Week 12 was a great week for NFL defenses, who were the glue for their teams that shut down opposing offenses from having good games.
Some defenses, on the other hand, failed to stop opposing offenses from having excellent games and have a lot of work ahead of them for week 13. With a few weeks left in the regular season, time is running out, but we can’t wait to see what else these defenses can do in the coming weeks.
Here are the grades for all 32 NFL teams’ defenses after week 12.
Which NFL teams have the highest grades on defense after week 12?
Arizona Cardinals: C-
The Cardinals’ defense played a lot better than the team’s offense but weren’t able to help the team earn a win in their NFL game, as they lost 6-16 against the Seattle Seahawks. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson had nine tackles and a pass deflection, Budda Baker had seven tackles and a sack, Zaven Collins and Jesse Luketa both had three tackles and a sack each, Dante Stills and L.J. Collier both had two tackles and a sack each, and Garrett Williams had three tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception.
Despite the efforts on defense, the Cardinals couldn’t stop Jaxon Smith-Njigba but were able to hold the Seahawks’ rushing attack to a combined 65 yards on the ground. The Redbirds continue their road trip into week 13 when they head to the Land of 10,000 Lakes for a showdown against the Minnesota Vikings.
Atlanta Falcons: Bye Week
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The Falcons’ defense had trouble stopping the Denver Broncos’ offense in week 11 and needs to right the ship for their week 13 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers, who are coming to town.
Baltimore Ravens: B+
Even though Roquan Smith was inactive due to a hamstring injury, the rest of the Ravens’ defense stepped up in his absence and defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 30-23. Malik Harrison had 13 tackles, Kyle Van Noy and Brandon Stephens both had two tackles and a sack each, Josh Tupou and Odafe Oweh both had a tackle and a sack each, and Nate Wiggins had six tackles and two pass deflections.
Another strong performance by the Ravens’ defense, as they mean business against good offenses. The Ravens return home in week 13 and will be tested against the Philadelphia Eagles coming to town.
Buffalo Bills: Bye Week
The Bills’ defense did a very good job in their week 11 win against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs and have full control of the AFC East. The Bills have to get prepared to host the San Francisco 49ers coming to town on Sunday Night Football in week 13.
Carolina Panthers: C
The Panthers’ defense may not be the best in the NFL, but they put up a good fight against the Kansas City Chiefs despite losing 27-30 in last-second fashion. Josey Jewell had nine tackles and a sack, Jaycee Horn had six tackles and a sack, D.J. Wonnum had five tackles and a sack, Jadeveon Clowney had three tackles and 1.5 sacks, and DeShaun Williams had three tackles and 0.5 sacks. The Panthers had no defensive turnovers, as they did everything they could to slow the Chiefs’ offense down, but their valiant efforts weren’t enough in the very end.
Chicago Bears: B-
The Bears’ defense played a good game against the Vikings but were unable to secure the win, as they lost 27-30 in overtime against the Minnesota Vikings. Kevin Byard III had 13 tackles, Jonathan Owens had eight tackles and a fumble recovery, and DeMarcus Walker had five tackles and a sack. Montez Sweat had three tackles and a sack, and Jonathan Martin had a tackle and a sack.
The Bears’ defense managed to silence Justin Jefferson from having a very productive NFL game but forgot about Jordan Addison, as he had 162 receiving yards for the Vikings and scored a touchdown. The Bears’ defense travels to the Motor City for a week 13 Thanksgiving clash against the Detroit Lions.
Cincinnati Bengals: Bye Week
The Bengals’ defense isn’t the best unit in the NFL, but they most certainly have some good talent in the unit, as they had a bit of a tough time trying to contain the Los Angeles Chargers back in week 11. The Bengals return home in week 13 and will welcome their AFC North rivals, the Pittsburgh Steelers, to town.
Also Read: Grading All 32 NFL Teams’ Defenses After Week 11 Games Of The 2024 Season
Cleveland Browns: B+
The Browns’ defense defended their home turf well, as they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 24-19. Grant Delpit had 10 tackles, Jordan Hicks had six tackles and a sack, and Myles Garrett had five tackles and three sacks. The Browns’ defense also held the Steelers’ rushing attack to 120 yards on the ground. A great game for the Browns’ defense, as they earned the victory in a snow-covered Huntington Bank Field.
