In the fourth quarter, opposing quarterbacks have posted an NFL-best 88.6 QBR against the Ravens, throwing five touchdowns and getting sacked twice. The Chiefs have taken the ball from their opponent just four times. They don't have an edge rusher with more than one sack and have called the third-most blitzes (57) so far this season. The defending Super Bowl champions have taken an immense step back on both sides of the ball in 2022. The Niners' defense has been mostly dominant for the season's first month, but the win column doesn't reflect just how good it has been. The Vikings rank in the bottom eight of almost every defensive category. Here you go: 2008 was a legit D. Great DL, Good LBs, Better secondary than 2009 because that creep Sharper was still on the team. PFF viewed the Vikings as a good tackling team, ranking them fourth in the NFL with a grade of 85.5. Here you go: Vikings top 6 DVOA rankings 2008 was a legit D. Great DL, Good LBs, Better secondary than 2009 because that creep Sharper was still on the team. The Saints are sixth in red zone touchdowns allowed and fourth in red zone touchdown rate. Buffalo Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. However, it is deserved. Players and coaches have talked about the need to communicate more from the get-go, and not just as the game progresses. League rank: 15th. If the Texans are doing anything right in 2023, its on defense. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports, 99.4 YPG-25th Performance is also adjusted for the quality of the opponent. However, New York ranked last in Football Outsiders Rush DVOA (11.6%) and its painfully thin at cornerback. That's exactly when it mattered. However, I am deducting points from the Chargers because they should be better. -- Brooke Pryor, Defensive efficiency: 36.3 . Everything came together after leading the Vikings to a 13-3 record their most regular-season wins since Randy Moss ' 1998 rookie season and a defense that led the NFL in both points and yards allowed. 2017 was only the franchises fourth best season from a DVOA perspective since 1983? League rank: 27th. Georgia defensive lineman Jalen Carter, . When EK54 got hurt, the young front 7 began to crumble at the touch of a feather. The Giants are 19th in the NFL with a pass rush win rate of 41.2%. Here's the weird part: It's not because of the pass rush. PFF: 80.3-16th I can make the case for another team or two, but the Lions dont have a lot to build off of aside from Aidan Hutchinson. Industry Clout: DVOA: 10.8%-19th. While he will be missed, Steve Wilks is a fantastic fit for San Francisco. Maybe the most talented DL in Viking history outside of the Purple People Eaters. We paired each response with the team's defensive efficiency rating and where that stacks up in the league. 1 in our NFL defense rankings next season. Here is an explanation from Football Outsider's website: DVOA is a method of evaluating teams, units, or players. JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN 1 defense in takeaways and sacks. But not anywhere near the level of '17 Follow us for breaking news and latest updates: Explained: Predictions and Analysis for Vikings-Lions. Jacobs finished with 144 yards rushing with two touchdowns as the Raiders rushed for 212 yards overall. TreDavious White will also be at 100% with a full offseason and Kaiir Elam should elevate his game in his second year. The Minnesota Vikings cornerbacks will greatly shape where this team lands in our NFL defense rankings throughout the year. The 2022 Vikings defense isn't in the upper echelon of most statistical rankings through six games, but Head Coach Kevin O'Connell referred to the group as the team's "backbone" shortly after. Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluated how teams are stacking up through four weeks and named a new No. The Steelers ranked second in D/ST scores last year. If the Ravens are going to tread water until Lamar Jackson returns, their defense must play lights-out football. Perhaps I am being a tad harsh on the Steelers. If the rights additions are made and second-year leaps happen, this could be a very good defense in 2023. Green Bays secondary has done its part. However, they are 14th in third-down rate, giving opposing offense more opportunities to take advantage of the injuries on the back end. The defensive line was gassed after dominating all year and the Eagles RPO took full advantage. Their run defense has been terrible all season. The Raiders made a key move this offseason with the acquisition of Chandler Jones. Offense Defense 1 Bills 35.1% 2 49ers 27.5% 3 Eagles 25.2% 4 Chiefs 23.0% 5 Bengals 18.1% View Overall DVOA However, the