2022 NFL Team Defense Rankings: Ranking the Top Defenses in the NFL Heading into Week 12
Many defensive performances won games in Week 11, with many defensive units climbing their way to the top ten power rankings. Others dropped out due to lackluster outings. Matt MacKay is here with his top ten defensive power rankings heading into Week 12.
Matt MacKay - November 21, 2022, 4:35 PM EST
10 min2022 NFL Team Defense Rankings: Ranking the Top Defenses in the NFL Heading into Week 12
Defenses have been dominant for the majority of the 2022 NFL season, but there are a few defensive units that stand out amongst the rest of the league. During Week 11, we saw just how talented Dallas and New England's defenses can be when playing at their best, holding their opponents to three points in many different circumstances. Tennessee shut down Green Bay's run-centric identity, while it held firm against Aaron Rodgers despite being considered one of the leakiest secondaries to face.
The Colts and Eagles battled it out in a low-scoring game that came down to execution in the trenches, while previously ranked top defenses such as Minnesota, Cincinnati, and Buffalo all underwhelmed in Week 11. Seattle, Tampa Bay, and the New York Jets all have quality defensive units but were off on their Bye Week, but a couple of these defenses still rank firmly in the top ten power rankings. These rankings are built to encompass the entire body of work throughout the season, while also factoring in their most recent performances. As temperatures grow colder, all phases of the defense become more important, allowing teams to control the flow of a game without burdening their offense.
Here are the latest top ten NFL defensive power rankings heading into Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season.
Best NFL Defense Rankings After Week 11
1. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas' defense showed up in a massive way against the previously one-loss Minnesota Vikings offense in Week 11, holding the Vikings to 183 total yards of offense and three points, setting historic records for the biggest road win in franchise history. That's right, the Cowboys won 40-3 and dominated the trenches, including a bounce-back game for linebacker Micah Parsons, who recorded two sacks, five quarterback hits, a TFL, and a forced fumble. The entire Cowboys defense deserves credit, as they rebounded and jumped from seventh to first in my NFL defensive power rankings.
2. New England Patriots
Not far behind Dallas' defense was New England, stuffing Zach Wilson and the New York Jets to 103 total yards, including 44 net passing yards. The Patriots' defense dropped an easy interception but sacked Wilson four times while holding the running game in check with 23 collective carries for 59 total rushing yards. Matt Judon recorded 1.5 sacks to make his case for DPOY, but the special teams sealed the win, returning the league's first punt for a touchdown in the closing seconds of a 3-3 stalemate. Credit to Bill Belichick and OC/DC Matt Patricia for building another great defense that keeps an anemic New England offense in games.
3. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers await Arizona in Mexico City for Monday Night Football to wrap up Week 11, but the presence of Nick Bosa and Fred Warner is a great tandem to roll out against any opponent. The 49ers have allowed 163 points against, which is the lowest mark in the league while losing a couple of key defensive starters throughout the season. A brief blip on the radar in Week 7 and Week 8 saw the 49ers play uncharacteristic defense, surrendering a combined total of 72 points to Atlanta and Kansas City, but since that happened, San Francisco's defense has held the Rams and Chargers to 16 points or less. They are likely to face the Cardinals' backup quarterback Colt McCoy, which could be another statement performance for the 49ers' defense.
4. Tennessee Titans
Yes, Tennessee's secondary is not good, but the front seven is elite. Starting with Jeffery Simmons, the Titans' defense has surrendered only two rushing touchdowns all season, while holding opponents to 20 or fewer points in seven consecutive games. They stuffed Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon to spoil Green Bay's primetime game at Lambeau Field in Week 11, and took the Chiefs to overtime, holding Mahomes to only one passing touchdown and forcing an interception. It's time to put massive respect on Mike Vrabel's defense as the temperatures turn cold and physical football begins to dominate.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia's run defense has been its only real struggle this season, but GM Howie Roseman addressed it quickly with a couple of veteran free-agent signings leading into Week 11. The end result? Holding Jonathan Taylor to 84 yards on 22 carries, while sacking Matt Ryan four times and forcing a fumble in a tightly-contested road game. The secondary is the Eagles' defensive strength, so with additional improvements to its run defense, Philadelphia certainly has a top-five defense heading into Week 12 against Green Bay on Monday Night Football.
6. New York Jets
The retooling of New York's pass defense, notably the top-five draft pick used to acquire cornerback Sauce Gardner, plus the pairing of free-agent cornerback D.J. Reed, has made the Jets' defense a real threat in most games. In the past six games, head coach Robert Saleh has seen big improvements, as the Jets have held their opponents under 20 points in five of these matchups. They kept New York in a tight divisional game in Week 11 all day but failed to get any type of production out of Zach Wilson and the offense, leading to questions about who will be playing under center shortly.
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7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay finally got its defense going against Seattle's balanced offense in Munich during a Week 10 win. The Bucs have too many talented players along their defensive line and linebacking corps to continue being a bad defense. Baltimore is the only offense in the last five games that has scored more than 21 points against Tampa Bay, as they allowed the Ravens' rushing attack to net over 231 rushing yards. Since that happened, the Bucs have held the Rams and Seahawks under 70 rushing yards. If they can start generating more turnovers, Tom Brady could make another run at his eighth Lombardi Trophy.
8. Baltimore Ravens
Signing Roquan Smith was one of the best decisions that the Baltimore front office made at the trade deadline. Adding physicality and a pure tackler in the center of a struggling defense has notably improved the collective unit, as the Ravens have held the Saints and Panthers to a combined 16 points during the last two games played. Fresh off of a three-turnover outing in a 13-3 win against Carolina, Baltimore's defense has soft matchups against Jacksonville, Denver, and Pittsburgh in the upcoming weeks. Bad offenses will make their job easier, so expect the Ravens to continue climbing up the defensive power rankings as the schedule winds down.
9. Denver Broncos
Unfortunately for Denver's defense, the offense cannot function under first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett. Russell Wilson looks like a shell of his former self, while the lack of weapons in the passing and running game places a huge burden on the Broncos' defense to keep them competitive in games. In Week 11, top cornerback Pat Surtain II got juked on a double move by wideout Davante Adams, resulting in a walk-off touchdown, handing Denver its seventh loss of the season. The Broncos have only allowed 167 points this year, but they are still -24 in point differential. The Titans and Raiders both lit up Denver's secondary in consecutive weeks, so perhaps their extended playing time is catching up and reducing their effectiveness on defense.
10. Indianapolis Colts
Colts' DC Gus Bradley has the Indianapolis Colts playing inspired football. The Colts were battling a talented Philadelphia offensive line in Week 11, forcing two fumbles and sacking Jalen Hurts three times to create a difficult environment for the talented quarterback to operate. Bobby Okereke, Yannick Ngakoue, and DeForest Buckner are just a few of the names up front wreaking havoc this season, but without the offense pulling its weight, Indianapolis' defense will need to continue its high-caliber play in order to win games down the stretch.
