NFL Defense Rankings 2025/26: Myles Garrett Continues Tearing Through Offensive Lines

The Cleveland Browns may not be very good, but Myles Garrett is having an NFL MVP-worthy season. After another solid start to the season, the pass rusher has elevated to another level over the last three weeks. He has ten sacks during that span, including four last week. His effort elevated the Browns in our rankings this week, despite other defenses putting on great performances in Week 11.

We update our NFL Offense Rankings weekly, but here, it’s all about the backbone of every team: the defense.

Here are our rankings for all 32 NFL defenses.

Ranking All 32 NFL Defenses

32. Cincinnati Bengals

There is no question who has the worst defense in the NFL: The Washington Commanders. They allowed Aaron Rodgers to complete 75% of his passes for 127 yards and a touchdown. When the Steelers quarterback left with a wrist injury, Mason Rudolph found similar success, adding 116 yards and a touchdown to the effort. Cincinnati now ranks last in the league in yards (418.2) and points (33.4) allowed per game, trailing the next closest teams by a wide margin. 

31. Washington Commanders

Like so many defenses before them, the Commanders were lit up by De’Von Achane. The young back averaged 5.7 YPC for 120 yards. That allowed Miami to control the pace of the game, which would prove crucial given how close it was. The Commanders are now averaging the second-most yards allowed per game (387.0), with no prospects for improvement on the horizon. 

30. Dallas Cowboys  

To the delight of Jerry Jones, the Cowboys' run defense was best in show in Week 11. They limited the Raiders to 27 rushing yards on 12 carries, forcing them to lean on Geno Smith and a weak pass attack. Dallas finished this game with four sacks, 11 QB hits, eight TFLs, and eight PDs. Those are elite stats, though we aren't willing to give them too much credit considering their opponent. 

29. Las Vegas Raiders

Well, at least the first quarter went great for Vegas. After managing just three points on three drives in the first, the Cowboys scored three touchdowns on three second-quarter drives. The Cowboys would finish with 33 points on 381 yards, despite the ugly start. The damage would have been worse had the score not been so lopsided, leaving the Raiders' defense in the bottom four. 

28. Jacksonville Jaguars

We don’t trust this defense, but they jump a couple of spots after owning the Chargers on Sunday. They only surrendered eight first downs, 135 yards, and six points. The defense also posted three sacks, six QB hits, five TFLs, and seven PDs. LA scored all six points in the first half, with the Jags shutting them out in the second. We also saw elite pass rusher Josh Hines-Allen become the franchise’s all-time sack leader with one on the day. 

27. Miami Dolphins

Miami’s defense has been among the best in the NFL over its last two games. They held the Commanders to just 13 points on Sunday, the exact total the Dolphins scored in their Week 10 win over the Bills. While they allowed a mediocre Washington backfield to average 5.2 YPC for 172 yards, the pass defense was far better. They sealed the win by intercepting Mariota on the first play of overtime, setting up an easy game-winning field goal.

26. Tennessee Titans

The Tennessee defense deserved to get the win on Sunday. They capitalized on CJ Stroud being out to hold Houston to 16 points on 315 yards. They managed four sacks on eight QB hits, while also posting nine PDs and eight TFLs. The defense was also great in big moments, stopping the Texans on nine of their 13 third-downs and on two of their three trips to the red zone. 

25. New Orleans Saints

The Saints had their bye in Week 11, keeping them in the twenty-fifth spot in our rankings. While this isn’t a great defense, they have been better than we expected. They are allowing 25.0 points per game, but they rank eleventh in yards (317.5). We believe this defense could finish the season strong, with several of the league’s worst offenses still on the schedule. 

24. New York Giants

Don’t be fooled by the stats from the Giants' near-upset of Green Bay; this was not a good effort.  New York’s slow and steady offense limited Jordan Love and the Packers to just eight drives and just over 24 minutes of possession. The pass rush registered eight QB hits and had Jordan Love under pressure, but that didn’t stop him from completing 13 passes for 174 yards and two touchdowns. The run defense also struggled, with Josh Jacobs averaging 5.7 YPC before leaving the game with an injury after seven carries.

