NFL, as well as the third-fewest rushing yards. Pro Football Reference's Simple Ranking System (SRS and then OSRS and DSRS for offense and defense) is another metric to compare different teams that are decades apart. They were fifth best in that category . Red zone plays are worth more than other plays. Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluated how teams are stacking up through four weeks and named a new No. -- Alaina Getzenberg, Defensive efficiency: 85.7 Otherwise, their defense is not as bad as the numbers might suggest (25th in points per game allowed). Fans might not like Brandon Staley as a head coach, but he is one of the best defensive minds in the NFL. I would put the Bears dead last, but they have been at least competent in defending the pass despite being awful in containing the run. Stroud: No. 8. Jim Schwartz has plenty to work with, but Schwartzs approach doesnt work without a strong defensive interior and improved play on the boundary. Arizona has some players on defense like Budda Baker, Zaven Collins, and Isaiah Simmons, but when you are light on the back end and the EDGE, youre going to give up lots of yards in the pass-heavy NFL. The biggest issue on defense is third-down conversions. And you cant blame Chicagos inability to stop the run on the Roquan Smith trade. The Bills finished as the fourth-ranked defense for fantasy last year. A lot has changed since those initial rankings were posted. Next year, the defense will be able to not have to worry about a full install but rather tweaking things and bringing in more personnel. Miami currently has the second-worst pass defense in the NFL through its first four games, although that hasn't translated to the scoreboard. While they allow their opponents into the red zone quite frequently, this defense is stingy as they come from inside 20 yards. They ranked behind only the Atlanta Falcons and Baltimore Ravens. New Orleans Saints @ ATL 6. Ultimately, the Eagles got Mahomesd in the Super Bowl and the San Francisco 49ers, along with so many other NFL teams, know what thats like. Safety Lamarcus Joyner is coming off his best game (two interceptions), but the Jets need better coverage from S Jordan Whitehead and MLB C.J. A defense that led the NFL in ESPN's pass rush win rate (52%), allowed the third-lowest average QB rating (81.6) and ceded the lowest adjusted net yards per pass attempt (4.4) in the NFL.. Not only are the Packers allowing nearly 5 yards per rush, but they're having troubling bringing runners down. He'll likely end up with a good chunk of dough in free agency, but it's hard to believe . If a team can get to Philly, it is on the ground. They converted each into a touchdown. They were just ahead of the Buffalo Bills who had a grade of 65.0. They were only behind the Los Angeles Rams. 2022 NFL Team Defense Statistics The following are the 2022 NFL team overall defense statistics, including team rushing yardage, team passing yardage and total team yardage. Could Carolina swap soon? With Jamin Davis added in the 2021 NFL Draft, things are only looking up for this young defense. Although you can run all over them the Texans are ranked dead last in rushing attempts and yards and rank 25th in rushing TDs allowed they are stingy against the pass. Preceding the Smith trade, the team also moved Robert Quinn, another veteran contract. -- Rich Cimini, Defensive efficiency: 59.0 The biggest issue on defense is effectively rushing the passer. However, because of injuries in the secondary, it has since become a handicap. The Vikings defeated the Saints 28-25. Despite employing notable names like Bobby Wagner, Jalen Ramsey, and Aaron Donald, the Los Angeles defense has holes and is beginning to age. It takes every single play during the NFL season and compares each one to a league-average baseline based on situation. The San Francisco 49ers defense played outstanding football all year. Watt is the cog in the defense that makes everything go, and without a formidable pass rush, the rest of the defense isn't succeeding in picking up the slack. With an Eagles team that runs the ball effectively in their division, the Cowboys have to get better. Theyve allowed the second-fewest touchdowns while remaining stout in the red zone. The Cardinals have been able to get to the quarterback and get their hands on him at times, as was the case against Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, but getting opposing quarterbacks down has been a struggle. Plus they had NFL 1980s All Decade safety Joey Browner and Carl Lee as the best cover CB the Vikings had outside of maybe Rhodes. Thankfully, the defense is not devoid of talent. They are No. In fact, its now a liability. League rank: 6th, Everything you need this week: Defense has carried the Saints since the retirement of Drew Brees. The loss of Matt Eberflus has made an impact. However, this was to be expected in the wake of the loss of Don Martindale to the Giants. in 89 Doleman had 21 and Millard was NFL Defensive Player of the Year with 18 sacks out of the DT spot. The Baltimore Ravens are set at safety and linebacker, but it will be losing No. The impressive DT was a consensus All-Big Ten First-Team selection in 2022 after putting up 48 tackles and a forced fumble. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. They are allowing 5 yards per carry and have given up 20 runs of 10 yards or more in four games, including two runs of at least 33 yards in the past two games. Maybe this shouldnt surprise anyone, but the Lions have the NFLs worst defense. They don't have an edge rusher with more than one sack and have called the third-most blitzes (57) so far this season. He is also a lifelong NFL savant and self-proclaimed league historian. Cleveland was missing three of its four starters along the defensive line in Sunday's loss to the Falcons, including star pass-rusher Myles Garrett. 1 in sacks. The concerning part for Washington is that it lacks corner depth and its starters are both established vets -- Kendall Fuller and William Jackson III. Yea they are looking at the stats like its a good bad light switch, when it's really a slow decline as more and more players were injured. League rank: 7th. The NFL regular season is now just four days away, and The. Press J to jump to the feed. After ranking every team's offense by tiers, it's now time to turn attention toward the defensive side of the ball.. Rather than list teams from top to bottom and split hairs between similarly elite or poor groups, we have arranged the NFL's 32 teams . Detroit currently leads the league in scoring but also allows the most points in the league. Still very sound against the run, the Steelers are 27th in passing yards and 30th in passing touchdowns conceded. I wanted to look this up and post it because I've seen a lot of people say that we had bad defenses in 2018 and 2019. 5. . The biggest issue on defense is a banged-up defensive line. 21+ and present in OH. Sure, they managed to improve this season, but they are very much a middle-of-the-pack bunch. Running back Dalvin Cook is a top 5 back in the league due to his speed, footwork, and pass catching ability. J.J. Watt may be an elite player on the back end of his career, but he cant do it alone. 15th most accurate ranker in the FantasyPros ECR for both draft and in-season accuracy (2019) This shows that the organization is looking to rebuild for 2023 and beyond. The Chiefs' defensive rankings in four years with Patrick Mahomes as their quarterback: 24th, 14th, 18th, and 26th. Advanced research data including targets, touches and red zone opportunities are also available. CBSSports.com 247Sports MaxPreps The Vikings defense overall has had stretches of brilliance and others where you question literally everything. Cap issues might push either linebacker Lavonte David or corner Jamel Dean out. -- Jenna Laine, Defensive efficiency: 52.3 However, despite the promotion of Dennis Allen to head coach, the New Orleans defense is no longer a strength. Entering the 2022 NFL season, we projected and ranked the top defenses in the NFL according to offseason personnel movements and overall finishes from 2021. -- Michael Rothstein, Defensive efficiency: 42.4 The Panthers have been one of the biggest messes in the NFL this season, and that led to the early firing of head coach Matt Rhule. -- David Newton, Defensive efficiency: 47.6 Team Att Cmp Cmp % Yds/Att Yds TD INT 1st 1st% Sck; Buccaneers . They are also a top-end unit when it comes to sacks and takeaways. Heading into the offseason, especially with defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero likely gone, wed love to see Denver upgrade its pass rush. Jalin Hyatt, WR, Tennessee (6-0, 18 pounds) Hyatt has great speed as a dynamic field-stretching big-play threat. Minnesota Vikings. Vikings offensive and defensive rankings: a breakdown Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West. They have been better as of late as well, allowing only 45 yards on the ground this past Thursday against the New England Patriots. New England Patriots @ MIA 5. The Vikings put the NFL on notice following three consecutive years of defensive domination. Not everybody shares that sentiment, however. League rank: 10th. Martindale immediately turned around a defense that had an erratic run in 2021. Learn More > Ok so this is where we need to say again that DVOA still needs context. 1 spot might be ambitious, but betting on Zimmer having a top-five defense is usually a smart decision. The biggest issue on defense is allowing explosive plays. The Browns defense is more than just elite pass-rusher Myles Garrett. The Steelers ranked second in D/ST scores last year. The Bears are the NFL's worst team against the run, having allowed 733 rushing yards through four games (183.3 yards per game), and are on pace to reach historically low marks. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. PFF: 71.8-11th However, the Browns are allowing the sixth-most ppg in the NFL (25.0), which means either their big-pop players arent gelling or theyve simply failed to show up. The Vikings are allowing the 11th-most points per game. Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. The Vikings pass defense has been interesting to say the least. DeMeco Ryans coming in is the first small step toward fixing the Houston Texans defense. They are also 31st in plays, showing they cant get off the field. Denvers 2022 season has been a disaster on offense. Cincinnati Bengals @ CLE 9. Minnesota also ranked between 25th and 29th in the following. However, Miamis struggled to generate turnovers (12-4 TD-INT) with Byron Jones sidelined all season and Xavien Howard regressing. 