2023 NFL Team Defense Rankings: Ranking the Top Defenses in the NFL Heading Into Week 18
2023 NFL Team Defense Rankings: Ranking the Top Defenses in the NFL Heading Into Week 18
We've got one final week of the NFL regular season.
Take a look at where your favorite team's defense is ranked as we approach the playoffs in the 2023-2024 season.
NFL Defensive Team Rankings Heading Into Week 18
32. Washington Commanders
Washington allowed 27.8 points per game this season and gave up 385.8 yards. They're the worst defense in the NFL.
31. Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals might've won last week. But they've still allowed 26 points per game with over 355 yards per game this year.
30. Denver Broncos
Denver improved in the second half of the season, but it wasn't enough for the stats to forget about the first half of the year.
29. Los Angeles Chargers
How did the Chargers only have eight interceptions all year?
28. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals allowed 4,083 yards passing in 16 games. Any quarterback who played the Bengals had an MVP-like game.
27. Tennessee Titans
The Titans earned four interceptions in 16 games this season!
26. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers only had eight interceptions.
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers weren't great in the secondary, but at least they held teams to 93.1 yards rushing.
24. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams earned less than a turnover per game this season.
23. Green Bay Packers
Green Bay's ready to fire Joe Barry as the defensive coordinator after this season. Dominating Jaren Hall isn't impressive.
22. Detroit Lions
The Lions will need a lot of offense from their team with how Detroit's played defense this year.
21. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts allowed many yards but earned 15 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries to go along with four touchdowns.
20. New York Giants
The Giants were the same, adding 27 turnovers and three touchdowns on the defense.
19. New England Patriots
The Patriots only had 35 sacks this season.
18. Houston Texans
Houston held teams to 88.5 rushing yards per game this year.
17. Philadelphia Eagles
Opponents earned about 250 yards per game in the air against Philadelphia this season.
16. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons were inconsistent but held teams to about 200 yards passing per game this season.
15. Chicago Bears
Chicago added 22 interceptions and five more fumbles this year.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville's most recent performance was spectacular. They've also held teams to below 100 yards rushing this year.
13. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle had an up-and-down season but will have 46 sacks and held offenses to 231.3 yards in the air this season.
12. Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota forced 22 fumbles this season. However, the Vikings only recovered 11 of them.
11. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders held teams to 210.8 yards in the air this season.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh added 43 sacks with 16 interceptions and nine fumble recoveries this year.
9. New Orleans Saints
Teams earned only 200.8 yards per game in the air against the Saints this year.
8. Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City allowed only 16 points per game.
7. Buffalo Bills
The Bills allowed 18.3 points per game but added way more turnovers.
6. Cleveland Browns
Cleveland gave up just 266.6 yards per game this season, which was the best rate in the NFL.
5. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas leads the league in defensive touchdowns with six.
4. New York Jets
The Jets have fatigued over the last three weeks, but they're still a top defense.
3. Miami Dolphins
Miami held opponents to 95.1 yards per game on the ground and added 53 sacks with 13 interceptions and 11 fumble recoveries.
2. San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers added 21 interceptions and allowed only 16.9 points per game.
1. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore has a league-leading 57 sacks and has given up 15.4 points per game to lead the NFL.
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Jason grew up an avid sports fan. His passion for sports writing grew in high school and he developed a blog that was strictly for New York Sports. From his work, you will quickly realize that he loves looking at games from an analytical and numbers perspective and hopes to provide you with that same perspective in his articles.