It was another great NFL week for the winners who keep on churning out wins in the trenches and the backfield. However, even the best of defenses have their off days as we saw in week six. At this point, it’s hard to tell which defense is the best so far in the league, but the clear answer will arrive either by the end of the season or in the next few weeks!
Here is where all 32 NFL Teams defenses lineup after week 6 games:
Arizona Cardinals: D+ (Last week D+)
The Red Birds defense played the same way in their week six 9-26 loss to the Los Angeles Rams as they did in week five. The team managed to sack Matthew Stafford three times and did not have any pass deflections and/or interceptions against Stafford. Kyzir White had eight tackles and a sack for the Cardinals on the day. Arizona’s defense and their team are in a tough spot in the NFC West with teams like the San Francisco 49ers running the show, the Seahawks still a relevant force, and the Rams coming back to prominence. If the Cardinals want to make huge impacts on defense, they need to step up in a massive way against their tougher competition in the weeks to come!
Atlanta Falcons: C (Last week C+)
The Falcons defense played fair, but couldn’t snag a much-needed interception in order to turn the game around. The defense did get five sacks and three pass deflections against Sam Howell in the game. Nate Landman had eight tackles and Caliais Campbell had four tackles and a sack on the day. The Falcons have playmakers on defense, they just need to put more pressure on opposing offenses in order to secure more wins in a wide-open NFC South.
Baltimore Ravens: B+ (Last week B)
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The Raven’s offense came into their week six game fired up and ready to make more noise as an elite unit. Patrick Queen had nine tackles and a sack, Roquan Smith had nine tackles, and the defense had four pass deflections and six sacks. Kyle Hamilton had only one tackle all game but was ejected for a helmet-to-helmet hit in the third quarter. Geno Stone also had an interception returned for 26 yards in the victory. The Ravens defense is continuing to play rough, physical and aggressive ball against opposing offenses making them a legitimate playoff threat for the weeks to come!
Buffalo Bills: B- (Last week C+)
The Bills did take a slight step forward in their week six 14-9 victory on Sunday Night Football. They didn’t have any interceptions against Giant’s backup quarterback Tyrod Taylor, but they did sack him three times and had two pass deflections against him. Aaron Johnson had 15 tackles and a pass deflection and AJ Epenesa and three tackles and a sack. The Bills defense has played better than they performed in week five. They are a very formidable team to square off against and that will serve them well as the competition gets more challenging with the weeks flying by. The Bills defense also prevented the Giants from stealing a win on their home field at the very end of the game… which did break the hearts of Giants fans everywhere!
Carolina Panthers: F (Last week F)
The Panthers defense truly fell flat against an explosive Miami Dolphins offense in their week six 21-42 loss. The Panthers couldn’t even get a sack or an interception against Tua Tagovailoa. Troy Hill did secure an interception and a pick-six against Dolphins backup quarterback Mike White towards the end of the game. The Panthers’ defense is truly holding this team back from what they can accomplish, even with Bryce Young leading the offense.
Chicago Bears: D (Last week C+)
The Bears took a step back on defense when taking on the woeful Minnesota Vikings. The team had two sacks and two pass deflections all game and couldn’t snag an interception off Kirk Cousins in their week six loss. T.J. Edwards had eight tackles and a sack on the day. If the Bears defense continues to fall flat in close or blowout games, they might as well just tank in order to snag a very high draft pick.
Cincinnati Bengals: B+ (Last week B-)
The Bengals defense took a slight step up in their 17-13 victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Cam Taylor-Britt and Mike Hilton snagged interceptions against Geno Smith. Logan Wilson had 11 tackles and a sack while the rest of the Bengals fierce defense had four sacks and seven pass deflections. The Bengals defense is very competitive and can play with any opponent from the looks of things so far. They just need to keep slowing down opposing offenses in order to make the playoffs.
Cleveland Browns: C+ (Last week Bye Week)
The Browns defense made some good plays against a heavily favored San Francisco 49ers offense in their 19-17 upset win. Martin Emerson Jr. caught an interception and returned it for 14 yards, had six tackles, and two pass deflections. The Browns, as a team, had three sacks and three pass deflections all game against the 49ers and has shown us they can play with the strongest and fiercest of teams no matter the outcome!
Dallas Cowboys: B- (Last week D-)
The Dallas Cowboys defense came back to life in their week six 20-17 victory against the Los Angeles Chargers. Micah Parsons had a game changing sack in the fourth quarter against Justin Herbert and Stephon Gilmore had a game-ending interception against Herbert which sealed the deal for Dallas in Inglewood, CA. Damone Clark had eight tackles for the Cowboys on the night and Osa Odighizuwa had seven tackles and one of them was a tackle for a loss. When the light shines at its brightest, the Cowboys can truly put on a show and make the most of what they have on the field against opposing offenses.
