NFL Defense Rankings 2024: New England Steals the Show in Week 10

You’ve heard it before: offense gets the glory, and defense wins championships. 

The NFL in 2024 might be skewed to favor offenses, but defense still reigns supreme. The top three Super Bowl favorites allowed the fewest points per game a year ago and are expected to be highly competitive on that side of the ball again.

We update our NFL Offense Rankings weekly, but here, it’s all about the backbone of every team: the defense.

Here are our rankings for all 32 NFL defenses.

Ranking All 32 NFL Defenses

32. Carolina Panthers

Carolina’s defense took advantage of Daniel Jones in Sunday’s win, but we aren’t overly impressed with its play. Its inability to stop the run allowed 167 rush yards, two touchdowns, and a 4.9 YPC average. The rookie back could have won the game for New York but made a critical fumble at the end, ending any chance to steal a win. 

31. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys' defense was dominated for the fourth straight week over the weekend. Philly was able to move the ball at will, scoring 34 points en route to the win. The silver lining of Sunday’s loss was the play of DeMarvion Overshown, who registered two sacks. Unfortunately, the 24-year-old injured his knee during the game. If he misses time, it will hurt a Cowboys defense lacking talent behind Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs.

30. New England Patriots

The New England defense had its best game in recent memory on Sunday. They held the Bears to 3 points on just 142 yards of offense. The pass rush sacked Caleb Williams nine times, hitting him 13. While it was impressive to watch, the win was more of an indictment of the Chicago offensive line than the quality of this New England defense. While the win was fun for Pats fans, don’t count on the momentum carrying over this week. 

29. Las Vegas Raiders

Fortunately for Raiders fans, the team was on a bye in Week 10. The break comes after the Bengals lit up the unit, proving the defense is one of the worst in the league. The lack of production has led to defenses locking down Maxx Crosby, leading to a disappointing first ten weeks of the season. Don’t expect the poor results to change as the Vegas offense continues to flounder.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags' defense played well enough to get a win against the Vikings. They allowed 402 yards but only 12 points. That was due to picking Sam Darnold off three times, all of which came in Jacksonville’s end of the field. We still don’t trust this defense, but Sunday’s performance was one of their best of the season. 

27. New Orleans Saints

The Saints' defense allowed the Falcons to gain 468 on Sunday but allowed just two touchdowns. That helped New Orleans get a win and snap a brutal seven-game losing streak that tanked their season. While Atlanta’s offense made some crucial mistakes, some of that can be attributed to the Saints pass rush, which finished with three sacks and nine QB hits. This remains a bad defense, but they deserve credit for the team’s Week 10 victory.

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

The Bucs are the latest victim of the Niners’ incredibly efficient offensive attack. They allowed 23 points on 413 yards despite shutting Christian McCaffrey down. That was largely due to their inability to contain Brock Purdy, who finished with 353 passing yards and two touchdowns. The good news is that the Bucs have a run of lousy offenses coming up on the schedule, which will take some pressure off this subpar defense.

25. Cincinnati Bengals 

After a strong start, the Bengal's defense wholly lost its way. The decline led to the Ravens scoring 21 points in the fourth quarter, costing the Bengals a critical win. There were issues all over the field, but the biggest was Cincinnati's inability to break the Baltimore offensive line. That left them without a sack, hitting Lamar Jackson just once. As good as Trey Hendrickson is, this remains one of the worst defenses in football. 

24. Los Angeles Rams

LA’s defense impressed us a lot in Sunday’s loss to Miami. They limited the explosive Dolphins offense to 238 yards, helping to keep LA in the game despite the offense's poor production. While stopping Tyreek Hill and the passing game is difficult, we are more impressed with the unit’s play against De’Von Achane. The young back had been electric over the last four weeks but managed just 37 yards on 12 carries (3.1 YPC).

23. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals' defense makes a significant jump in our rankings after their win against the Jets. Their front seven dominated the New York offensive line, especially once left tackle Tyron Smith left with an injury. Arizona’s ability to keep pressure on Rodgers shut down the Jets’ offensive attack, scoring six points on 207 yards. It was an impressive effort, but the defense’s inability to make stops on third down continues, with opponents converting on 48% of attempts. 

22. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts’ defense allowed the Bills to score 30 points and gain 415 yards over the weekend, but the unit was better than the numbers show. They intercepted Josh Allen twice and found success playing zone for most of the game. Indy was put on its heels often thanks to Joe Flacco’s four turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown. The Colts have been a mess over the last few weeks, but it appears the defense may be improving. 

21. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons' lack of pass rush continues to be a problem. On Sunday, they only managed to hit Derek Carr once, failing to register a sack. That allowed the former Raider to get comfortable in the pocket, leading to one of his best games of the season. While we like this defense's talent, their inability to pressure the quarterback will keep them in the bottom half of our rankings for the remainder of the season.

20. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks had their bye in Week 10 but still dropped a spot in our rankings. We knew they would struggle against the run, but the pass defense has also been bad. They rank in the league's bottom half in passing yards and touchdowns allowed despite a talented secondary. While the offense can be dangerous, Geno Smith leads the league with ten interceptions. That will continue to put the defense on its heels, leading to many more ugly outings before the season is done.

19. New York Jets

There were some NFL analysts talking about the Jets’ ability to win out last week, but that came to an end on Sunday. The Cardinals dominated New York’s defense in the 31-6 loss. Kyler Murray completed 22 of his 24 passes, while the run game generated 147 yards and three touchdowns. Three ball carriers averaged over 6.0 YPC, allowing the Cardinals to drive down the field without issue. Considering the Jets season is now likely over, we don’t expect the defense to turn things around over the final seven weeks. 

18. Baltimore Ravens

Another week, another reason to panic about the Ravens’ pass defense. They allowed Joe Burrow to pass for 428 yards and four touchdowns. Ja’Marr Chase accounted for 264 of those yards as Baltimore could not slow them down. While the run defense remains the best in the league, Sunday’s game once again showed how vulnerable they can be against the pass. That is a significant problem as the road to Super Bowl LIX is likely to once again run through Patrick Mahomes. 

17. Miami Dolphins

Nobody impressed us more than the Dolphins defense in Week 10. They were fantastic against a great LA offense, turning them away on all three red zone attempts. The defense finished with four sacks, seven TFLs, six QB hits, and two turnovers. Despite their numbers, we haven’t been big believers in this defense, but Sunday’s win changes that. Nobody has been able to shut LA down when all their playmakers are healthy, much less on the road. We’ll see if Miami can replicate the effort, but Sunday’s win earned them a bump up our rankings. 

16. New York Giants

The Giants’ defense had no answers for Chubba Hubbard in Week 10. The back rushed 28 times for 153 yards (5.5 YPC) and a touchdown as the Panthers captured a 20-18 overtime win. It was a massively disappointing effort from a defense that had ranked among the league’s best. We still like this unit, but they aren’t good enough to compensate for the offense's lack of production. 

15. Tennessee Titans

While the Titans allow the fewest yards per game in the league, they allow the fourth-most points. That was the case again on Sunday, with the defense allowing 27 points on 309 yards. The pass defense only allowed Justin Herbert to throw for 164 yards, primarily due to the LA game plan. The quarterback completed 14 of his 18 passes, averaging over nine yards per attempt. While it’s just one game, we expect the Titans’ defensive downfall to continue over the season's final seven weeks.

14. Washington Commanders

Washington’s run defense failed against the Steelers, but the pass defense was terrific. Russell Wilson only completed 50% of his passes, throwing one interception and taking three sacks. Dante Fowler Jr. led the way once again with two sacks and five tackles. His play has helped this defense improve during the season and could help them win the NFC East title. 

13. San Francisco 49ers

The Niners had no problem taking advantage of a banged-up Bucs offense over the weekend. They held Tampa to 215 yards and overcame three missed field goals from Jake Moody. While this isn’t the dominant unit of years past, they are more than good enough to support their explosive offense. As long as Fred Warner and Nick Bosa can stay healthy, this should remain a good defense for the remainder of the season. 

12. Cleveland Browns

The Browns were on bye in Week 10, so we keep them at 12 this week. While this defense still has talent, the loss of Za’Darius Smith is going to take a toll. His absence will leave Myles Garrett as the only true pass rusher, allowing offenses to focus on stopping him. Combine that with the poor play of the Browns’ offense, and you can see why we don’t expect much from the defense for the remainder of the season. 

11. Chicago Bears

Chicago’s Week 10 loss to the Pats can be blamed on the offense, but the defense was far from innocent. They allowed one of the league’s worst offenses to gain 328 yards at home, struggling against both the pass and the run. This remains a solid defense, but Sunday’s ugly loss shows they are not a top-ten unit. With the Chicago offense crumbling, we don’t expect the defense’s job to get any easier in the second half of the season. 

10. Green Bay Packers

The Packers were off in Week 10 but moved up a spot after the Bears' ugly showing. The defense continues to improve under Jeff Hafley, but they need Rashan Gary to figure things out. The elite pass rusher has just 2.5 sacks this season, with 1.5 coming over the last three games. While he has been finding his way into the backfield for the last few weeks, the Packers need more. With Devonte Wyatt leading the team with three sacks, Green Bay’s pass rush desperately needs a boost.

9. Denver Broncos

Denver’s defense did what it needed to do against the Chiefs but still lost the game. Unfortunately, that has become a familiar story as the offense finds its footing. The defense has a lot of talent, but the pass rush has been the most impressive. Nik Bonitto, Jonathan Cooper, and Zach Allen all have five sacks and are under the age of 28. The team has also seen John Franklin-Myers post five sacks, putting him just one shy of his career high. Denver will remain a contender for a wild card spot as long as those four stay healthy. 

