One of this year's most intriguing defensive backs prospects is @AlabamaFTBL 's Brian Branch. But injuries to key players have made it difficult for the unit to develop an identity through four games. The biggest issue on defense is the nickel package. 7:48 pm ET, Ranking 10 best NFL landing spots for Richardson, 2023 NFL combine: WR/TE winners and losers, Takeaways from NFL combine measurements for WR, TE, Pete Prisco's top 100 NFL free agents of 2023, NFL combine: Grading top QBs, plus winners and losers, NFL combine 2023 tracker: Top performances, highlights, NFL post-Super Bowl Power Rankings: Chiefs run it back, NFL Combine: Grading top QBs; winners and losers, NFL Draft: Top landing spots for Richardson, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Colossal Richardson sets multiple QB combine records, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. The Falcons are allowing opponents to convert 44% of third-down chances, ranking 24th out of the 32 teams. They don't have an edge rusher with more than one sack and have called the third-most blitzes (57) so far this season. He remains the Jenga piece of the Saints' attack -- the whole thing topples over without the running back doing his thing. The Cardinals have been able to get to the quarterback and get their hands on him at times, as was the case against Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes, but getting opposing quarterbacks down has been a struggle. The Jaguars had allowed just 55 yards per game on the ground through the first three games, but gave up 210 yards and four touchdowns rushing to the Eagles on Sunday. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. Lawrence got a pass for a rocky rookie year marred by Urban Meyers malfeasance, but the five-game sample Lawrence has submitted in Year 2 under Doug Pederson hasbeen frustratingly inconsistent. I mean, really trust. Its defense has faced the third-most pass attempts in the NFL this season. Rookie Derek Stingley Jr. had one of those picks,his first career interception. Special teams: 12, While the Texans overhauled their offense -- minus quarterback Deshaun Watson -- this season, they didn't make many changes on defense. The biggest issue on defense is Jamal Adams' absence. But it's Mahomes who makes this team a dynasty. Philadelphia Eagles. Sunday's 20-17 triumph at Arizona came with a dollop of good fortune: Kyler Murray's premature slide short of the first-down marker set up an ugly miss by a temporary kicker to close the game. Since the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year tore his pectoral at the end of regulation in Week 1, the Steelers have given up an average of 23 points per game and recorded just three total sacks. 1. Will he be with the Packers or is he getting traded? Brissett threw 34 passes in the loss, or double the amount of carries Nick Chubb had in the game. But as FPI underscores, the defense has had issues outside of pass-rusher Myles Garrett, especially in the secondary, where injuries and inconsistent play have plagued Cleveland all season. League rank: 24th. Take Sunday, for instance: Cousins completed his first 17 passes against the Bears, leading the Vikings to touchdowns on their first three possessions while building a 21-3 lead. Opponent Fourth Down Conversion Percentage. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. The 49ers took care of business against a Panthers team set adrift, coasting to a 37-15 road win that put San Francisco in sole possession of first place in the muddled NFC West. Mix in a special-teams unit that features the league's most efficient returner in Andre Roberts, and you've got a team ready to make a deep playoff run. Football Power Index rankings The Eagles keep answering the bell in different ways. He also secured five of six targets . Detroit currently leads the league in scoring but also allows the most points in the league. League Size: The size of your league can influence position value or scarcity, and should impact your draft strategy (read more here). Watch on ESPN+, Offense: 24 They converted each into a touchdown. League rank: 4th. The biggest issue on defense is run defense. But credit the Los Angeles defense, which stood strong and forced the long field-goal attempt. The offense did manage to crack the end zone three times, and David Long Jr. stepped up with the goal-line interception in the final seconds to secure a win. It's scary to imagine what the Chiefs might be if they were playing well in the other phases. Plus, the Jaguars are suddenly knocking on the door of the top 10! Although their defense began the season hemorrhaging yards, it has regained its 2018 and 2019 form over the past few weeks. 32. The Bucs have given up 27 total points in the first quarter through four weeks -- fourth most in the league -- yet their 68 total points given up would be fifth fewest. 