Week 13 was another solid week in the books for some of the league’s best defenses. We got to see some of the best units come together and prevent opposing offenses from having good games. However, some defenses completely imploded after dealing with struggles and injuries catching up to them as they try to salvage what’s left of their respective 2024 NFL season. With only five weeks left to go, these defenses need to finish strong and get prepared for their respective playoff runs.
Here are the grades for all 32 NFL teams’ defenses after week 13.
Which NFL teams have the highest grades on defense after week 13?
Arizona Cardinals: C+
The Cardinals’ defense put up a decent fight against the Minnesota Vikings, but their efforts weren’t enough, as they lost a very close 22-23 battle. Mack Wilson Sr. had seven tackles, two sacks, and a pass deflection. Kyzir White had six tackles and a sack, L.J. Collier had two tackles and two sacks, and Roy Lopez had two tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery. The Cardinals’ defense also held the Vikings’ rushing attack to 68 yards on the ground, but their efforts weren’t enough to stop the Vikings from mounting a comeback win against them.
Atlanta Falcons: B-
The Falcons’ defense played much better than the offense, even though the team lost a tough 13-17 battle at home against the Los Angeles Chargers. Kaden Elliss had five tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection. Clark Phillips III had four tackles, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery. David Onyemata had four tackles and a sack, Arnold Ebiketie had three tackles and two sacks, and Kentavius Street had two tackles and a sack. Despite the loss, the Falcons’ defense stepped up and showed they have a lot of fight in them, as the team has five games left in the NFL regular season.
Baltimore Ravens: C
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The Ravens’ defense had an okay afternoon but failed to stop the Philadelphia Eagles from having an impressive game in their 19-24 loss. Roquan Smith had 11 tackles and 0.5 sacks, Marlon Humphrey had three tackles and 0.5 sacks, Broderick Washington had three tackles and a sack, and Kyle Hamilton had four tackles but left the game with a head injury scare until he came back into the game.
The Ravens’ defense had no answers on how to stop Jalen Hurts or Saquon Barkley from having impressive performances against them. Luckily, the Ravens head into a week 14 bye week for a chance to regroup and get prepared for their week 15 matchup against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
Buffalo Bills: B-
The Bills’ defense had a nice Sunday night in the snow as they defeated the injury-plagued San Francisco 49ers 35-10. Terrell Bernard had nine tackles, Greg Rousseau had four tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery, Christian Benford had a tackle, a pass deflection, and a fumble recovery, and Damar Hamlin had five tackles. A great night for head coach Sean McDermott’s and defensive coordinator Bobby Babich’s unit, as they secured the win in frigid winter conditions.
Carolina Panthers: C+
The Panthers’ defense is not known to be the best unit in the league, but they put up a fight against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in their 23-26 loss in overtime. Josey Jewell had 10 tackles. Chau Smith-Wade had eight tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for three yards. Xavier Woods had seven tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for 33 yards.
Trevin Wallace had five tackles and a sack, Amare Barno had four tackles and a sack, and Jadeveon Clowney had three tackles and a sack. The Panthers’ defense wasn’t able to stop Bucky Irving and Mike Evans from having excellent performances, but they were able to make NFL star quarterback Baker Mayfield’s life on the field into a nightmare.
Chicago Bears: D+
The Bears’ defense had a rough Thanksgiving in the “Motor City,” as they suffered a close and heartbreaking 20-23 loss against the Detroit Lions. Kevin Byard III had 10 tackles and a pass deflection, Gervon Dexter Sr. had seven tackles, a sack, and a fumble recovery, Jack Sanborn had four tackles and 0.5 sacks, and Austin Booker had a tackle and 0.5 sacks. This NFL team’s defense had trouble trying to slow down the Lions’ running back duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, although Dexter Sr.’s fumble recovery helped the Bears out. His efforts weren’t enough, as the Lions’ offense took advantage of the Bears’ missteps.