8. Buffalo Bills

The Bills' defense continues to allow too many yards but makes big plays when it has to. That was the case again in their win against the Colts on Sunday. The unit forced four turnovers and made a critical fourth-down stop in the red zone, preventing a comeback effort from Indy. Buffalo ranking in the bottom half of the league in yards allowed is a red flag, but it's hard to deny the results the defense has been delivering through ten weeks.

7. Philadelphia Eagles

After almost two years of disappointment, the Philly defense is back! They took advantage of a Dak-less Cowboys team, allowing 146 yards. Just 49 of those came from the passing game, as the Eagles shut down Cooper Rush and Trey Lance. The front seven has been one of the best in the NFL, and the young secondary is playing well. We’ll see if the unit can stay hot against a great Washington offense this weekend.

6. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings remain in sixth place after a 12-7 victory against the Jags. While they allowed just 143 offensive yards, they faced a bag Jags team with Mac Jones at quarterback. The former Patriot was terrible, leading Jacksonville to have the ball for under 18 minutes. Minnesota’s defensive stats were incredible, but they are inflated by the poor play of the Jacksonville offense. Expect their success from Sunda to continue as they face the Titans and Bears over the next two weeks. 

5. Houston Texans

The Texans' pass defense put on a clinic against the Lions. They only allowed Jared Goff to complete 50% of his passes while intercepting him five times. That helped Houston go into the half with a 23-7 lead. However, things came apart in the fourth quarter when they allowed the Lions to score 13 points in their final three drives. That led to a loss, with many experts questioning just how good this Texans team is. 

4. Detroit Lions

The Lions’ defense was incredible on Sunday Night Football. They overcame Goff’s five interceptions to keep this game close, generating two of their own. The unit continues to find success with Aidan Hutchinson out, finishing their win against the Texans with four sacks, nine TFLs, and seven QB hits. Detroit had no business beating the Texans but was saved by a fantastic showing from the defense. 

3. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs' defense struggled against the Broncos in the first half on Sunday but shut them down in the second. The unit overcame a poor outing from the Kansas City offense to limit the Broncos to 14 points, all of which came in the second quarter. However, they struggled on the game's final drive, allowing Denver to drive into the red zone only to lose on a blocked field goal. The win makes another AFC West title seem like a certainty for the Chiefs. 

2. Los Angeles Chargers

Will Levis found some success against the Chargers in Week 10, but the defense didn’t make it easy. They sacked the quarterback seven times and hit him nine, thanks mainly to solid coverage from the secondary. Second-year linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu continued his elite play for the third consecutive game, finishing with two sacks and three QB hits. All 5.5 of his sacks have come in those three games, a promising sign heading into a matchup against the Bengals.

1. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers’ defense put on a clinic against the Commanders on Sunday. They limited one of the league’s most explosive offenses to 242 yards. While they only registered three sacks and six QB hits, they kept Jayden Daniels under pressure throughout the game. The quarterback was held to just five rushing yards, taking away a big aspect of his game. The result was an ugly showing from the rookie, helping to seal a big win for Pittsburgh.

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5. New York Jets

The Cardinals blew out the Jets over the weekend, but much of the damage came on the ground. While the pass defense wasn’t at its best, New York still ranks second in passing yards per game and third in touchdowns and sacks.

4. Miami Dolphins

Miami’s pass defense was dominant against a healthy Rams offense. They held them out of the end zone, despite strong showings from Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp. 

3. Washington Commanders

The Commanders allowed three passing touchdowns against the Steelers but held Russell Wilson to 195 yards while completing 50% of his passes. We continue to be amazed by the progression of this pass defense, so they remain in the top three of our rankings. 

2. Houston Texans 

Despite not getting much pressure, the Texans picked Jared Goff off five times in Sunday’s loss. This remains an elite pass defense, though we have major concerns about the team as a whole. 

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles have a young secondary that has gotten very good very quickly. While the pass rush hasn’t been as great as in years past, the ability to stop the run and pressure the quarterback allows them to shut down opposing passing attacks.

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5. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles front seven may be the most fierce in the league. While they struggled to slow down Rico Dowdle last week, the team’s large lead had them focusing on stopping the pass. 

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh’s run defense was elite against the Commanders in Week 10. They allowed just 50 yards on the ground and a measly 2.7 YPC average. 

3. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs allowed Audric Estime and Marvin Mims Jr. to succeed on the ground but limited the Broncos to 78 yards. The unit was especially effective at stopping Nix from using his legs to make plays, helping to keep them undefeated. 

2. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings jump back into the second spot of our rankings after holding the Jags to 56 rushing yards last week. Travis Etienne Jr was back on the field, making Minnesota’s effort all the more impressive. 

1. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens' run defense was incredible again in Week 10, holding the Bengals to 49 yards and a 3.1 YPC average. They continue to lead the league in both categories, and we expect that to continue for the remainder of the season as opponents target Baltimore’s weak secondary.

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2024 NFL Defense Rankings