23. New York Jets

The Jets had a strong showing against the Pats, thanks to their run defense. They allowed 2.4 YPC on the ground, cooling off a red-hot TreVeyon Henderson. Unfortunately, the pass defense was not as sharp, allowing Drake Maye to complete 73.5% of his passes for 281 yards and a touchdown. The unit also struggled on third down, with the Pats converting 50% of their a12 attempts. 

22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Bucs’ 44-32 loss in Buffalo wasn’t as bad a defensive effort as the numbers show. For starters, they forced two interceptions and a fumble, giving the offense plenty of chances to stay in this game. They also stood tall against James Cook, with the back rushing 16 times for just 48 yards (3.0). However, Josh Allen made up for it with 317 passing yards, 40 rushing yards, and six total touchdowns. It was a tough matchup, but things won’t be any easier this week as they travel to LA to play the Rams. 

21. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta drops a couple of spots after an ugly showing against the Panthers over the weekend. The struggling Bryce Young had a monster game, completing 31 passes for 448 yards and three touchdowns. To Atlanta’s credit, they had the young quarterback under pressure, finishing with five sacks, ten QB hits, six TFLs, and seven PDs. They were also great against Rico Dowdle, who averaged just 2.4 yards per carry. After spending the first part of the season ranked towards the top in most defensive categories, Atlanta now sits in the bottom half of the league in yards (326.5) and points (23.9) allowed per game.

20. Carolina Panthers

There is a real argument that the Falcons' injuries bailed out the Panthers' defense on Sunday. Michael Penix Jr and Drake London were forced to exit the game early, taking away the offense’s most potent attack. Kirk Cousins was unable to get the pass game going once Penix left, completing 42.8% of his passes for 48 yards. Considering the Falcons scored on all three red zone trips with the duo healthy. We’ll see if the Carolina defense can bounce back against the Niners this weekend.

19. Arizona Cardinals

Arizona’s defense was torn apart by the Niners in Week 11. They gave up less than 300 yards, but that led to 41 points. San Francisco scored 25 points in the first half, building a big lead and prompting a change in game plan in the second half. To be fair, the first seven points came thanks to a kick returned to the one-yard line, leading to a one-play touchdown drive. That also explains why the Niners' yardage total was so low, despite an ugly effort from Arizona. 

18. San Francisco 49ers 

The Niners got a win on Sunday, but the defense was once again an issue. They were unable to slow down a Cardinals team missing its top quarterback, receiver, and two running backs. Arizona managed 488 yards of offense and three touchdowns on five trips to the red zone. The pass defense was the biggest issue, allowing Jacoby Brissett to complete 47 passes for 452 yards and two touchdowns. The damage was somewhat limited, but a pair of interceptions permitted San Francisco to pick up a key division win. 

17. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens defense didn’t just beat the Browns on Sunday, but also overcame three turnovers from their own offense. The unit took advantage of an ugly Browns offense to post three sacks, 10 QB hits, six TFLs, nine PDs, and one interception. Kyle Hamilton made up for a quiet Week 10 showing to register one sack, three TFLs, 1.5 stuffs, two PDs, and a forced fumble. Cleveland finished the loss with just 10 first downs on 187 yards of offense, averaging 3.5 yards per play. 

16. Chicago Bears

Personally, we believe the Chicago defense got incredibly lucky in its win over Minnesota on Sunday. JJ McCarthy was horrible without the Bears’ help, completing 50% of his passes for 150 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions. Things were not as easy against the run, with Aaron Jones and Jordan Mason averaging 5.2 YPC for 115 yards and one touchdown. This unit may have an excellent chance at payback against Aaron Rodgers in Week 12, who claimed ownership of the Bears during his legendary tenure with the Packers. 

15. Indianapolis Colts 

The Colts had their bye in Week 11, so they don’t move in our rankings. While they are ninth in the league in points per game (20.6), they are nineteenth in yards (327.6). That doesn’t seem like something the AFC South leaders can keep up all season, especially considering they rank thirtieth in pass rush win rate (31%). This unit has benefited from the play of their offense, but with Daniel Jones beginning to turn the ball over more, they may face a far more challenging test over the remaining seven weeks of the season.