Denver Broncos: D- (Last week C)
The Bronco’s defense once again struggled in primetime action against the Kansas City Chiefs offense. Damarri Mathis could’ve been a defensive hero in the game but he tackled the wrong guy (Jerick McKinnon) instead of Patrick Mahomes who made a first down on a rush attempt. The Broncos defense did get two sacks against Mahomes on the night. From the looks of this game, it’s going to be another long and miserable week for Denver’s defense.
Detroit Lions: B+ (Last week A)
The Lions defense continues to make noise against the competition and they didn’t disappoint against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Alex Anzalone had nine tackles and two pass deflections, Kirby Joseph had four tackles and two pass deflections, Julian Okwara had two tackles and a sack, and Will Harris had four tackles, a pass deflection and an interception against Baker Mayfield. The Lions are truly a force to be reckoned with while head coach Dan Campbell is making this franchise a true winner!
Green Bay Packers: Bye Week (Last week C-)
The Packers need to get their defense ready for competing with the rest of the NFC North after their week five defeat to the Las Vegas Raiders.
Houston Texans: B- (Last week C-)
The Texans defense took a step up and rebounded in their week six victory against the New Orleans Saints. Sheldon Rankins had six tackles and a sack while both Jonathan Greenard and Maliek Collins had three tackles and 0.5 sacks against Derek Carr. Steve Nelson secured an interception against Carr, in the contest, as well. The Texans defense can play, especially with DeMeco Ryans and defensive coordinator Matt Burke in command. The Texans have the potential to win the AFC South or make it to the playoffs, but they will be tested with fierce completion in Jacksonville standing in their way.
Indianapolis Colts: D+. (Last week B-)
The Colts defense fell a bit flat in their week six 20-37 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. JuJu Brents managed to secure an interception for Trevor Lawrence while the rest of the defensive unit had three sacks against Lawrence. Samson Ebukam had three tackles and a sack on the day against Jacksonville. The Colts have an underrated defense in the league, but they came up short against a more explosive offense in Jacksonville!
Jacksonville Jaguars: B- (Last week B-)
The Jaguars defense came for their AFC South rivals, the Colts, in their week six 37-20 victory. The Colts defense had three sacks against Gardner Minshew while Rayshawn Jenkins, Andre Cisco, and Darious Williams picked off Minshew in the game for a total of three interceptions for the Jaguars. The Jaguars’ defense is another underrated defense that should not be overlooked. What’s happening in Duval County is something special and the NFL needs to start taking notice of the Jaguars.
Kansas City Chiefs: A- (Last week B)
The Chief’s defense played well against a weak and struggling Broncos’ offense by forcing two interceptions out of Russell Wilson and sacked him four times. Justin Reed had five tackles, a pass deflection, an interception returned for 11 yards, and a sack on the night. Do not go to sleep on the Chiefs’ defense because they have great game-changing playmakers who can make a difference in their matchups.
Las Vegas Raiders: B (Last week B)
The Raiders defense had another classic game as they defeated the struggling New England Patriots, who are no longer the powerhouse from the 2000s. Trevor Morehrig had three tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception for 222 yards while Amik Robertson had four tackles and a sack. The Raiders as a whole had four sacks in the game (three against Mac Jones and one against Malik Cunningham). The Raiders defense is good, but will face tougher competition as the weeks continue to pass by. They need to keep on keeping on…which is something we hopefully see from the Silver and Black.
Los Angeles Chargers: C+ (Last week Bye week)
Even though the Chargers lost in the last seconds of the fourth quarter, the Charger’s defense played fair. The team did not get any interceptions against Dak Prescott but did have five sacks against him throughout the game. Morgan Fox had two tackles and two sacks and Khalil Mack had four tackles and a sack on the night. The Chargers defense is a good unit led by veterans like Khalil Mack and Joey Bosa, but unfortunately came up short due to Justin Herbert’s game-ending interception at the very end of the game.
Los Angeles Rams: B (Last week C+)
The Los Angeles Rams defense came back with fury on their minds in their week six 26-9 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The Team managed to have two sacks against the Red Birds, but Christian Rozeboom had an interception against Joshua Dobbs as well as three tackles and a pass deflection and Quentin Lake had three tackles and a fumble recovery for the Rams. The Rams’ defense is talented and has a lot to prove after the team finished with a 5-12 record last year. The Rams can potentially be a surprise playoff team if they keep getting dominant wins like they accomplished in week six.
Miami Dolphins: C+ (Last week B+)
The Dolphins defense played fair, but much like the Panthers defense, they couldn’t get an interception against Bryce Young. Unlike the Panthers defense, the Dolphins defense, as a unit, did get four sacks on Young in the entire game. Christian Wilkins had five tackles and two sacks in the week six contest. The Dolphins have a good defense, but their offense is what truly makes the Dolphins a dangerous team to square up against.