Cincinnati Bengals: C
The Bengals’ defense started their divisional showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers on a strong note in the first quarter but ultimately fell 38-44, as they couldn’t stop the Steelers’ offense from getting hot in the remainder of the game. Germaine Pratt and Akeem Davis-Gaither both had 13 tackles, B.J. Hill had six tackles and a sack, Joseph Ossai had three tackles and a sack, and Cam Taylor-Britt had seven tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for a 51-yard pick-six in the first quarter.
Outside of Taylor-Britt’s pick-six, the rest of the Bengals’ defense had trouble slowing down the Steelers’ offense from turning the engine on in the second, third, and fourth quarters, as they made things very difficult for the Bengals for most of the game.
Also Read: Grading All 32 NFL Teams’ Defenses After Week 12 Games Of The 2024 Season
Cleveland Browns: C+
The Browns’ defense played fairly competitive against the Denver Broncos but came up short in their 32-41 loss on Monday Night Football. Jordan Hicks had 12 tackles, Denzel Ward had three tackles, two pass deflections, and an interception, Greg Newsome II had a tackle, two pass deflections, and an interception returned for negative two yards, and Grant Delpit and Martin Emerson Jr. both had six tackles each.
Ward and Newsome II’s interceptions gave the Browns a spark of hope, but the Broncos’ offense kept pounding the ball throughout the game. The Browns will travel to the Keystone State for a week 14 showdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Dallas Cowboys: B+
The Cowboys’ defense had a very good afternoon at home, as they defeated the New York Giants 27-20 on Thanksgiving. Eric Kendricks had 10 tackles and a sack, Donovan Wilson had five tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection, Osa Odighizuwa had four tackles and a sack, Micah Parsons had three tackles and 1.5 sacks, Mazi Smith had three tackles and 0.5 sacks, Carl Lawson had a tackle and a sack, and DeMarvion Overshown had nine tackles, a pass deflection, a fumble recovery, and an interception returned for a 23-yard pick-six. Overshown was the Cowboys’ X Factor on defense, as his fumble recovery and pick-six helped the Cowboys earn their first win at home for the 2024 season.
Denver Broncos: B+
The Broncos’ defense had a very wild night, as they defeated the Cleveland Browns 41-32 in a Monday Night thriller. Levi Wallace had eight tackles and a pass deflection. Cody Barton had eight tackles, a pass deflection, and the game-ending interception returned for 56 yards. Nik Bonito had a tackle, a sack, two pass deflections, and an interception returned for a 71-yard pick-six; Jonah Ellis had four tackles and a sack.
Jonathon Cooper had three tackles and a sack, and Ja’Quan McMillian had five tackles, four pass deflections, and an interception returned for a 44-yard pick-six. The two pick-sixes from McMillian and Bonito were game-changers for the Broncos as they kept the Browns at bay. With the win, the Broncos head into their week 14 bye week on a positive note.
Detroit Lions: B+
The Lions’ defense had a very nice Thanksgiving, as they defeated the Chicago Bears 23-20. Brian Branch had six tackles, DJ Reader had four tackles and two sacks, Z’Darius Smith had three tackles and 1.5 sacks, Al-Quadin Muhammad had a tackle, a sack, and a pass deflection, and Ezekiel Turner had a tackle and 0.5 sacks.
The Lions’ defense played physically and aggressively, but Mekhi Wingo and Malcolm Rodriguez both suffered season-ending ACL injuries. Losing Wingo and Rodriguez is going to hurt, but the Lions’ defense must continue playing strong and aggressive under defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s system.
Green Bay Packers: B
The Packers’ defense had a great Thanksgiving night, as they defeated the Miami Dolphins 30-17. Isaiah McDuffy had 10 tackles and a pass deflection, Quay Walker had 10 tackles and a sack, Kingsley Engabare had five tackles and a sack, Lukas Van Ness and Brenton Cox Jr. both had two tackles and a sack each, and Kenny Clark had a tackle and a sack. The Packers’ defense also held the Dolphins’ rushing attack to 39 yards on the ground, and NFL defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley’s unit made disruptive plays in the second half to prevent the Dolphins from coming back into the game.