14. Los Angeles Chargers

Don’t be mistaken, the Chargers' offense is to blame for their 35-6 loss to the Jaguars. However, this defense didn’t do much to help. They surrendered 35 points on 345 yards while failing to register a sack against a mediocre Jacksonville offense. While LA ranks fourth in yards per game (286.1), they are now eleventh in points allowed (21.6). Expect this unit to bounce back against Vegas after their Week 12 bye, but then will face tough tests against the Eagles, Chiefs, and Cowboys over the following three weeks. 

13. Buffalo Bills

Sean Tucker and the Bucs ran over the Bills' run defense. They rushed 39 times for 202 yards (5.2 YPC) and three touchdowns, despite missing Bucky Irving. The pass defense made up for it, limiting Baker Mayfield to 173 yards through the air, intercepting him once. While this isn’t a top ten defense, they rank in the top half of the league in yards (322.7) and points (22.9) allowed per game. 

12. Pittsburgh Steelers

The stats don’t jump off the page, but we were impressed by the Steelers' defense in Week 11. The Cincinnati offense has been on fire since acquiring Joe Flacco, scoring at least 33 points in each of his first three starts. That trend was brought to a screeching halt in Pittsburgh, with the Bengals managing only 12 points on 297 yards. While the pass rush was largely contained, the secondary made up for it with eight PDs. 

11. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings lost a heartbreaker in an NFC North battle against the Bears on Sunday, but we still like what we saw from the defense. Minnesota dominated the line of scrimmage, registering ten TFLs. Second-year linebacker Dallas Turner led the effort, with one sack, two TFLs, and three QB hits. While they struggled to stop the Chicago run game, they were far better against the pass. Caleb Williams failed to pass for a touchdown, completing 50% of his passes for 193 yards. 

10. Cleveland Browns

The Browns' defense was solid against a hot Ravens team on Sunday, until they were eventually run down in the fourth quarter. We blame the lackluster offense and the extra pressure on the defense for the loss, keeping Cleveland in our top ten. Myles Garrett further cemented his lead as the NFL sack leader, adding four to his total on Sunday. The living legend now has ten sacks over his last three games.

9. Detroit Lions

The Lions' defense was strong against the Eagles on Monday Night Football, despite the pass rush having one of its worst games. They were unable to generate much pressure, but Jalen Hurts still struggled, completing 50% of her passes and averaging 4.8 yards per attempt. That is normally enough to secure a win, but a poor showing from the Detroit offense led to a loss. Detroit now ranks fifth in the NFL with 291.8 yards allowed per game this season.

8. Kansas City Chiefs

The good news is that the Kansas City run defense was on point against the Broncos on Sunday. Denver rushed 21 times but only managed 59 yards (2.8 YPC). Unfortunately, the pass defense wasn’t so sharp. Bo Nix completed 64.9% of his passes for 295 yards, averaging an impressive 8.0 yards per attempt. While the Chiefs prevented a touchdown on four of the Broncos’ five red zone trips, it wasn’t enough to get the win. 

7. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles' defense bursts back into our top ten after posting the most impressive defensive effort of Week 11. They dominated a great Lions offense, limiting them to nine points on 317 yards. That was largely thanks to forcing Jared Goff into what was arguably his worst game of the season. The veteran quarterback completed just 37.8% of his passes, with the Philly secondary defending ten passes. The Eagles also stopped the Lions on all five of their fourth-down attempts. 

6. New England Patriots

It remains hard for us to get a clear picture of the Patriots’ defense, given their soft schedule. However, the numbers they are putting up earn them a bump in our rankings this week. They took a tough shot from the Jets on Thursday Night Football, but only gave up 245 yards. Their third-down play was a problem (57% conversion rate), but the Jets were unable to capitalize. The New England pass rush was largely neutralized, but Christian Baramore managed to create pressure all game (3.95 yds avg separation from QB), landing him his first sack of the season. 

5. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams’ secondary won the game against Seattle on Sunday. They finished with four interceptions, two of which were posted by second-year safety Kamren Kinchens. Those forced turnovers were the difference, as the Seahawks still moved the ball efficiently, totaling 414 yards. The red zone defense was also stellar, allowing just one touchdown on four trips. The overall effort was far from perfect, with the defense spending over 37 minutes on the field.

4. Green Bay Packers

The Giants' offense got a boost with a new coach and QB last week, leading to 336 yards of offense against the Packers. However, that number would have been far lower had it not been for a pair of dropped interceptions. New York used short plays to move the ball and generate long drives, but our bigger concern was the Packers' inability to get off the field. They allowed the Giants to convert seven of their 14 third-downs and three of their four fourth-downs.

3. Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle defense enters our top three after delivering one of the most impressive performances of the season. They made the NFC West-leading Rams look stagnant on offense, limiting them to under 250 yards. While they were unable to sack Matthew Stafford, DeMarcus Lawrence was breathing down his neck all game with an average separation from the quarterback of 4.01 yards (4.58 league average). That led Stafford to complete just 53.5% of his passes and average 4.9 YPA. 

2.  Houston Texans

The Texans remain in our second spot after doing everything they were supposed to do against a bad Titans offense. They surrendered 13 points on 229 yards, and shut Tennessee down on two of their three red zone trips. Danielle Hunter delivered another big game with 1.5 sacks and three QB hits. Will Anderson Jr. continued his campaign to be the NFL Defensive Player of the Year with one sack, two TFLs, and a crucial forced fumble and recovery at the Titans' own 34. 

1. Denver Broncos

The Broncos picked up a crucial AFC West win over the Chiefs on Sunday, thanks in part to this defense. The pass rush hit Patrick Mahomes eight times, sacking him thrice. That helped the Broncos generate a back-breaking red zone interception in the third quarter by Ja’Quan McMillian, which set up an 89-yard touchdown drive. The Broncos also stood up when it mattered most, with a 38.5% third-down conversion rate and allowing just one touchdown on the Chiefs’ four trips to the red zone.

Bet $5, Get $150 in Bonus Bets if Your Bet Wins

Top Five NFL Passing Defenses

5. Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers' pass defense wasn’t the problem in their blowout loss to the Jags, with Trevor Lawrence only managing 153 yards, one TD, and one INT. 

4. Denver Broncos

Denver’s pass rush had Patrick Mahomes under pressure all day, which helped force a crucial interception that helped the Broncos to a key win. 

3. Green Bay Packers

The Packers remain in our third spot, despite allowing Jameis Winston to complete 65.5% of his passes for 201 yards. Most of those were short passes or screens, and the defense dropped two easy interceptions.

2. Buffalo Bills

The Bills got lit up on the ground, but they were excellent against Baker Mayfield, who managed just 173 yards with an interception. 

1. Houston Texans

The Texans remain atop our pass defense rankings after holding Cam Ward to 194 yards, averaging just 5.2 yards per attempt.

Get $150 in Bonus Bets at FanDuel With a $5 Winning Wager

Top Five NFL Rushing Defenses

5. Green Bay Packers

The Packers fell a few spots after being pushed around by the Giants' offensive line and Tyrone Tracey Jr., with New York finishing with 142 yards and three touchdowns.

4. Los Angeles Rams

The Rams rush into our top five after a solid showing against a good Seattle backfield in Week 11. They are only allowing 3.9 YPC, which is tied for the fourth-lowest mark in the league.

3. Cleveland Browns

The Browns were solid against Derrick Henry in the first half of Sunday’s loss, but were worn down in the second, leading the Ravens to average 6.1 YPC for 184 yards and two TDs. 

2. New England Patriots

The Pats drop a spot after an ugly showing against the Jets, but still lead the league with just 84.7 rushing yards per game this season.

1. Houston Texans

The Texans take over as our top run defense after holding Tony Pollard and the Titans to 58 yards on 17 carries (3.4 YPC).

Win a $5 Wager at FanDuel, Get $150 in Bonus Bets

NFL Defense Rankings 2025