2022 NFL Team Defense Rankings: Ranking the Top Defenses in the NFL Divisional Round
2022 NFL Team Defense Rankings: Ranking the Top Defenses in the NFL Divisional Round
Offense steals the highlights, glory, and often our memories, but defense is the hard-nosed, smash-mouth unit that teams rely on to reach the Super Bowl. We saw some spectacular defensive performances this season but a lot of these teams lacked enough talent and consistency on offense to make it to the Divisional Round. Even teams like Denver, who had one of the worst offenses in the league, rostered a top-five defense that forced turnovers and limited touchdowns to keep them competitive during the regular season.
Since we only have eight teams left playing meaningful NFL games, I'll rank each of the remaining defensive units ahead of the 2022-23 NFL Divisional Round.
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Best NFL Defense Rankings in the NFL Divisional Round
1. San Francisco 49ers
San Francisco is loaded on defense at every level. Whether it's potential Defensive Player of the Year Nick Bosa, Fred Warner, Talanoa Hufanga, or Dre Greenlaw, the 49ers' defense under Defensive Coordinator Demeco Ryans has been exceptional this season. San Francisco plays a physical, punishing style of football and allowed the fewest points (277) in the regular season. They also ranked third in quarterback hits (121), eighth in passing touchdowns (20), and tied for first with 20 interceptions. Dallas will need to bring their A-game on offense as they did against Tampa Bay if they want to have a chance to hang several touchdowns on the 49ers' defense on the road.
2. Cincinnati Bengals
Defensive Coordinator Lou Anarumo has done a fantastic job building up Cincinnati's defense this season. We saw Sam Hubbard capitalize on the forced fumble at a critical turning point of the game against Baltimore in the Wild Card round, taking it back for a defensive touchdown to seal the win. Cincinnati allowed the fifth-fewest points (322) in the regular season and held opposing running backs to 4.2 yards per catch. The secondary, comprised of elite players like Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates III, held opposing quarterbacks to a 58.9 percent completion rate, which is the lowest mark in the entire league.
3. Buffalo Bills
It was a tough outing in the Wild Card round against Skylar Thompson and the Miami Dolphins, but Buffalo's defense kept its composure and ultimately won the game by shutting out the Dolphins on most possessions. Matt Milano, Jordan Poyer, Greg Rousseau, and Ed Oliver are just a few of the elite playmakers behind the defensive line of scrimmage for the Bills, who also benefit from head coach Sean McDermott's experience as a defensive coordinator in the past. The absence of Von Miller definitely shows up at times, but the Bills still logged four sacks and two interceptions in the Wild Card round, while seven of Miami's points came from Josh Allen getting strip-sacked. They also stifled the Dolphins' running game, holding them to 42 rushing yards on 20 attempts, the lowest mark of any team competing in the Wild Card round.
4. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys' oft-maligned defense late in the season took a massive leap forward against Tampa Bay, holding the Buccaneers' pass-centric offense to 14 total points despite attempting a whopping 66 passes on Monday Night Football. Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs are the obvious stars on Dallas' defense, but they have playmakers all over the field. They forced Tom Brady into his first red zone interception in three seasons, while rallying to the football and punishing ball carriers with hard-nosed hits. The Bucs were only 1-of-3 on their red zone trips and averaged 4.8 yards per play, which was the third-lowest during Wild Card weekend.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
While Philadelphia struggled to stop the run at times, their edge rushers and blitzes were highly effective, as the Eagles' defense led the league in sacks (70) during the regular season. Haason Reddick, Fletcher Cox, and Javon Hargrave are a few of the talented defensive linemen wreaking havoc, along with a talented secondary that has Darius Slay, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, and Garrett Bradbury locking down the passing attack. Philadelphia allowed the eighth-fewest total points (344) this year while ranking inside of the top 12 in lowest quarterback completion percentage at 62.9 percent.
6. Kansas City Chiefs
When you see 33 passing touchdowns surrendered by Kansas City's secondary during the regular season, you'd instantly expect the Chiefs' defense to be ranked eighth in the Divisional Round. However, the lack of talent in the secondary is countered by elite defensive linemen like Chris Jones and rookie edge rusher George Karlaftis. Nick Bolton is one of the best linebackers in the league, which is why the Chiefs racked up 55 sacks in the regular season, which ranked second-most in the league, while also measuring top-four in quarterback hits with 118. Kansas City also allowed just 10 total rushing touchdowns this season, tied fourth-lowest, so Jacksonville will have to beat them by airing it out with Trevor Lawrence at Arrowhead Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars
Speaking of Jacksonville, their defense held up against the initial rushing attack of the Los Angeles Chargers, forcing Justin Herbert to continue throwing the football with a 27-0 lead that wound up evaporating at the end of the Wild Card matchup. It's a talented run defense that allowed 4.2 yards per catch in the regular season while ranking fifth in quarterback hits (113) and 13th in tackles for losses (80). The secondary has been vulnerable at times throughout the year, but the Jaguars have logged 14 interceptions, tied for top-12 in the regular season. Number one overall pick Travon Walker has made his presence felt opposite of Josh Allen off the edge, while Rayshawn Jenkins has been the biggest impact player in the secondary.
8. New York Giants
The New York Giants could've been seventh but their inability to stop the run all season is a massive red flag ahead of their NFC Divisional Round matchup against Philadelphia. The Giants also allowed Minnesota to complete 80 percent of its passes for 271 yards and two touchdowns in the Wild Card round without forcing a turnover. However, the return of Leonard Williams and Adoree' Jackson proved massive in the upset road win, which is also why they racked up 11 quarterback hits and five tackles for losses. Unfortunately, the Giants were the only defensive unit without a sack, but they slightly improved the run defense by holding the Vikings to 3.8 yards per catch and zero rushing touchdowns. It'll take a herculean effort for the Giants' defense to contain a balanced Eagles offense filled with elite talent.
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Matt is an avid writer, editor, and researcher. He enjoys analyzing the game within the game which is fantasy sports and sports betting. Music is another constant in his daily life. Matt loves spending time with his wife and three pets. He likes to read, listen to podcasts, and is constantly motivated to create the most accurate and engaging content in the sports betting industry.