Ranking 2022 NFL defenses:

[Woodman]

Rams, Bills, Saints most likely units to crack the top 10

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/r...ck-the-top-10/

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Offense is kind in the modern NFL, but that doesn't mean defense is altogether irrelevant. Because while offense has a greater effect on overall team performance -- and is more consistent year over year -- than defense, you still need to put up some resistance in order to actually win football games.
For that reason, we're going to rank the league's defenses now that the player-acquisition portion of the offseason is mostly over. Rather than go through every team from 32-1 on this side of the ball like we did on offense, we're going to group the teams by how likely they are to finish the year among the league's top 10 defenses.
Without further ado ...

[Woodman]

Very Unlikely

Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Jacksonville Jaguars, New York Giants, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks

None of these teams finished last season in the top half of the league in either EPA per play or Football Outsiders' DVOA. Only the Seahawks, Giants, Texans, and Falcons finished above-average in any of yards per play (Seattle, Giants), points per drive (Seattle), opponent's turnover rate (Giants, Houston, Atlanta), and the share of opponent drives that ended in a touchdown or field goal (Seattle). None of them ranked better than 10th in any of those categories.

[Woodman]

Somewhat Unlikely

Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears, Kansas City Chiefs, Tennessee Titans

The Panthers began last season on fire defensively, but slowed over the second half of the season. They lost Haason Reddick in free agency and don't have a ready-made replacement. Their secondary should be a strength but it's tough to see the front being good enough to push them toward the top 10. Chicago was a disaster defensively last season, and while new head coach Matt Eberflus and a couple of early draft picks should help, the trade of Khalil Mack robs the Bears of their best pass-rusher.

[Woodman]

Possibly

Arizona Cardinals, Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland Browns, Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Chargers, Las Vegas Raiders, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Washington Commanders


This is the largest group of teams, and also the one with the widest range of outcomes.
Arizona finished top 10 in both EPA per play and DVOA last season, but got far better than expected performances from some of its players in the secondary and does not have much pass rush to speak of. Still, if that secondary holds up and the flexible linebackers the team has drafted in recent years take steps forward, the Cardinals could keep their place there. The Bengals fared better than expected last season as well, and thankfully did not rest on their laurels when it came to talent acquisition.

[Woodman]

Somewhat Likely

Baltimore Ravens, Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos, Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers


Baltimore's defense collapsed due to injury last season, but there were some strong underlying metrics that point to a rebound. The Ravens finished third in yards allowed per play and eighth in the share of opponent drives that ended in a score, for example. With better health, plus Marcus Williams and Kyle Hamilton on board, they should be back in or around the top 10. Dallas was buoyed by a wildly unsustainable turnover rate last season, but with Dan Quinn scheming Micah Parsons into favorable matchups, a healthier season from Demarcus Lawrence, full years from Jayron Kearse and Malik Hooker, continued development from the team's young interior defenders, and even a season with half as many picks as Trevon Diggs had a year ago, the Cowboys should be able to stave off regression enough to finish in the back half of the top 10, or just outside it.

[Woodman]

Most Likely

Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans Saints


Buffalo finished last season first in DVOA, EPA per play, yards per play, and points per drive, then added Von Miller to a deep group of edge rushers. Even with Tre'Davious White potentially missing part of the season rehabbing his ACL tear, the Bills seem like a near lock to have a top defense. The Rams have Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey, and Raheem Morris will continue innovating off the principles installed by Brandon Staley a couple years ago. New Orleans has Dennis Allen adding more responsibility as head coach just like Tampa has with Bowles, but the Saints have a more reliable defensive backfield than their division rivals, thanks to their adding Tyrann Mathieu to rebound after losing Marcus Williams.

[notacon]

Uh oh......the “expert opinion is meaningless” cabal is going to come down and rain on your parade Woody.

Too many so-called Bills “fans” **** on the team at almost every opportunity they can. ESPECIALLY when objective, unbiased expert opinion puts forth accurate and credible evidence praising the quality of today’s Buffalo Bills!!!!

