Some teams had a solid game on defense while others took a massive step back which made football fans wonder if their teams are legit or are on the road to tank and secure a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Here is where all 32 NFL Teams’ defenses look after week 8 games:
Arizona Cardinals: C- (Last week C-)
The Cardinal’s defense managed to play an acceptable game against a very vicious Baltimore Ravens offense by securing four sacks against Lamar Jackson despite zero interceptions. Kyzir White had nine tackles and Dante Stills had five tackles and 1.5 sacks. The Cardinals can compete with opponents but have had trouble with pulling out the win which is why they’re 1-7 so far in the season.
Atlanta Falcons: D+ (Last week C+)
The Falcons defense didn’t secure any interceptions against Will Levis, but sacked him twice and Calais Campbell had a fumble recovery and a tackle, Richie Grant had nine tackles and a pass deflection, and Bud Dupree had three tackles and a sack. The Falcon’s defense also was handed a lesson by DeAndre Hopkins who played his best game so far this season in a Titans uniform. The Falcon’s defense needs to step it up in their next games if they want to slow down opposing offenses. The will need to show up for class in the remaining weeks.
Baltimore Ravens: B (Last week A)
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The Raven’s defense is an elite unit, but they couldn’t stop the Cardinals from getting into the endzone. Michael Pierce and Justin Madubuike both had sacks against Joshua Dobbs while Brandon Stephens and Geno Stone had two interceptions against Dobbs. Regarless of giving a few openings, the defense is a great unit and will continue to be a nightmare to any opposing offense they face as the season continues.
Buffalo Bills: B (Last week D+)
The Bill’s defense flushed their awful week seven performance down the drain and played well against a competitive Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. Ed Oliver and AJ Epenesa both had two tackles and one sack each against Baker Mayfield while Taron Johnson had six tackles and a sack. The Bills did not intercept a Baker Mayfield pass on the night. The Bills needed to turn things around and get back on track to retain the right to be called the kings of the AFC East.
Carolina Panthers: C (Last week Bye Week)
The Panther’s defense played fair, but not as good as the Houston Texans’ defense, in their week eight victory over Houston. The Panthers managed to sack C.J. Stroud twice and recover a fumble but did not intercept any of Stroud’s passes. At last, the Panthers offense is slowly waking up as the NFL season is entering its halfway point. Don’t expect the Panther’s defense to become an elite force against their next opponents- even though anything is possible nowadays.
Chicago Bears: F (Last week B-)
The Chicago Bears defense couldn’t sack or intercept any of Justin Herbert’s passes all game long. They did have three pass deflections while T.J. Edwards led the team with 13 tackles on the night. Chicago needs to regroup and focus on getting to the quarterback and making some more positive noise for the coming weeks.
Cincinnati Bengals: B+ (Last week Bye Week)
The Bengal’s defense engaged in some serious work against the San Francisco 49ers offense. The Bengals had two sacks against Brock Purdy while Logan Wilson and Germaine Pratt each had interceptions against Purdy. The Bengals are a great team and are a serious threat to seize the AFC North from the Ravens and Steelers. They could possibly make it to the Super Bowl, with this defensive unit.
Cleveland Browns: C+ (Last week B-)
The Browns may not have secured the win in Seattle, but their defense played well under the leadership of Jim Schwartz. Juan Thornhill had seven tackles, Myles Garrett had two tackles and a sack, and Maurice Hurst II and Martin Emerson Jr. both had interceptions against Geno Smith. The Brown’s defense should never be overlooked despite the team’s losing reputation. This defensive unit can compete with any offense thrown at them.
Dallas Cowboys: B+ (Last week Bye Week)
The Cowboy’s defense had quite a day in their week eight victory over the Los Angeles Rams. DaRhon Bland had an interception returned for 30 yards and scored a pick-six touchdown while having seven tackles and two pass deflections on the day. Micah Parsons had two tackles and one of the Cowboys’ two sacks on the day. Dallas is a potential dark-horse Super Bowl Contender that should put fear in opposing offenses as the weeks continue to roll by.
Denver Broncos: C (Last week C-)
The Bronco’s defense shocked the Kansas City Chiefs by playing well and kept Patrick Mahomes from throwing any touchdowns in the endzone. Baron Browning had four tackles and two sacks and Alex Singleton had seven tackles and a pass deflection. Justin Simmons and Ja’Quan McMillian both had interceptions against Mahomes as the Broncos shocked the world and upset the Chiefs 24-9.
Detroit Lions: B+ (Last week F)
The Lion’s defense made a massive return against the opposing offense with six sacks against Jimmy Garoppolo and a Kerby Joseph 15-yard interception on Monday Night Football. Alex Anzalone had seven tackles and two sacks on the night while Alim McNeill had four tackles, two sacks, and a pass deflection. It was truly the Lions night for the taking and they took advantage of being one of the scariest teams to go up against on defense the night before Halloween. Trick or treat!
