After ten weeks, the dust is starting to settle, and we’re getting a real sense of who has the muscle to dominate in January—and who’s just trying to survive each down.
Let’s dive into all 32 NFL defenses and rank them, starting from the bottom and working our way to the cream of the crop.
Which teams had the top defense in the NFL after week 10?
32. Dallas Cowboys: (Last Week #30)
Micah Parsons did his part with two sacks, but the unit couldn’t contain the Eagles’ offense, as Philly ran up 34 points on them with ease.
31. Las Vegas Raiders (bye): (Last Week #32)
Consistency is still an issue for the Raiders’ defense—one week, they’re hanging with tough teams, and the next, they’re getting gashed by routine plays.
30. Seattle Seahawks (bye): (Last Week #29)
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Sure, there are occasional missed assignments, but overall, Seattle’s defense has made impact plays when it matters most. Unfortunately, variance from week to week has plagued this unit, and the team would benefit from more consistency.
29. Miami Dolphins: (Last Week #27)
Miami’s defense has been unpredictable. They’ve shown they can bring pressure and disrupt offenses, but the secondary has been shaky so far in 2024.
28. Cincinnati Bengals: (Last Week #19)
The Bengals’ defense started out sharp, but they had no answer for Baltimore’s fourth-quarter barrage during their NFL contest.
27. New Orleans Saints: (Last Week #31)
Although they allowed 468 yards, including 181 on the ground, this unit delivered in the clutch, keeping the Falcons from capitalizing on key scoring opportunities and securing the win.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams’ Defenses From WORST To FIRST After Week 9 Of The 2024 Season
26. Cleveland Browns (bye): (Last Week #23)
Cleveland’s D has had its work cut out for it this year due to offensive woes, but the unit needs to tighten up and find stability to support the team’s attempt at rallying in the back half of the year behind Jameis Winston.
25. New York Jets: (Last Week #15)
The once-mighty Jets defense seems to have lost its will. Tackling was at an all-time low, and they got run over by Kyler Murray and the Cardinals.
24. Jacksonville Jaguars: (Last Week #28)
The Jaguars’ defense was on the field far too long, with Minnesota running 82 plays to their 43. Still, they made some critical stops, including a big sack from Travon Walker late in the game, to give themselves a chance at winning, even though they allowed just 12 points in the loss.
23. Carolina Panthers: (Last Week #24)
Credit to the Panthers, as they allowed Daniel Jones to march down the field late, but their resilience in OT sealed the win. This group is starting to improve.
22. Atlanta Falcons: (Last Week #18)
The Falcons’ defense fought hard, but they were plagued by the big play, as MVS took the top off their defense twice in the second quarter, which ended up being the difference in their NFL outing.
21. Indianapolis Colts: (Last Week #17)
The Colts’ defense has talent, but their inability to keep up in the second half highlighted a lack of depth and experience that is needed to put away a good team like Buffalo.
20. Denver Broncos: (Last Week #25)
The Broncos’ defense bounced back nicely from the throttling Baltimore gave them, rattling Mahomes early and taking advantage of an injury on the Chiefs’ offensive line. They held the Chiefs to just 16 points, a respectable feat against one of the league’s top offenses.
19. New York Giants: (Last Week #21)
The Giants’ defense had a tough time containing Chuba Hubbard, who ran all over them, as they struggled to make key stops when they needed to.
18. Tennessee Titans: (Last Week #26)
The Titans’ defense has played great football despite their offensive woes. Ultimately, Tennessee’s defense was on the field for too long, and it looked gassed by the fourth quarter, unable to contain the Chargers’ balanced attack.
17. Baltimore Ravens: (Last Week #10)
The Ravens defense had its hands full with Ja’Marr Chase, who was seemingly unstoppable with 11 catches for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Credit to them for bearing down on the two-point conversion, but that was a tough showing on Thursday Night Football.
16. Chicago Bears: (Last Week #14)
Despite solid early play, the defense simply couldn’t keep up with a lackluster offense that left them on the field way too long.
15. New England Patriots: (Last Week #22)
New England’s defense came alive, pressuring rookie NFL QB Caleb Williams relentlessly and racking up nine sacks, with Anfernee Jennings and Deatrich Wise each tallying two. They were able to hold a talented Bears offense to three points.
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: (Last Week #20)
Tampa’s defense capitalized on some mistakes, including Jacob Cowing’s muffed punt, which set up a score. However, the late-game personal fouls gave the 49ers a chance to clinch it, and Todd Bowles won’t be happy with the lack of discipline.
13. Washington Commanders: (Last Week #8)
The Commanders’ defense has been a high-risk, high-reward unit this NFL season, and Sunday was no exception. They applied pressure early and forced a turnover, but when it mattered most, they couldn’t keep Pittsburgh’s offense at bay.
12. Green Bay Packers (bye): (Last Week #12)
The Packers’ defense has been among the better units in the league so far this year. Green Bay has guys who are committed to flying all over the field and have done well to keep the Packers in nearly every game.
11. Houston Texans: (Last Week #9)
The Texans’ defense was on fire in the first three quarters, intercepting Goff five times, including two picks by rookie Kamari Lassiter, but they faltered down the stretch and allowed Detroit to steal the win out from under them.
10. Los Angeles Rams: (Last Week #7)
Despite a few ups and downs, this unit has managed to keep the team in games, limiting explosive plays and holding their own against some of the league’s most high-powered offenses.
9. Arizona Cardinals: (Last Week #16)
Arizona’s defense came in with a clear message and backed it up, smothering the Jets all game long during their recent NFL outing. They held the Jets to a mere six points and essentially took their season off life support.
8. Detroit Lions: (Last Week #4)
The Lions defense was solid on Sunday Night Football, particularly in the second half. Carlton Davis III made a crucial interception in the end zone that shifted the momentum back to Detroit, and this unit’s resilience kept them in the game despite Goff’s five turnovers.
7. Buffalo Bills: (Last Week #11)
Buffalo’s defense took control right from the start, setting the tone with a pick-six on Joe Flacco’s first throw. Taron Johnson’s interception return was only the beginning, as the Bills racked up four turnovers and four sacks, completely stifling Indy’s offense for most of the afternoon.
6. Minnesota Vikings: (Last Week #13)
Minnesota’s relentless defense made it nearly impossible for Jacksonville to get anything going, stuffing the run and shutting down the pass in a suffocating display that limited the Mac Jones-led Jaguars to 143 yards of total offense.
5. San Francisco 49ers: (Last Week #5)
The 49ers defense had a strong showing in Week 10, holding Baker Mayfield and the Bucs to just 116 passing yards. Nick Bosa, who played well through a hip injury, was pivotal in creating pressure on Mayfield and limiting Tampa Bay’s offense to a modest 20 points.
4. Philadelphia Eagles: (Last Week #6)
The Eagles defense set the tone early and never let up, forcing five turnovers and limiting the Cowboys to just 146 total yards. Excellent showing from the Birds, as they are starting to really look for real.
3. Los Angeles Chargers: (Last Week #2)
The Chargers’ defensive front was firing on all cylinders, tallying seven sacks and holding the Titans in check for most of the game as they put forth another great effort.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers: (Last Week #1)
Pittsburgh’s defense, as usual, came to play. Though the Commanders got their scores, the Steelers made key stops when it mattered, including the fourth-down stand that essentially sealed the game.
1. Kansas City Chiefs: (Last Week #3)
Kansas City’s defense continues to deliver when it matters most, with a clutch field-goal block by Leo Chenal that sealed the win after a stellar showing in Week 10.
Also Read: Grading All 32 NFL Teams Defenses After Week 9 Games Of The 2024 Season