Browns are allowing the sixth-most ppg in the NFL (25.0), which means either their big-pop players arent gelling or theyve simply failed to show up. At safety, the team is set with Harison Smith and rookie Lewis. Learn More > See how each team defense ranks against the rest and see updated stats and rankings throughout the year. Outside of rookie Roger McCreary, all of the Titans' primary cornerbacks have been beat for explosive plays. The Vikings pass rush was not viewed as highly, as they ranked 10th with a grade of 75.2, slightly ahead of the Patriots. Friday, March 03. The Chargers had a bunch of talent on defense last year, but the outfit was undermined by glaring holes at . While the offense has taken a drastic step forward, the Jacksonville defense remains a liability. This calls for an updated set of rankings. League rank: 12th, The Rams have their best cornerback healthy (Jalen Ramsey) but have been dealing with several injuries in the secondary early in the season. Without either, the Browns couldn't get pressure, while the Falcons ran the ball at will. They are also a top-end unit when it comes to sacks and takeaways. . Theyve allowed the second-fewest touchdowns while remaining stout in the red zone. However, I am doing so because this should have been expected. The Falcons are allowing opponents to convert 44% of third-down chances, ranking 24th out of the 32 teams. 2022 Regular Season Statistics Minnesota Vikings OPPONENTS 382 TOTAL FIRST DOWNS 359 93 244 45 FIRST DOWNS Rushing Passing By Penalty 113 224 22 93 / 226 THIRD DOWN CONVERSIONS 82 / 215 9 / 19. They also had the lowest "gash-rate" in the NFL giving up a 10-yard run on just 7.5% of carries against them. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons finished with the lowest pressure rate (14.6%) and the second-fewest sacks (20) in the NFL. Baltimore Ravens League rank: 19th. Mel Kiper takes another shot predicting the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, with elite QBs and defensive players highlighting the latest mock. DE Jadeveon Clowney has missed the past two games with an ankle injury. But not anywhere near the level of '17. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques, Defensive efficiency: 58.2 Look for the defense to be addressed. Dallas was not being drafted in the top 12 at the position, and New England was 9th. The Vikings rushing offense graded higher at 79.4, but they ranked 21st in the NFL. Ranking 15th in points per game allowed, the Indy defense is still a middle-of-the-pack unit, but they have been slashed and gashed by superior offenses. View the number of fantasy points each NFL team allows to each position, based on default NFL-Managed scoring. There is a lot of inexperience in the secondary, but now those young, talented defensive backs have a seasons worth of lessons to learn from. Here's the bad news: The Vikings defense currently ranks 25th in the NFL according to Football Outsiders' DVOA (defense-adjusted value over average), which is an opponent-adjusted. in 89 Doleman had 21 and Millard was NFL Defensive Player of the Year with 18 sacks out of the DT spot. The Jets are allowing opponents to convert 51% of the time on third down, which ranks 31st out of 32 teams. . Kansas City Chiefs @ DEN 10. They finished with a grade of 74.5, good enough for third in the NFL. Rookie cornerbacks arent supposed to be great early, but Sauce Gardner became an All-Pro in his first season. They converted each into a touchdown. Safety Lamarcus Joyner is coming off his best game (two interceptions), but the Jets need better coverage from S Jordan Whitehead and MLB C.J. I thought positive is good and negative is bad, and yet all of our bad seasons are listed with a negative percentage and our bad season (2020) has a positive percentage. League rank: 17th. Martindale immediately turned around a defense that had an erratic run in 2021. Related: NFL teams that have never won a Super Bowl. The biggest issue on defense is the fourth quarter. Although, Carolina would be wise to upgrade at safety. While building around Justin Fields is a priority, the Bears defense will also be completely overhauled. The biggest issue on defense is allowing big plays. An intriguing element of that was it came despite just one defensive or return touchdown. QB Power Rankings: Williams leads trio of Pac-12 stars . -- Jordan Raanan, Defensive efficiency: 68.3 The defense lead the Vikings to a road playoff win vs the Saints. Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) hands the ball off to running back Dalvin Cook (4) against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Ranking the top 20 NFL defenses ahead of Week 17 of the 2021 season. The Broncos allow the fewest touchdowns in the NFL and are a force in the red zone. Given Bobby Okereke is a free agent, it adds linebacker to the pressing list of needs this offseason. It also hasnt helped that Cook has looked like he has lost that next-level gear that has made him such a dynamic back, Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin OConnell celebrates the win after the game against the New England Patriots at U.S. Bank Stadium. The defense struggles in yards per rush, red zone efficiency and third-down conversions -- ranking last in all categories. If the Buccaneers are going to turn it on and make any type of noise in the playoffs, this defense must continue playing at a high level. I would put the Bears dead last, but they have been at least competent in defending the pass despite being awful in containing the run. However, in the Week 4 loss to the Raiders, the Broncos were pushed off the ball far too often in run defense. The architect of the defensive schemes that have become increasingly popular around the NFL, Fangio should help Miamis pass defense take a step forward in 2023. Vikings offensive and defensive rankings: a breakdown Teams AFC East Bills Dolphins Jets Patriots AFC North Bengals Browns Ravens Steelers AFC South Colts Jaguars Texans Titans AFC West. The Giants field one of the more surprising defenses in the NFL, thanks to new defensive coordinator Don Wink" Martindale. Outside of Grady Jarrett and A.J. ET. The Titans win ugly, but they win football games. They are allowing 5 yards per carry and have given up 20 runs of 10 yards or more in four games, including two runs of at least 33 yards in the past two games. -- Tim McManus, Defensive efficiency: 57.9 But Garrett is going to have to play through left shoulder and right biceps injuries, at least in the short term. Getting Von Miller and Micah Hyde back for the 2023 NFL season are huge boosts for the Buffalo Bills defense. But there's little to pick apart. Anthony Cervino is an NFL Writer and Betting Analyst for The Game Day. While the Raiders are loaded on the EDGE with Jones and Maxx Crosby, the rest of their defense is either aging or inexperienced. Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress. Donald led all defensive lineman in the NFL last year in pass-rush wins with 127. While injuries to the secondary forced their defense to take a step back, they are managing to get the job done when they need to. When youre not getting pressure, opposing signal-callers will pick you apart. CBSSports.com 247Sports MaxPreps It feels even more likely to happen with Ejiro Evero taking over as defensive coordinator. The other shocking thing is our 2020 defense wasn't as bad as we all remember (although I think the 18th ranking is a bit high) I'm guessing Alvin Kamara deleted anything positive from our brains. There has been a critical error on this website. The biggest issue on defense is getting home. 1 wideouts. Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings. Find NFL defense rushing stats by team. Barnwell predicts the next QBs to get benched: Did Pittsburgh wait too long? They are scoring slightly less than the 25.0 PPG than they did last year, but they are playing better defense and consistency is more important than overall points. Who had the most wins as an underdog last season? The defense has been much improved from a season ago, but this is the next step toward being the type of unit that defensive coordinator Dean Pees wants to have in Atlanta. Figures indicate statistics each team allowed to their opponents. Another year in Aaron Glenns system with additions to the secondary and defensive line can make this a top-15 defense in 2023. The Patriots tend to be one of the more reliable units from season to season - top-12 DST since 2018 - and 2022 is no different. Dallas' struggling offense managed three pass plays of at least that length. . Jaycee Horn is an ascending No. Bet Tip: Bengals to Win AFC Championship (+600) at Caesars Sportsbook. It might work against the quarterbacks they faced, but life is about to get much more difficult with Aaron Rodgers, Lamar Jackson, Trevor Lawrence and Geno Smith on deck. It takes every single play during the NFL season and compares each one to a league-average baseline based on situation. It didn't help that they spotted the Chiefs 14 points with two lost fumbles in Week 4. DVOA: -0.5-13th, The Vikings rushing attack has been inconsistent this season but the big touchdown runs by Dalvin Cook have been a major factor in not seeing their rankings lower. It is difficult to put any team ahead of the 49ers. Thankfully, the defense is not devoid of talent.