Green Bay Packers: C- (Last week D+)
The Packers did not play a good game on offense, but their defense did make some noise against the visiting Vikings. Preston Smith had five tackles and two sacks and Kenny Clark had three tackles and a sack on the day. The Packer’s defense did not secure an interception but did have five pass deflections all game. The defense continues to play fair despite the struggles on offense which needs to be addressed for the coming weeks.
Houston Texans: C+ (Last week Bye Week)
Despite the 13-15 last-second loss to the Carolina Panthers, the Texans managed to sack Bryce Young six times. Jonathan Greenard had six tackles and 2.5 sacks, Maliek Collins had seven tackles and two sacks, and Denzel Perryman had nine tackles and 0.5 sacks. It was a good day for DeMeco Ryans’ defense as they continued to pressure quarterbacks and be in control of the Texans despite the loss to Carolina!
Indianapolis Colts: D+ (Last week C)
The Colt’s defense played an average game against the Saint’s offense in week eight. DeForest Buckner had three tackles and the Colt’s only sack of the day while Zaire Franklin had 14 tackles and a pass deflection and Shaquille Leonard had 11 tackles. The Colt’s defense did not snag any interceptions during the game which didn’t help Indy’s chances in the defeat. The Colts have playmakers, but couldn’t stop the speedy Alvin Kamara and the rest of the Saints’ offense when they were let loose on the field.
Jacksonville Jaguars: B (Last week B)
The Jaguar’s defense came into week eight in a strong position and conducted their business against the Steeler’s offense in the team’s 20-10 victory. Josh Allen had five tackles and two sacks, Foyesade Oluokun had 11 tackles, and Travon Walker had two tackles and a sack. Antonio Johnson and Andrew Wingard both had interceptions against Mitchell Trubisky as the Jaguars clawed their way to victory in the Steel City.
Kansas City Chiefs: D+ (Last week A)
The Chief’s defense played a fair game but could’ve played better against their AFC West foe. They did manage to get six sacks against Russell Wilson and they didn’t have any interceptions all game. This game might have been a slight wake-up call for the Chiefs. They can’t go into every game thinking it’s going to be a cakewalk. You have to battle and earn the victory.
Las Vegas Raiders: D+ (Last week D)
The Raiders defense whimpered to a 14-26 loss to the Detroit Lions on Monday Night Football. Marcus Peters, however, had an interception and returned it for a 75-yard pick-six in the second half which kept the Raiders from getting an F. Nate Hobbs had six tackles and the only sack for the Raiders on the night. The Raider’s defense truly needs to step it up in the AFC West if they want to be a relevant team instead of being relegated to bottom-feeder.
Los Angeles Chargers: B (Last week D+)
The Charger’s defense threw out their week seven performance and took it out on the struggling Chicago Bears. Joey Bosa had four tackles and the team’s only sack of the game while Eric Kendricks had 10 tackles and a pass deflection. Ja’Sir Taylor and Derwin James Jr. both had interceptions from Tyson Bagent. The Charger’s defense has some solid players who can pose a serious threat to opposing offenses whether they’re top of the line or struggling teams.
Los Angeles Rams: C- (Last week D+)
The Rams may not have played well on offense, but the defense managed to play a bit better even with the loss. The Ram’s defense forced three sacks against Dak Prescott and Jordan Fuller intercepted Prescott for 18 yards. Aaron Donald had four tackles and two sacks on the day. The Rams may not be the NFL’s best team as a whole, but their defense can play and has plenty of playmakers who can make some noise against the best opposing offenses.
Miami Dolphins: B (Last week C+)
The Dolphin’s defense avenged their week seven loss and got a divisional win against the New England Patriots at home. Jaelan Phillips had eight tackles and a sack while the rest of the defense as a whole had three tackles. The game also saw the return of Jalen Ramsey who suffered a knee injury in training camp. Ramsey had one tackle, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for 49 yards. With Jalen Ramsey back in action, the Dolphin’s defense is looking like there is major forward momentum heading into the rest of the season. Beware opposing offenses!
Minnesota Vikings: B- (Last week B)
The Viking’s defense had a good day in enemy territory against their division rival, the Green Bay Packers. Josh Metellus had eight tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for 43 yards while D.J. Wonnum had three tackles and two sacks on the day. The Viking’s defense had four sacks on the day against Jordan Love and played efficiently to help the team get the win in Lambeau Field.