Houston Texans: C
The Texans’ defense had a decent afternoon in their 23-20 controversial win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. Neville Hewitt had nine tackles, Kamari Lassiter had eight tackles, and Derrick Stingley Jr. had two tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception against Trevor Lawrence returned for 31 yards. However, with four minutes to go in the second quarter, Azeez Al-Shaair had a late and dirty hit on Lawrence, who attempted to slide down the field, which resulted in Lawrence suffering a concussion.
In the aftermath, a brawl broke out between the Texans and the Jaguars. Al-Shaair did apologize for the hit, but he will be suspended. It’s now a question of how many games Al-Shaair will be suspended for.
Indianapolis Colts: C
The Colts’ defense had a tough afternoon, at times, in Foxborough, MA, against the New England Patriots, even though they secured the 25-24 win, thanks to good red zone defense. Zaire Franklin had 12 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a pass deflection. Nick Cross had nine tackles and a sack; DeForest Buckner had seven tackles and a sack.
Kwity Paye had three tackles and a sack, and Julian Blackmon had five tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for 17 yards. As good as the Colts’ defense was against the Patriots in the red zone, they struggled to defend the Pats’ tight ends, Austin Hooper and Hunter Henry, and against the Patriots’ rushing attack.
Jacksonville Jaguars: C-
The Jaguars’ defense did what they could against their AFC South rivals, the Houston Texans, but ended up losing a very close and controversial 20-23 battle. Darnell Savage had seven tackles, Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker both had four tackles and a sack each, and Devin Lloyd had six tackles and a pass deflection.
The Jags’ defense was able to keep Nico Collins out of the end zone but wasn’t able to slow down Joe Mixon or keep Dalton Schultz out of the end zone. The Jaguars travel west to the Music City for a week 14 divisional showdown against the Tennessee Titans.
Kansas City Chiefs: B+
The Chiefs’ defense had a good game against their AFC West rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, in a very close 19-17 win in the final seconds. Nick Bolton had 11 tackles and the game-winning fumble recovery, Chris Jones had six tackles and two sacks, George Karlaftis had two tackles and a sack, and Justin Reed had six tackles and two pass deflections.
The Chiefs’ defense wasn’t able to intercept any of Aiden O’Connell’s passes, but Bolton became the hero for the NFL squad with his fumble recovery with 15 seconds left in the game. The Chiefs remain home for week 14 as they welcome the Los Angeles Chargers to town on Sunday Night Football.
Las Vegas Raiders: B-
The Raiders’ defense tried to put up a fight against the two-time defending Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs but came up short in their 17-19 razor-thin loss on Black Friday. Robert Spillane had nine tackles, Adam Butler had six tackles and 0.5 sacks, Maxx Crosby had four tackles and a sack, K’Lavon Chaisson had three tackles and 1.5 sacks, and Zach Carter had two tackles and a sack.
The Raiders’ defense had their good moments against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs’ rushing attack, as they held them to a combined 63 yards but weren’t able to intercept any of his passes or slow down DeAndre Hopkins.
Los Angeles Chargers: B
Even though the Chargers’ offense struggled for the most part in their 17-13 win over the Atlanta Falcons, the defense stepped up and made Kirk Cousins have a miserable afternoon. Derwin James Jr. had 10 tackles, two pass deflections, and the game-ending interception returned for two yards. Marcus Maye had three tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception; Teair Tart had five tackles and a sack, and Tarheeb Still had three tackles, three pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and two interceptions, with one of them being returned for a 61-yard pick-six near the end of the third quarter.