[sukie]

Uh oh......the “expert opinion is meaningless” cabal is going to come down and rain on your parade Woody.

Too many so-called Bills “fans” **** on the team at almost every opportunity they can. ESPECIALLY when objective, unbiased expert opinion puts forth accurate and credible evidence praising the quality of today’s Buffalo Bills!!!!

Sorry to disappoint. The article said the Bills probably will have a top tier defense. Not the #1 ranked D.

[Novacane]

We should be better. We have better players this year. Except for that glaring hole at mlb.

[YardRat]

Regular season doesn't mean dick. They can't even crack the top 10 out of only 14 teams total when the games really count.

[notacon]

Regular season doesn't mean dick. They can't even crack the top 10 out of only 14 teams total when the games really count.

Oh, really?!?!?!? Uhhhhhh.....the regular season decides EVERYTHING.....from getting in the playoffs or not, to seeding in the playoffs, to who gets home games in the playoffs, to who gets a first round bye in the playoffs, to the following year’s schedule, to draft pick position.

The FACT is that the regular season is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!!

[swiper]

Sorry to disappoint. The article said the Bills probably will have a top tier defense. Not the #1 ranked D.

Bills filled in a lot of holes. The only weak spot is MLB.

[swiper]

Uh oh......the “expert opinion is meaningless” cabal is going to come down and rain on your parade Woody.

Too many so-called Bills “fans” **** on the team at almost every opportunity they can. ESPECIALLY when objective, unbiased expert opinion puts forth accurate and credible evidence praising the quality of today’s Buffalo Bills!!!!

Unbiased???

LOL. You are absolutely clueless.

[notacon]

Bills filled in a lot of holes. The only weak spot is MLB.

The Bills coaches and GM completely disagree with this ill-informed statement.

The Bills completely overhauled the D-Line. They had every chance in the world to draft one of the best projects at MLB. They passed several times.

The LB they DID draft was to fill in the the departed AJ Klein for a backup role, and if anything Benard is better suited to replace MILANO and NOT the MLB position.

They traded for a backup QB. They cut Beasley, Star, Williams, AJ Klein and Feliciano. They declined to re-sign FA Saunders, Jerry Hughes, Harrison Phillips, Levi Wallace, Vernon Butler, Eve Obada, Bryan Cox and Mario Addison.

The signed (on defense) FA's, EDGE Von Miller, DT Tim Settle, DE Shaq Lawson and DE Daquan Jones. Used their first roping pick on CB Elam.

The experts opinions that REALLY MATTER, the Bills coaches and GMS’s DO NOT think that “the only weak spot is MLB”. They know that they are doing and have made roster moves that reflect exactly where they think the weaknesses are on the whole team in both free agency and the draft.

[notacon]

Unbiased???

LOL. You are absolutely clueless.

Look in the mirror. YOU are the one who is hopelessly biased and ill informed and totally clueless.

[Mace]

Uh oh......the “expert opinion is meaningless” cabal is going to come down and rain on your parade Woody.

Too many so-called Bills “fans” **** on the team at almost every opportunity they can. ESPECIALLY when objective, unbiased expert opinion puts forth accurate and credible evidence praising the quality of today’s Buffalo Bills!!!!

Great seeing them projected high, they upgraded talent. What the coaches do with it will be significant.

You're kind of oblivious though if you think they just put forth accurate and credible evidence for today's Buffalo Bills. You probably didn't notice, but this group of players has not played a game together yet. There is no "evidence" of what hasn't happened, so it can by no definition be accurate or credible. Funny how that works.

[Woodman]

Anticipation!!!!!!

[notacon]

Great seeing them projected high, they upgraded talent. What the coaches do with it will be significant.

You're kind of oblivious though if you think they just put forth accurate and credible evidence for today's Buffalo Bills. You probably didn't notice, but this group of players has not played a game together yet. There is no "evidence" of what hasn't happened, so it can by no definition be accurate or credible. Funny how that works.

[Woodman]

Sorry to disappoint. The article said the Bills probably will have a top tier defense. Not the #1 ranked D.

I'd be pleased with top 5.