New England Patriots: C- (Last week C+)
The Patriot’s defense played a fair game despite a tough divisional loss in South Beach. Kyle Dugger had nine tackles, a sack, a pass deflection, and an interception returned for 15 yards while Christian Barmore had five tackles and a sack. The Patriots’ defense isn’t the best unit in the NFL. They are showing the strain, with each passing week, without Matthew Judon and rookie Christian Gonzalez- both out for the season with injuries.
New Orleans Saints: C+ (Last week D)
The Saint’s defense turned things around in their week eight victory over the Indianapolis Colts. Carl Granderson and Nathan Shepherd each had sacks against Gardner Minshew and Paulson Adebo had three tackles, three pass deflections, and an interception for 27 yards in week eight. Similar to Indianapolis’ defense, the Saint’s defense has strong playmakers who can make game-changing plays that can keep an average team afloat while hunting for a playoff spot.
New York Giants: C- (Last week C)
The Giant’s defense took a slight step back in the team’s ugly 13-10 loss to the New York Jets. Kayvon Thibodeaux had nine tackles and three sacks and Dexter Lawrence II had three tackles and a sack. The Giants didn’t have any interceptions but had seven pass deflections and two fumble recoveries. This wasn’t the best performance for the Giants on defense, but the unit could’ve played a lot worse. All the Giants can do is regroup and head back to the drawing board for the upcoming games on the schedule.
New York Jets: C+ (Last week Bye Week)
The Jet’s defense played slightly better than the Giants in the week eight win. C.J. Mosley continues to be the heart and soul of the defense with 12 tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a pass deflection while Jermaine Johnson had six tackles and two sacks on the day. The Jets, as a whole, had four sacks against both Giant’s quarterbacks, had no interceptions, and had four pass deflections. The Jets’ defense has played better in other games this season and certainly, will rebound from this average performance. Opposing offenses should be on alert in upcoming games.
Philadelphia Eagles: A- (Last week B)
The Eagle’s defense was not playing around their divisional rival, the Washington Commanders. Nakobe Dean had 12 tackles, Reed Blankenship had nine tackles, a pass deflection, and an interception. It was a good day to be an Eagles defender, but props to Sam Howell, who played well against this great defensive unit all game, even though the Eagles got the win!
Pittsburgh Steelers: C+ (Last week B)
The only redeeming thing about the Steelers in week eight is their defense. The team forced three sacks and an interception against Trevor Lawrence with TJ Watt having two tackles, 0.5 sacks, and a pass deflection while Elandon Roberts had five tackles and 1.5 sacks on the day. Damontae Kazee had one interception against Lawrence and returned it for seven yards. The Steeler’s defense played an average game and could’ve played better against the Jaguars, but they will come back and show their true dominance in the following weeks.
San Francisco 49ers: C- (Last week D)
The 49ers’ defense may not have secured an interception against Joe Burrow, but they did sack Burrow three times and had three pass deflections. Arik Armstead had four tackles and two sacks on the afternoon while Isiah Oliver had 10 tackles and a pass deflection. The 49ers are hurting on this three-game skid, but once big names recover, the 49ers defense will be back in a massive way.
Seattle Seahawks: B- (Last week C+)
The Seahawks defense played just as well as their opponent, the Cleveland Browns defense, in their 24-20 victory. Bobby Wagner had 13 tackles and a pass deflection, Jordyn Brooks had 10 tackles and a sack, and Julian Love and Riq Woolen both had interceptions against PJ Walker. The Seahawks have a strong defense that keeps the team afloat in very tough situations and secured the win for Seattle. At the end of the day, a win is a win.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers: B- (Last week C-)
The Buc’s defense entered week eight with a good performance overall, but couldn’t get the win in Western New York due to the Bills putting up more points on offense. The Bucs’ defense did get two sacks and a Josh Allen pass picked off by William Gholston on the night. The Bucs have great playmakers but couldn’t help the offense in scoring enough to win the game.
Tennessee Titans: B- (Last week Bye Week)
The Titan’s defense did not have an interception on any of the Falcons’s quarterbacks that played but sacked Desmond Ridder five times and Taylor Heinickie once all game for a total of six sacks. Azeez Al-Shaair had 11 tackles and recovered a fumble while Harold Landry II and Jeffrey Simons both had two sacks on the day. The Titans played well at home against an average team and they look to remain sharp for their upcoming challenges for the rest of the season.
Washington Commanders: C (Last week D+)
The Commander’s defense took a slight step up in their week eight 38-31 loss to their NFC East rivals, the Philadelphia Eagles. David Mayo had nine tackles, Montez Sweat had five tackles and a sack, and Kendall Fuller had five tackles and a fumble recovery. The Commanders have good playmakers on defense that can have a positive impact on game play. The Commanders need to step it up to stay afloat!