1 wideouts. Are the DVOA percentages flipped from a positive/negative standpoint? They can look atrocious at times, but Kansas City always finds a way to tighten up in big spots and in the money months. There are also 15 teams this week that have a 2-2 record. Presumably, they'll return to form once Byron Jones returns from the physically unable to perform list -- which he's eligible to do this week. Related: Indianapolis Colts mock draft 2023\. The biggest issue on defense is a consistent pass rush. But not anywhere near the level of '17 Choose from seasonal averages or review past weekly performance to help optimize your lineup. This might be a minor quibble given how well the unit is playing as a whole. Justin Fields unfixable? The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been a staple of our NFL defense rankings for years. An intriguing element of that was it came despite just one defensive or return touchdown. -- Brooke Pryor, Defensive efficiency: 36.3 The biggest issue on defense is getting off the field on third down. Kansas City Chiefs @ DEN 10. T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, Alex Highsmith and Minkah Fitzpatrick are the reason why Pittsburgh has one of the best NFL defenses in 2023. Washington had the sixth-ranked fantasy season last year and they keep on getting better. "Last year, we sort of had to feel our way through things because we didn't have an offseason together. Players and coaches have talked about the need to communicate more from the get-go, and not just as the game progresses. From 2015 to 2019, the Vikings were consistently towards the . That 1988 D was fucking awesome and def on the level of 2017. -- Michael DiRocco, Defensive efficiency: 47.3 XFL Week 3 preview: Can AJ McCarron, Battlehawks continue their fourth-quarter heroics? The Eagles are allowing the 16th-most rushing yards along with the 13th-most scores on the ground. 3. The Giants are 19th in the NFL with a pass rush win rate of 41.2%. I can make the case for another team or two, but the Lions dont have a lot to build off of aside from Aidan Hutchinson. The Saints didn't have much of a pass rush to speak of to start the season, but they did get after Kirk Cousins on Sunday, finishing with three sacks. However, Houston doesnt have much standout talent on the defensive side right now with Derek Stingley Jr. a work in progress and Jalen Pitre still needs to iron out a lot of issues. Labeled as a top-five defense heading into the 2022 season, the Green Bay Packers didnt play like it until late in the year. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Garrett could return next Sunday following last week's single-car crash. This is another spot where I could have slotted other teams. 1 team for the second week in a row. This seems like another year where below-average defense is most likely, and . Ive been watching since around 1995 and cant recall any season that was definitively better. On the Cowboys' opening drive, one pass went for 31 yards while the other five plays managed a combined 9 yards. Following J.J. Watts retirement, almost the entire Arizona Cardinals defense needs to be addressed. Their run defense has been terrible all season. League rank: 29th. Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports. The biggest issue on defense is forcing takeaways. Responsible Gaming: Many sportsbooks offer ways to encourage responsible gaming, including the establishment of limits to deposits, spending, and time dedicated to betting. However, in the Week 4 loss to the Raiders, the Broncos were pushed off the ball far too often in run defense. He'll need to work on his route-running and consistency in the NFL. Minnesota Vikings Franchise Encyclopedia Seasons: 62 (1961 to 2022) Record (W-L-T): 516-425-11 Playoff Record: 21-31 Super Bowls Won: 0 (4 Appearances) Championships Won*: 0 All-time Passing Leader: Fran Tarkenton 2,635/4,569, 33,098 yds, 239 TD All-time Rushing Leader: Adrian Peterson 2,418 att, 11,747 yds, 97 TD PFF Coverage: 59.1 21st Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) throws the ball against the New England Patriots during the first quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. 1 defense in takeaways and sacks. While the Packers ended last season ranked 14th in points allowed, they are conceding the seventh most this year. A team loaded with defensive talent, it has not lived up to form. However, this defense still has its issues. The biggest issue on defense is the fourth quarter. The Vikings ranked sixth again at 77.3, tied with the Miami Dolphins. This can be one of the best pass defenses in the NFL, but we havent seen any signs of its run defense improving for two years now. Plus, edge rusher George Karlaftis showed improvement and defensive tackle Chris Jones played like the Defensive Player of the Year. 2nd in Sacks 4th in Defensive 3rd Down % 10th Interceptions 11th in Forced Fumbles Recovered However, when it comes to the Broncos defense, they have done their part to keep this team in games. There has been a critical error on this website. . If you go look at the PFF grades per unit, the Vikings were an excellent team. -- Jake Trotter, Defensive efficiency: 51.0 Los Angeles' defense, which ranked second in Football Outsiders' rush DVOA going into the Week 4 matchup, ranks significantly worse against the pass (23rd in the NFL). Opponents posted a 92.7 QB rating with an 11-5 TD-INT ratio in the final eight games and Minnesota had one of the softest second-half schedules.