2. The biggest issue on defense is third-down conversions. The interception total, even with none against the Panthers on Sunday, is five more than that of the next-worst team. Check out the full rundown, 1-32. Don't forget to check out the NFL Power Rankings Podcast with Dan Hanzus and Colleen Wolfe. With five first-round picks along the defensive line and the No. Who plays quarterback for the Raiders? On Sunday, it was a killer end-zone pick with less than three minutes to play in a 30-28 defeat to the Chargers. The Panthers have scored 30 or more points three times, and two of those were with Christian McCaffrey. League rank: 18th, The Chargers' defense appeared dominant -- on paper -- entering the season. Thestellar Cowboys defense has produced one of my favorite, most straightforward stats of the 2022 NFL season: Dallas has allowed exactly one touchdown in each of its five games this season. After Sunday's 40-3 win over the Jets, that group has allowed only 14.5 points per game the past four contests (fourth fewest in that span), about half as many points as it allowed in the first nine. Dan Hanzus updates his league pecking order, 1 to 32. Calijah Kancey had a 4.67 official time in the 40-yard dash, the fastest time by a defensive tackle at the combine since 2006, when ESPN Stats . The Vikings lost to the Bucs on Sunday in large part because of Dan Bailey's four missed kicks that left 10 points on the table. --Kevin Seifert, Defensive efficiency: 76.1 --Tim McManus, Defensive efficiency:57.9 But the unit ranks among the worst in the league this season in this regard, forcing just three turnovers through four games. But the defense is why Detroit is in a hole at the moment, getting ready for a complete regime switch in the offseason. The coaching search will end this week, but the biggest issue is Kyler Murray. NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF A week after getting pushed around by the Jared Goff-led Lions, it was the Saints turn -- Taysom Hill (accounted for four touchdowns) and Alvin Kamara (194 total yards) did pretty much whatever they wanted in a 39-32 Seattle loss. Frank Reich is in as the head coach, but he has to find a quarterback or it won't matter who coaches this team. Defense: 18 League rank: 8th. The Cowboys have not allowed 20 points in a game yet and have allowed just one touchdown in each game. Houston gave up 36 points to the Bears on Sunday in a performance that Watt called "embarrassing." 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. (AP Photo/Alex Gallardo, File) There are usually three schools of thought when . The Panthers are allowing 10.5 points a game in the final quarter to rank among the worst in the league. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. "I think he's doing everything he can. Cincinnati has one of the best defenses in the NFL. -- Turron Davenport, Offense: 19 1 overall nationally ahead of Georgia . at kicker." --Brooke Pryor, Defensive efficiency: 36.3 --Turron Davenport, Defensive efficiency: 65.8 By the end of last season, Chase was a YAC monster who could not be contained. Key Free Agents: N/A. That's the biggest issue. Maybe Browns too. Players and coaches have talked about the need to communicate more from the get-go, and not just as the game progresses. The defense bounced back from Week 4's humbling prime-time loss to the Chiefs, but a fourth-quarter letdown was halted by an absurdly generous roughing-the-passer call that kept Tom Brady on the field and allowed the home team to run out the clock in a 21-15 win over Atlanta. The offense has been nearly unstoppable, the defense has had its moments (giving up massive yardage but sometimes coming up with a timely sack or takeaway), and the special teams have been mostly a disaster, other than near-perfect kicker Mason Crosby. Tom Brady, he's coming for you in a lot of ways -- including possibly taking over as the best to ever do it. Do the Eagles fall after their first loss? The Steelers showed up to Western New York with a rookie quarterback making his first start and a defense playing without T.J. Watt. Players the Jaguars could target Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense seemed well set up to shred a Ravens defense that entered Sunday Night Football allowing more passing yardage than any team in football. Depth charts for every team Rankings change: Up 1. The following are the 2022 NFL team overall defense statistics, including team rushing yardage, team passing yardage and total team yardage. They are well-rounded enough to win games based on their passing game, running game, defense or special teams when needed. Watch on ESPN+, The Jaguars have started three quarterbacks at least three games each, which contributes to their having five games with fewer than 300 yards of offense. Presumably, they'll return to form once Byron Jones returns from the physically unable to perform list -- which he's eligible to do this week. Connelly's numbers indicate that while bringing a high number of transfers on offense wasn't exactly a winning proposition in 2022 (programs that brought in nine or more newcomers finished 3.2 . This team is better with quarterback Alex Smith but still inconsistent. Cooper Kupp saved the Rams But he didn't look great when he played last season. The script is beyond tired for the Raiders. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | The Bills' defense is ranked in the top five of almost every . Pro Bowl cornerback J.C. Jackson missed Weeks 1 and 3 after undergoing ankle surgery in August, and when he did give it a go in Week 2, he said he was playing at less than 100 percent. Through four games, Tennessee has given up five plays of 40 yards or more. Check out the full pecking . The Chicago Bears had the worst defense in the NFL this season. Check out the updated NFL pecking order, 1-32. Discover NFL team overall stats and rankings throughout the season. -- Cameron Wolfe, The Cardinals' defense has been underrated all season, as is evident by its FPI ranking. He had a top-10 defense in points allowed in four . NFL 2020 defensive rankings. League rank: 26th. Printed from TeamRankings.com - 2005-2023 Team Rankings, LLC. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. In this edition of the NFL Power Rankings, the Giants and Jets soar to new heights, while the Buccaneers and Panthers tumble down the board. Panthers impressed by Derek Carr visit Fields hot streak allowed Chicago to erase a 21-3 deficit and put a serious scare into the NFC North leaders. More NFL coverage , The Dolphins have been great on defense and special teams, scoring a combined three touchdowns with those units this season. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. League rank: 13th. League rank: 5th. The offense went cold, and Minnesota allowed Chicago to crawl back in the game and even take the lead in the fourth quarter. We feel you, big man. The biggest issue on defense is a banged-up defensive line. The Ravens have lost two games this season in which they have led by 17 points or more because they can't stop teams late in games. Although there is plenty of blame to spread around, the negative plays brought on by Wentz's turnovers (19) and sacks (50) put the Eagles on bad footing all too frequently. Add it all up, and the Cowboys are looking at a top-five draft pick next spring. Returns have been exceedingly positive on a 2022 draft class that includes instant-impact starters in Hall, cornerback Sauce Gardner and wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The Eagles are 5-0 for just the third time in franchise history. A healthy Adams would be making a difference as a run defender and a pass-rusher. Special teams: 26, Let's simplify this. The linebacker play has struggled too, leading to veteran Jamie Collins' return to the team on Monday. With the Falcons officially eliminated from playoff contention, it's time to turn the focus to 2021 and potentially moving on at quarterback while retooling other areas of the roster. Chicago's special teams are better than the rankings indicate. Dennis Daley (starting at left tackle after Taylor Lewan's season-ending knee injury) was bullied by Montez Sweat, while the interior line struggled on a day Ryan Tannehill absorbed five sacks. They just missed out on the playoffs last season with rookie Kenny Pickett at quarterback. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. The biggest issue on defense is defending the run. Guess we just need to sit back, eat some popcorn and wait for it to make sense. "Satisfied with the effort? the coach replied to a reporters query. The Seahawks are an entertaining team, but a consistently overmatched defense might stop them from being anything more than that. Are they sold on Desmond Ridder as their quarterback? They are last in the NFL in opponent third-down conversion percentage and touchdown percentage allowed in the red zone. Special teams: 32, Basically, not much has gone right for the Chargers, except -- and it's a big exception -- quarterback Justin Herbert. Travis Kelce for OPOY? The Bolts are also having to adjust without Pro Bowl edge rusher Joey Bosa, who was placed on injured reserve after tearing his groin in Week 3. --Jamison Hensley, Defensive efficiency: 68.2 Check out the full league pecking order, 1-32. That's why the Chiefs end the season as the top-ranked team in my Power Rankings and will be No. Figures indicate statistics each team allowed to their opponents. The Chiefs have taken the ball from their opponent just four times. ESPN's weekly defense/special teams (D/ST) fantasy football rankings are an aggregate of our eight rankers, listed alphabetically. It's costing them games and playoff seeding. The Giants have a top-10 pass defense at the moment. The Texans have joined the ranks of the living, with their first win of the season. Josh Jacobs, who led the NFL with 1,653 rushing yards last season, is expected to be given the franchise tag by the Raiders, sources told ESPN. Its fair to wonder if Pittsburgh ends this rebuilding campaign with one of the worst records in football. League rank:15th. With the 2022 regular season in the books, Dan Hanzus provides a full rundown of the league hierarchy, 1-32. At the 2012 combine, 346-pound defensive tackle Dontari Poe was clocked at 4.98 seconds in the 40-yard dash, did 44 repetitions of 225 pounds in the bench press, had a 29.5-inch vertical and . Trying to determine what has gone right for the Cowboys is difficult. 1 pick, Ex-Patriots star McGinest facing eight years in prison, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report. But Garrett is going to have to play through left shoulder and right biceps injuries, at least in the short term. League rank: 14th. To say the Raiders have struggled on the defensive side of the ball in the previous decade is a bit of an understatement. Ugly wins count just as much as pretty ones, but Matt Ryan and Co. will need to be far better to move Indy out of the pretender category. York pushed his 54-yard field-goal attempt wide right in the final seconds, allowing the Chargers to escape Cleveland with a 30-28 win. From 2010-2019, the team never finished higher than 20th in points per game allowed and often finished in the bottom five in the league in scoring defense. The Raiders have rebuilt their linebacker corps and secondary to enter the 20s. Honestly, there's very little to nitpick the Bengals' defense about. Where do the other 31 teams fit into the picture after the conclusion of the 2022 NFL season? Speaking of five weeks, that's how long it took the Giants to match their win total from 2021. It's true that the quarterback is the most important position on an NFL team, which is why pass-rushing matters so much. The biggest issue on defense is the pass rush. The unit that gave up 51 points to Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in the playoffs in January has not improved this season, and even a healthy J.J. Watt can make only so much of a difference.