Still and James Jr. stepped up and were game-changers for the Chargers, while defensive coordinator Jesse Minter deserves a lot of credit for his defensive schemes, making Kirk Cousins’ afternoon a painful one to remember.
Los Angeles Rams: C-
The Rams’ defense may not have had any sacks or interceptions against the New Orleans Saints, but they managed to help the Rams secure the 21-14 win on the road. Christian Rozeboom had 12 tackles and a pass deflection, Omar Speights had 10 tackles and a pass deflection, and Quentin Lake had eight tackles and a pass deflection. The Rams had six pass deflections overall and were able to hold the Saints’ passing attack at bay for a combined 184 yards in the air.
Miami Dolphins: D-
The Dolphins’ defense had a stale Thanksgiving night at Lambeau Field, as they were defeated 17-30 by the Green Bay Packers. Tyrel Dodson had 10 tackles, Jordyn Brooks and Jordan Poyer both had nine tackles each, and Jevon Holland had six tackles. The Dolphins weren’t able to sack or intercept any of Jordan Love’s passes, while Brooks called the team’s performance soft in the 27-degree weather in Northeastern Wisconsin. The Dolphins return home in week 14 and will host the New York Jets coming to town.
Minnesota Vikings: B
The Vikings’ defense played a competitive battle against the Arizona Cardinals and helped secure the 23-22 win for the team. Blake Cashman had 11 tackles, Jonathan Greenard had four tackles and a sack, Byron Murphy II had five tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception, and Shaquil Griffin had five tackles, a pass deflection, and the game-ending interception.
This NFL team’s defense played with grit and heart as they prevented the Cardinals from stealing a win from them. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores deserves credit for coaching a great and formidable unit.
New England Patriots: C-
The Patriots’ defense had an alright afternoon against the Indianapolis Colts but lost a very close 24-25 battle. Jabrill Peppers had nine tackles, Christian Gonzalez had six tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception, Christian Elliss had four tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for six yards.
The Pats’ defense couldn’t land a single sack against Anthony Richardson or stop him from scoring a rushing touchdown against them, and safety Kyle Dugger gave up the game-winning touchdown to Alec Pierce. The Patriots luckily enter a week 14 bye week, which will be a good week to regroup and refresh themselves moving forward.
New Orleans Saints: C
The Saints’ defense had themselves a decent afternoon but weren’t able to stop the Rams from coming back from behind in their 14-21 loss at home. Ugo Amadi had nine tackles and a pass deflection, Nathan Shepherd and Brian Bresee both had a tackle and a sack each, and Pete Werner had eight tackles.
The Saints’ defense didn’t snag any interceptions, but they did have two sacks against Matthew Stafford in the contest. The Saints travel east for a week 14 showdown against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium.
New York Giants: F
Despite losing 20-27, the Giant’s defense had a rough Thanksgiving afternoon against the Dallas Cowboys. Tyler Nubin had 12 tackles, Bobby Okereke had nine tackles and a pass deflection, Adoree’ Jackson had seven tackles and a pass deflection, and Cor’Dale Flott had five tackles and two pass deflections, but no one on the G-Men could sack or pick off any of Cooper Rush’s passes.
The Giants’ pass rush couldn’t even stop Rico Dowdle from having an electric afternoon and Dexter Lawrence II left the game with a dislocated elbow, which is a huge blow to the Giants’ defense. The Giants return home and will square off against the New Orleans Saints in week 14.
New York Jets: C
The Jets’ defense played fairly well against the Seahawks and had a 21-16 lead at halftime, but let it all slip away and lost 21-26 in the end. Will McDonald IV had two tackles and two sacks, Quincy Williams had seven tackles and a sack, and Sauce Gardner had three tackles and two pass deflections. As good as Williams and Gardner are, the entire Jets’ team is in disarray, as the Jets are waiting for the 2024 season to end so the 2025 offseason can begin for a fresh reset.