Dallas Cowboys: B
The Cowboys’ defense had a good afternoon, as they stunned the Washington Commanders 34-26 in a very competitive and crazy game. Josh Butler had 12 tackles, a sack, and three pass deflections. Micah Parsons had eight tackles and two sacks, and DeMarvion Overshown had three tackles and a sack. Israel Mukuamu had a tackle, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for five yards, and Chauncy Golston had a tackle, two pass deflections, and an interception returned for 18 yards.
A nice upset win for the Cowboys’ defense as defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer took advantage of Jayden Daniels’ struggles and made sure he had a miserable afternoon all game long.
Denver Broncos: A-
The Broncos’ defense had a very nice afternoon against the Las Vegas Raiders and won 29-19. Cody Barton had six tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a pass deflection; Brandon Jones had five tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception returned for 37 yards. Nik Bonitto, Malcolm Roach, and Jonah Ellis each had three tackles and a sack, D.J. Jones and Jonathan Cooper both had three tackles and 0.5 sacks each, and Eyioma Uwazurike had a tackle and 0.5 sacks.
Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph continues to make the Broncos’ defense one of the better units in the NFL, as they continue to be a formidable foe against opposing offenses.
Detroit Lions: C+
The Lions’ defense had an okay game, as they succeeded in helping the team secure the 24-6 win over the Indianapolis Colts. Jack Campbell had nine tackles and two pass deflections, Malcolm Rodriguez had eight tackles, and Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph both had four tackles.
The Lions’ defense managed to hold the Colts’ rushing attack to a combined 96 yards, held Jonathan Taylor 35 yards on the ground, and kept the Colts from scoring any touchdowns all game long. The Lions’ defense returns home in week 13 for their annual Thanksgiving game and will welcome the Chicago Bears to town.
Green Bay Packers: B+
The Packers’ defense had a very nice afternoon, as they took advantage of the injury-plagued San Francisco 49ers in their 38-10 victory at home. Quay Walker had seven tackles and a pass deflection. Xavier McKinney had three tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception returned for 48 yards. Rashan Gary and Lukas Van Ness both had two tackles and a sack each, Kenny Clark had two tackles and a fumble recovery, and Karl Brooks had a tackle and a fumble recovery.
Houston Texans: B
The Texans’ defense had a solid afternoon, as they kept the team afloat in their 27-32 loss at home against the Tennessee Titans. Azeez Al-Shaair had eight tackles and a sack, Danielle Hunter had seven tackles and three sacks, Jimmie Ward had six tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for a 65-yard pick-six, Derek Barnett had four tackles and a sack, Will Anderson Jr. had two tackles and two sacks, Tommy Togiai had two tackles and a sack, and Kris Boyd and Mario Edwards Jr. both had fumble recoveries.
Along with the strong efforts of the Texans’ defense, Will Levis managed to make some good plays, and Tony Pollard flourished on the ground.
Indianapolis Colts: C-
The Colts’ defense had an okay game against the Detroit Lions but fell in a disastrous 6-24 loss at home. Nick Cross had 14 tackles, Zaire Franklin had 13 tackles and a sack, DeForest Buckner had seven tackles and a sack, and Laiatu Latu had four tackles and a sack. The Colts defense had trouble slowing down David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs but kept the Lions’ top receivers out of the end zone. The Colts’ defense travels east for a week 13 showdown against the New England Patriots in Foxborough, MA.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Bye Week
The Jaguars’ defense had a brutal week 11 in their 6-52 loss against a vicious Detroit Lions offense. However, the team has to find a way to step up and move on from that loss for their week 13 home stand against the Houston Texans coming to town.
Kansas City Chiefs: C-
The Chiefs’ defense had an okay afternoon in the Tarheel State, as they narrowly defeated the Carolina Panthers 30-27. Nazeeh Johnson had eight tackles and a pass deflection, Mike Danna had four tackles and a sack, Trent McDuffie had four tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a pass deflection, and Nick Bolton had four tackles and 0.5 sacks. However, the Chiefs’ defense had no defensive turnovers in the win.