Minnesota Vikings: B+ (Last week C-)
The Minnesota Vikings may win or lose close games, but their week six defense played with something to prove. The defense managed to secure five sacks, seven pass deflections, and two interceptions against a very questionable Chicago Bears offense. Jordan Hicks and Byron Murphy Jr. had interceptions against Justin Fields and Tyson Bagent respectively. Hicks also scored a defensive touchdown against the Bears. If the Vikings continue to play well on defense and start winning more close games, they can do some damage in the league.
New England Patriots: F (Last week F)
The Patriots defense once again fell flat in their week six 17-21 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. The defense, as a whole, couldn’t even get a sack against both Jimmy Garoppolo and backup Brian Hoyer. Jahlani Tavai had seven tackles, a pass deflection and an interception in the first quarter. The Patriots’ defense was mostly silent- even against an average team like the Las Vegas Raiders. With each passing week, the closer it gets for the Patriots to do the hard work of rebuilding the whole franchise in the 2024 offseason.
New Orleans Saints: C+ (Last week A-)
The Saints defense took a slight step back in their 13-20 week six loss to the Houston Texans. Zack Baun picked off C.J. Stroud and returned it for 10 yards, had five tackles, and a pass deflection while Demario Davis had seven tackles, a sack and a pass deflection. The Saints have a good defense, but came short against C.J. Stroud who can potentially be a Rookie of the Year candidate with how he is playing this season. The Saints defense have great leadership under Cameron Jordan and it looks like they will be able to turn things around for the following weeks to come!
New York Giants: D+ (Last week D-)
The New York Giants weren’t able to get themselves a sack in their week six gut wrenching 9-14 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday Night Football. Micah McFadden had seven tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for five yards in the loss and Bobby Okereke had 11 tackles and two pass deflections. The Giants are unfortunately continuing to go on a downward spiral after making a surprise playoff run in 2022. The Giants defense needs to find a way to step up against their competition or fall back to irrelevancy in the NFC East.
New York Jets: B (Last week B)
The Jets shocked the sporting world by pulling a stunning upset (notably the first time ever) over the heavily favored Philadelphia Eagles. Tony Adams, Quinenn Williams, and Bryce Hall all had interceptions against Jalen Hurts while the defense landed two sacks and 12 pass deflections over Hurts. The Jet’s defense is what makes the Jets relevant in key matchups making them a scary unit for any opposing offense to square off with.
Philadelphia Eagles: C (Last week B+)
The Eagles’ defense was able to hold their own despite the loss. They managed to sack Zach Wilson five times in the entire game and have five pass deflections. Haason Reddick had five tackles and 2.5 sacks on the afternoon while Josh Sweat had two tackles and a sack. The Eagle’s defense played fair but should step things up against more threatening offenses in the coming weeks if they want to return to the Super Bowl.
Pittsburgh Steelers: Bye Week (Last week B+)
The Steelers elite defense will continue to lead this team to victory in a very crowded and competitive AFC North with each passing week thanks to the leadership of T.J. Watt.
San Francisco 49ers: B- (Last week A)
The 49ers may have lost 17-19 to the Cleveland Browns, but their defense still held up. The Defense had two sacks and five pass deflections while Fred Warner and Deommondore Lenoir combined for two interceptions against PJ Walker. Randy Gregory, who the 49ers picked up via trade, had three tackles and a sack in his 49ers debut. The 49ers are a good defensive unit but the Browns managed to make the most off of four Dustin Hopkins’ field goals on the afternoon and the referees having a very bad Sunday with a few poor calls against the 49er’s defense overall.
Seattle Seahawks: D+ (Last week Bye week)
The Seahawks took a step back after being on a bye week for week five. Tre Brown managed to get an interception for Seattle, but the entire defense had three sacks and four pass deflections. If Seattle wants to be competitive and return to the playoffs, they need to play much harder and make key defensive plays that can change the outcome of a game!
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: D+ (Last week Bye week)
The Buccaneers defense didn’t play its best game against a very talented Detroit Lions offense in their week six loss, but the Lions are considered an elite team this season. The defense did get three sacks on Jared Goff. Lavonte David had 12 tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka had four tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection. The Bucs still have great playmakers on the defensive side of the ball, they just need to wake up and step up in order to help the Bucs possibly secure the NFC South for a third straight season.
Tennessee Titans: C- (Last week C)
The Titans defense took a slight step back in their week six loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Sean Murphy-Bunting had one interception for 10 yards, three tackles and a pass deflection while Harold Landry III had five tackles and one sack for the Titans all game. The Ravens offense kept the Titans defense slow moving, for most of the game, which is a red flag for a team who wants to try and stay relevant in a more competitive AFC South. They return from London with their heads down.
Washington Commanders: B (Last week F+)
The Commanders defense turned things around in their week six victory on the road in Atlanta. Kendall Fuller, Jamin Davis, and Benjamin St-Juste each had an interception against Desmond Ridder. Casey TooHill had two tackles and two sacks and Jamin Davis had eight tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection in the victory. The Commanders may have lost to Chicago at home on week five, but they look like a potential dark horse team that can sneak their way into the playoffs if they continue to get more statement wins!
