NFL Defense Rankings 2024: Defense Deciding Division Races Down the Stretch

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

The Panthers were destroyed by the Cowboys over the weekend. The defense surrendered 30 points on 410 yards in the loss. The most concerning problem was the inability to pressure Cooper Rush, who threw for three touchdowns. That was made worse by the team’s inability to stop the run, allowing 211 yards on 40 carries (5.3 YPC). 

31. New England Patriots

The Pats return to the bottom of our rankings after another brutal outing. They struggled across the board, but the worst was the run defense. The Cards rushed 32 times for 163 yards (5.1 YPC) and two touchdowns. Second-year cornerback Christian Gonzalez was the lone bright spot, limiting Marvin Harrison Jr to 32 yards on two catches. 

30. New York Jets

New York’s defense did everything it could to blow the Jets’ win last weekend. They allowed Mac Jones and the Jags to score 25 points and 421 yards. The pass rush only managed to get to Jones twice, but a pair of interceptions helped seal the win for the Jets. Things will get far more difficult for this defense over the final three weeks as they face the Rams, Bills, and Dolphins. 

29. Las Vegas Raiders

The Vegas defense finished with some impressive stats in Week 15, but we attribute that more to the poor play of Kirk Cousins. Things didn’t go so well for the Raiders’ on the ground, where they allowed 168 yards on 37 carries (4.5 YPC). The defense will have a chance to keep things going this week against Mac Jones and the Jags. 

28. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts’ defense played far better than the 31-13 final score. They held the Broncos to 193 total yards and intercepted Bo Nix three times. Denver also struggled to run the ball, managing 72 yards on 27 carries (2/7 YPC). Unfortunately, the Colts offense turned the ball over five times, wasting the unit’s best effort of the season and costing them a shot at the AFC South title.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jags’ defense was smoked by the Jets in Week 15. New York scored 32 points on 400 yards in their best offensive effort of the season. The defense struggled to stop the run but could not cover Davante Adams. The stud receiver finished with two touchdowns and 198 yards. The Jags have nothing left to play for but could bounce back to close the season strong against the Raiders, Titans, and Colts.

26. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals' defense started the game strong by intercepting Will Levis three times. However, things came apart once Mason Rudolph came in. The backup quarterback completed 81% of his passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns. The effort was too little, too late for the Titans, but it shows that the Bengals' defense remains one of the worst in the league. 

25. New York Giants

New York’s defense has been a mess without Dexter Lawrence. They were gashed by the Ravens last week for 35 points on 445 yards. The Giants allowed Baltimore to convert nine of their 11 third-down attempts, presenting little challenge to the elite offense. Given the injuries and the sad state of the offense, expect an ugly finish from this once-talented defense.

24. Dallas Cowboys

The Cowboys defense delivered another strong performance in the season's final stretch. They held the Panthers to 14 points on 235 yards, leading to a lopsided road win. Micah Parson highlighted the effort with two sacks, bringing his total to 7.5 over the last six games. While the Dallas defense has been vastly improved lately, we’ll see if that momentum continues with games remaining against great offenses in the Bucs, Eagles, and Commanders.

23. Atlanta Falcons

The Vegas offense is a mess, but we still love what we saw out of this Atlanta defense on Monday Night Football. The pass rush continued to stay hot, finishing with four sacks and ten TFLs. The Falcons are still holding out hope for a playoff spot, but the defense will need to continue to play at a high level to do so. While that should be easy enough against the Giants and Panthers, they’ll face a significant challenge when they visit the Commanders in two weeks.

22. Tennessee Titans

The Cincinnati put up a solid effort against Joe Burrow and the Bengals. They generated four turnovers and made some big plays but were ultimately undone by their inability to get a stop on third down. The Bengals converted ten of their 13 third-down attempts, which made the difference in this game. This Titans defense was better than we expected this season but not nearly good enough to cover for the team’s miserable offense.

21. New Orleans Saints

The Saints' defense had a rough first half against the Commanders, but they surrendered just six in the second. The defensive front did a great job containing Brian Robinson Jr. while posting eight sacks and 11 TFLs. Veteran Cam Jordan enjoyed his best game of the season, finishing with two sacks, two TFLs, and two QB hits. 

20. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams jump up a few spots up our rankings after holding the Niners to six points and 191 yards. They posted three sacks, five TFLs, and nine PDs en route to a crucial division win. This isn’t a good defense, but they will have a chance to finish the season hot with games against the Jets, Cardinals, and Seahawks remaining on the schedule. 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa's defense continues to improve as the season progresses. They held the Chargers to 32 rushing yards (2.9 YPC) and 206 total. The most impressive part of the effort was the defense’s play on third down, where they stopped LA on all six attempts. They also stopped them on both fourth-down attempts. The Chargers’ offense isn’t at its best, but it doesn’t change the defensive growth we are seeing from the NFC South leader. 

18. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals' defense didn’t have much trouble keeping the Pats’ in check in Week 15. The Pats’ damage mostly came in the fourth quarter, where they scored 14 points and gained almost half of their total yards (145). Expect another great performance this week as they visit a struggling Panthers team, but we’ll see how they hold up against their NFC West rivals as they finished against the Rams and Niners.

17. Miami Dolphins

Tua and the Miami offense lost Sunday’s game despite an incredible effort from this defense. They held the Texans to just 181 yards but were undone by the Dolphins' offense, turning the ball over six times. Chop Robinson once again led the way with 1.5 sacks, one TFL, and four QB hits. While the Dolphins’ season likely ended on Sunday, they have found a new star in the rookie linebacker.

16. Chicago Bears

The Bears’ defense was hurt by their offense on Monday Night Football. Minnesota’s first 13 points all came off of turnovers from the offense. Chicago finished with eight TFLs, eight QB hits, and an interception. This unit has some talent, but it seems clear the turnover in the coaching staff is taking a toll. With the team eliminated from the playoffs, don’t count on this defense improving much over the season's final three weeks. 

15. Washington Commanders

Washington took one step closer to the playoffs with a 20-19 road win against the Saints. They shut down Alvin Kamara before the back exited with an injury and had no issues stopping Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. The unit finished the game with three sacks, seven TFLs, five PDs, and seven QB hits. Washington’s pass defense continues to be one of the league’s best, allowing the fourth-fewest air yards per game (189.6).

14. Seattle Seahawks

Seattle’s defense cooled off in a major way on Sunday Night Football. This had been the hottest unit in the league, but that changed when they allowed the Packers to score 30 points on 369 yards. The defense allowed Josh Jacobs to dominate in the first half. When they focused on stopping him, Jordan Love and the passing game took over to secure the win. 

13. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens took advantage of a broken Giant’s offense to get an impressive win on Sunday. The Giants finished with 14 points on 236 yards, converting just two of their 12 third-down attempts. Baltimore allowed an average of 3.9 yards per play, with most of New York’s offensive production coming after the game was already out of hand. The run defense was once again elite, allowing 55 yards on 20 rushes (2.8 YPC). 

12. Cleveland Browns

Cleveland’s defense played far better than the final numbers showed. That was primarily thanks to the Browns’ offense turning the ball over six times. While the pass rush failed to record a sack, they hit Patrick Mahomes 12 times. The Chiefs’ quarterback was contained due to that pressure, completing 50% of his passes for 159 yards. That resulted in a lowly 4.2 yards-per-play average, which should have been enough to get the Browns an upset win.

11. San Francisco 49ers

We came away from Week 15, most impressed with the Niners’ defense. They stepped up to hold a good Rams offense to its second-lowest point total of the season (12). Unfortunately, the Niners lost the game thanks to the offense scoring just six points on 191 yards. The pass defense was especially great, with Matthew Stafford completing 59% of his passes for 160 yards. We’ll see if the Niners’ defense can stay hot as they head to Miami for a must-win game on Sunday. 

10. Buffalo Bills

The bills drop slightly after allowing 42 points on 521 yards last season in Sunday’s win. We aren’t penalizing them too much, given the team was without two key players in the secondary. That is terrible news for any defense when facing the Lions. The unit finished the game with three sacks and ten QB hits, which, along with a key forced fumble, did just enough to secure a win. Expect the Buffalo defense to improve once its secondary is back to full strength. 

9. Detroit Lions

Uh oh.

The injuries appear to be taking a toll on this Detroit defense finally. They were unable to stop the Bills, forcing just one punt. The unit surrendered 559 yards and 48 points, falling victim to another incredible effort from Josh Allen. The pass rush was non-existent, while the run defense allowed 197 yards (5.8 YPC) and four touchdowns on the ground. While getting burned by Allen isn’t overly concerning, it was the second week the defense surrendered 31+ points.

8. Green Bay Packers

Green Bay’s defense just had one of its most impressive efforts of the season. They went on the road and held a red-hot Seahawks team to 13 points on 208 yards and posted seven sacks, ten TFLs, seven PDs, and 12 QB Hits. Some of those numbers are inflated by Geno Smith leaving with an injury, but the defense was dominant from the opening whistle. The best takeaway from the win was the play of Rashan Gary, who has now posted 4.5 sacks over the last six games after a slow start to the season.

7. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers take a tumble down our rankings after getting smoked by the Bucs’ on Sunday. Los Angeles allowed the Bucs to gain 506 yards, score 40 points, and convert nine of their 15 third-down attempts. The worst damage came on the ground, where the Bucs rushed 39 times for 223 yards (5.7 YPC). Some of that can be blamed on the LA offense, which lost the time-of-possession battle by over 13 minutes.

6. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs’ defense took advantage of an easy part of their schedule to turn things around against the Raiders, Chargers, and Browns. They were incredible all game, forcing six turnovers, five sacks, 11 WB hits, eight TFLs, and nine PDs. However, they are about to be tested quickly, and Patrick Mahomes will likely miss time. He has been carrying the offense all season, meaning the defense will be forced to step up over the final three weeks. 

5. Houston Texans

The Texans’s defense dragged the offense to an AFC South-clinching win on Sunday. They held a dangerous Miami offense to 12 points on 224 yards while forcing four turnovers. Tyreek Hill finished with just two catches for 36 yards, with his first coming midway through the third quarter. Houston’s defense has been fantastic all season despite the offense struggling to find its groove. That earns them a place in our top five this week.

4. Minnesota Vikings

We have loved watching this defense play all season, and they were great again on Monday Night Football. While their aggressive pass rush didn’t get to Caleb Williams much, the rookie quarterback completed just 58% of his passes for 191 yards. Almost all those yards and the lone touchdown came in garbage time when Minnesota released the gas. Chicago’s first six drives ended in a turnover on downs, fumble, punt, turnover on downs, end of the half, and a punt. They converted just one of their 12 third down attempts. 

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers did what no one else could on Sunday: shut down Saquon Barkley. The MVP candidate averaged just 3.4 YPC for 65 yards in his second-worst outing of the season. Pittsburgh’s front seven was fantastic, but a revived Philly passing game beat them. While the unit’s numbers weren’t overly impressive, they spent almost 40 minutes on the field thanks to the lackluster offense. That’s an impossible task against an offense like Philly, so we give the defense a pass.

2. Denver Broncos

The Broncos’ offense had its worst game on the season in Week 15, but the defense carried the team to a crucial win. The unit finished the game with two sacks, five TFLs, ten QB hits, and two INTs. Linebacker Nik Bonitto also picked off a screen pass (ruled a fumble), which he returned for his second touchdown in two weeks. Pat Surtain II left the game with an injury, but early reports suggest it is minor.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' defense put forward a complete effort against the Steelers on Sunday.  They allowed 163 yards and averaged 4.0 yards per play. The defense also was stout on third down, stopping seven of the Steerls’ ten attempts. The result was the Philly offense spending almost 20 more minutes on the field than Pittsburgh’s unit. That allowed them to wear down a great Steelers defense and get an impressive home win.

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Top Five NFL Passing Defenses

5. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are allowing a lot of passing yards, but opposing quarterbacks are averaging the third-lowest passer rating in the league against them. 

4. Detroit Lions

The Lions tumble down to the fourth spot after being lit up by Josh Allen last week. Injuries are taking a toll, meaning things may not be getting better for this unit over the final three weeks. 

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers drop to third after allowing Jalen Hurts and the Philly pass game to bounce back on Sunday. It was an ugly effort as the team allowed AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith to go for over 100 yards and a touchdown each.

2. Houston Texans

The Texans’ pass defense continues to carry this team, despite offensive struggle. The unit finished the game with three sacks and three picks. 

1. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles pass defense came up big against the Steelers on Sunday. Philly is allowing the fewest passing yards per game in the league (173.4) and rank in the top five in completion percentage (61.8%) and touchdowns (15) through the air.

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Top Five NFL Rushing Defenses

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers did something no one else has this season: slow down Saquon Barkley. The star back was held to a 3.4 YPC average for 65 yards. 

4. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs drop a spot after getting lit up by the Browns. They surrendered 139 yards and allowed a 6.6 YPC average to a Browns team that lost Nick Chubb during the game.

3. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings struggled a bit against D’Andre Swift on Sunday, but held Chicago to a 3.9 YPC. The Vikings front seven dominates the line of scrimmage, making them one of the most effective run defenses in football.

2. Denver Broncos

The Broncos drop out of our top spot after struggling badly against the Colts last weekend. They allowed 149 yards and a touchdown (4.7 YPC), but were let off the hook by the play of the pass defense.

1. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens return to the top of our rankings after holding the Giants to 55 yards on 20 rushes (2.8 YPC). The team is allowing the fewest rushing yards in the league (80.7) per game, and the lowes YPC average (3.5).

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