As good as defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo is, the Chiefs’ defense has shown some flaws, as they have not been able to get to the opposing NFL quarterback fast enough in recent weeks.
Las Vegas Raiders: D
Despite Maxx Crosby becoming one of four NFL players in NFL history to reach 100 tackles for a loss in his first six seasons, the Raiders defense couldn’t slow down Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos in the team’s 19-29 loss at home.
Decamerion Richardson had eight tackles and a pass deflection, Jack Jones had seven tackles and a pass deflection, Crosby had five tackles, and Tyree Wilson had four tackles and the team’s only sack. The Raiders failed to get a turnover against the Broncos as their struggles continue to unfold.
Los Angeles Chargers: C-
The Chargers’ defense started their Monday Night clash against the Baltimore Ravens well in the first quarter but couldn’t contain their offense as the game continued on, as they lost 23-30 by the end of the night. Daiyan Henley had 10 tackles, Derwin James Jr. had six tackles and the team’s only sack, Joey Bosa and Khalil Mack both had four tackles, and Tarheeb Still had seven tackles. It would’ve been nice to see the Chargers snag an interception or fumble recovery, but the Ravens’ offense kept the ball secure and didn’t look back as they defeated the Bolts at home.
Los Angeles Rams: D
The Rams’ defense had a bit of a rough night, as they failed to stop the run in their 20-37 loss at home against the red-hot Philadelphia Eagles. Christian Rozeboom had 12 tackles, Omar Speights, Kamren Curl, and Jared Verse each had seven tackles, and Braden Fiske had four tackles and the team’s only sack.
The Rams’ defense was run out of SoFi Stadium by Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 255 yards on 26 carries and scored two rushing touchdowns, which was a night the Rams’ defense would like to forget about.
Miami Dolphins: B+
The Dolphins’ defense had a great afternoon at home, as they defeated the New England Patriots 34-15. Jordyn Brooks had nine tackles and a fumble recovery. Tyrel Dodson had five tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception. Jalen Ramsey and Zach Seiler both had four tackles and a sack each, Chop Robinson had four tackles, 1.5 sacks, and two pass deflections, and Emmanuel Ogbah had two tackles and 0.5 sacks.
The Dolphins’ defense also held the Patriots’ rushing attack to a combined 86 yards all game and kept the Patriots out of the end zone for the first three-quarters of the game. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver deserves credit for making this unit a fierce competitor against opposing offenses.
Minnesota Vikings: B+
The Vikings’ defense played well in their 3–27 overtime victory over the Chicago Bears. Harrison Smith had 11 tackles, Andrew Van Ginkel had seven tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection, Jonathan Greenard had six tackles and two sacks, and Bo Richter had a fumble recovery. The Vikings’ defense held the Bears’ rushing attack to 78 yards on the ground and held Rome Odunze to 39 receiving yards all game. The Vikings’ defense returns home in week 13 and will welcome the Arizona Cardinals to town.
New England Patriots: D+
The Patriots’ defense showed some promise against the Miami Dolphins, but efforts weren’t enough as they lost 15-34 in South Beach. Marcus Jones had eight tackles and three pass deflections, Christian Barmore had two tackles and a sack, Brenden Schooler had a tackle and a sack, and Christian Gonzalez had three tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery returned for a 63-yard touchdown.
Even though Gonzalez, Jones, and Barmore stepped up, Kyle Dugger had a rough afternoon against Jonnu Smith, and the rest of the defense couldn’t stop the Dolphins’ offense for most of the game. The Patriots return home for a week 13 showdown against the Indianapolis Colts coming to town.
New Orleans Saints: Bye Week
The Saints’ defense has done some good in weeks 10 and 11 as they helped the team earn wins against the Atlanta Falcons and Cleveland Browns, respectively. The Saints’ defense will be tested in week 13 when the Los Angeles Rams come to town.
New York Giants: F
The Giants’ defense fell flat, as they were dismantled in their 7-30 loss at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Tyler Nubin had 12 tackles and a pass deflection, Micah McFadden had 11 tackles, and D.J. Davidson had two tackles and the team’s lone fumble recovery. The Giants defense couldn’t even land a single sack against star NFL QB Baker Mayfield, nor could they stop the Bucs’ rushing attack from getting into the end zone all game long.