Philadelphia Eagles: B
The Eagles’ defense had a decent late afternoon as they defeated the Baltimore Ravens 24-19. Zach Baun had 13 tackles and 0.5 sacks, Nakobe Dean had 10 tackles, Nolan Smith Jr. had eight tackles and a sack, Jalen Carter had four tackles and a sack, and Jalyx Hunt had two tackles and 0.5 sacks.
Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio’s unit kept the Ravens’ offense at bay and held them to 12 points for most of the game until Lamar Jackson threw a touchdown pass to Isaiah Likely with seconds left in the fourth quarter. Other than that, Fangio’s unit is relentless and formidable.
Pittsburgh Steelers: B+
The Steelers’ defense played a tremendous game, helping the team defeat the Cincinnati Bengals 44-38. Cameron Heyward had five tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection. T.J. Watt had three tackles and two sacks, Nick Herbig had two tackles and a sack, Donte Jackson had a pass deflection and an interception returned for 11 yards, and Payton Wilson had three tackles and a fumble recovery returned for a 21-yard touchdown. It was an excellent afternoon for the Steelers’ defense as they played a very competitive offense and secured the win.
San Francisco 49ers: F
The 49ers’ defense failed to do just about anything in their 10-35 loss against the Buffalo Bills in a very snow-covered Sunday night showdown. Ji’Ayir Brown had eight tackles, Renardo Green had six tackles and a pass deflection, and Fred Warner had four tackles. The 49ers’ defense failed to land a single sack or intercept any of the passes of star NFL quarterback Josh Allen during the loss, as they couldn’t take the cold weather all game long. The 49ers return home for week 14 and will host the Chicago Bears coming to town.
Seattle Seahawks: B+
The Seahawks’ defense had a nice game at MetLife Stadium, as they came back from being down 16-21 and won 26-21. Ernest Jones IV had eight tackles, Julian Love had six tackles and a pass deflection, Tyrice Knight had four tackles and a fumble recovery, and Leonard Williams (who was drafted by the Jets in 2015) had four tackles, two sacks, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for a 92-yard pick-six.
Williams’ interception was the highlight of the afternoon for the Seahawks, as he also got his revenge against the team that drafted him sixth overall back in 2015, just like his teammate, Geon Smith (who was drafted by the Jets 39th overall in 2013).
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: C
The Bucs’ defense played a close and competitive battle against their NFC South rivals, the Carolina Panthers, and won 26-23 in overtime. Lavonte David had eight tackles, Calijah Kancey had a tackle and a sack, Antonie Winfield Jr. and Anthony Nelson both had six tackles each, and Yaya Diaby had six tackles and a fumble recovery in overtime, which saved the game for the Bucs. It wasn’t a pretty performance, but the Bucs’ defense survived and lived to fight another afternoon in the NFL.
Tennessee Titans: C-
The Titans’ defense tried to put up a fight, but the Washington Commanders’ offense was too much for them in their 19-42 loss. Daryl Worley had 17 tackles, Kenneth Murray Jr. had 10 tackles and 0.5 sacks, Amani Hooker had seven tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception, and Arden Key had two tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Worley and Hooker carried the Titans all game, but safety Mike Brown was a nonfactor in the game as the Commanders’ offense took advantage of that. The Titans return home for a week 14 showdown against the Jacksonville Jaguars coming to town.
Washington Commanders: B+
The Commanders’ defense had a very good afternoon at home, as they defeated the Tennessee Titans 42-19. Mike Sainristil had seven tackles and a fumble recovery, Frankie Luvu had three tackles and a sack, Daron Payne had three tackles and 0.5 sacks, Clelin Ferrell had two tackles and 0.5 sacks, and Bobby Wagner had five tackles. The Commanders’ defense also made things tough for the Titans’ rushing attack, as they held the unit to 38 combined yards on the ground.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams’ Defenses From WORST To FIRST After Week 12 Of The 2024 Season