New York Jets: Bye Week
The Jets’ defense is normally known to be a very hard-hitting unit. However, ever since Jeff Ulbrich was named interim head coach, the defense has had a tough time trying to defeat most of their opponents. The Jets’ defense returns to action in week 13, when they get set to host the Seattle Seahawks coming to town.
Philadelphia Eagles: A-
The Eagles’ defense had themselves a great night, as they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 37-20. Nakobe Dean had eight tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery. Josh Sweat and Brandon Graham both had two tackles and a sack each, Milton Williams had two tackles and two sacks, and Cooper DeJean had six tackles and two pass deflections.
Give credit to defensive coordinator Vic Fangio for coaching an incredible defense in the victory. However, the Eagles did lose veteran defensive end Brandon Graham to a season-ending triceps tear. Graham’s leadership and production will be missed.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B-
The Steelers’ defense put up a fight against the Cleveland Browns, but their efforts on the field weren’t enough as they lost 19-24. Patrick Queen had seven tackles and a pass deflection. DeShon Elliot had six tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery; Nick Herbig had five tackles and a sack, and Donte Jackson had three tackles, a pass deflection, a fumble recovery, and an interception returned for two yards.
A valiant effort by the Steelers, but the Browns were able to slow down T.J. Watt and keep him from sacking Jameis Winston. The Steelers continue their Buckeye State tour with a week 13 match-up against the Cincinnati Bengals.
San Francisco 49ers: C-
The 49ers’ defense had an okay afternoon, even as the team missed Nick Bosa, who was out with an oblique injury, in their 10-38 loss at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. Isaac Yiadom had nine tackles and a pass deflection, Leonard Floyd had four tackles and two sacks, and Renardo Green had five tackles and a pass deflection.
The 49ers’ injuries and struggles, as they missed key tackles, have affected the team at the worst time, as this loss will impact the team’s chances of making the playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks: B+
The Seahawks defense came to life and made things miserable for the Arizona Cardinals in their 16-6 divisional win at home. Ernest Jones IV had 10 tackles, Tyrice Knight had nine tackles and a sack, Coby Bryant had six tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for a 69-yard pick-six, Leonard Williams had six tackles, 2.5 sacks, and a pass deflection, Jarren Reed had three tackles and 0.5 sacks, and Boye Mafe had two tackles and a sack.
The main highlight for the Seahawks’ defense was from Bryant, who stole the show with his pick-six, as he celebrated it by paying homage to Marshawn Lynch’s touchdown from 10 years ago.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: A-
The Bucs’ defense had a great game at MetLife Stadium, as they dismantled the New York Giants 30-7. Antoine Winfield Jr. had six tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery, and Anthony Nelson had four tackles and a sack. Vita Vea and Calijah Kancey both had two tackles and a sack each, and Kancey had a fumble recovery. A solid afternoon for the Bucs’ defense, as head coach Todd Bowles deserves a lot of credit for making the unit incredibly dangerous against the woeful Giants.
Tennessee Titans: B+
The Titans’ defense put up a strong fight against the Houston Texans and helped the team win 32-27. Kenneth Murray Jr. had seven tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception returned for six yards. Jarvis Brownlee Jr. had four tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception returned for two yards. Harold Landry had three tackles and a sack, Jeffrey Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat both had two tackles and a sack each, and Ali Gaye had a tackle and a sack.
It was a nice afternoon for this NFL team’s defense as they held the Texans’ rushing attack to a combined 40 yards on the ground, and defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson deserves a lot of credit for making C.J. Stroud’s afternoon a miserable one.
Washington Commanders: D+
The Commanders’ defense had some good stops against the Dallas Cowboys, but the team ultimately blew their shot at winning and lost 26-34 against the Cowboys. Bobby Wagner had eight tackles and a fumble recovery, Frankie Luvu had eight tackles and three pass deflections, and Daron Payne had four tackles and the team’s only sack.
Normally, the Cowboys aren’t an efficient running team, but defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr.’s defense lost a turf battle against Mike McCarthy’s offense at the very end.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams’ Defenses From WORST To FIRST After Week 11 Of The 2024 Season
