Who Has the Number One Defense in the NFL?

The answer may surprise you – it’s not the New England Patriots or the Denver Broncos. It’s actually the Seattle Seahawks, who have the best defense in the NFL according to our metrics.

Introduction

In the National Football League, the defense is the unit that tries to stop the other team from scoring.

The defense is made up of 11 players, divided into two groups: the defensive line and the linebackers. The defensive line tries to keep the other team’s offensive line from getting to the quarterback, while the linebackers try to stop running backs and receivers.

Some of the best defenses in NFL history have been able to shut down entire offenses, leading their teams to victory. So which defense is currently the best in the NFL?

The Case for the Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks have consistently had one of the best defenses in the NFL over the past few years. They’re not the biggest or most physical team, but they’re extremely fast and they have a lot of talent. They’re also very well-coached. Let’s take a closer look at the Seahawks’ defense and see why they’re so good.

The Legion of Boom

The Legion of Boom is the nickname given to the Seattle Seahawks’ secondary. The group is composed of four All-Pro players: free safety Earl Thomas, strong safety Kam Chancellor, and cornerbacks Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner. All four members were drafted by the Seahawks; Thomas, Chancellor, and Sherman in 2010, and Browner in 2011.

The Legion of Boom is considered to be one of the best secondaries in NFL history. They helped lead the Seahawks to a victory in Super Bowl XLVIII, and have been key contributors to the team’s success over the past few years.

The secondary has been nicknamed “The Legion of Boom” because of their aggressive style of play. They are known for their hard-hitting tackling and their ability to make big plays in crucial moments. The Legion of Boom has been compared to other great secondaries in NFL history, such as the “Steel Curtain” defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1970s and the “Doomsday Defense” of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1990s.

A Top-10 Pass Defense

In the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks have a top-10 pass defense. They are ranked ninth in the league in passing yards allowed per game, with an average of 227.8 yards allowed. The Seahawks have also allowed the seventh-fewest passing touchdowns this season, with only 15 given up through 15 games. In addition, Seattle has intercepted 13 passes, which is tied for ninth in the NFL.

The Seahawks’ success in defending the pass is due in large part to their secondary, which is led by Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas. Thomas is a two-time All-Pro and has been named to the Pro Bowl four times in his seven-year career. He is joined in the secondary by fellow Pro Bowlers Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, as well as by cornerback Jeremy Lane. Together, these four players form one of the most talented secondaries in the NFL.

The Seahawks’ pass defense will be put to the test this weekend when they face off against the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Divisional Round of the playoffs. The Panthers are led by quarterback Cam Newton, who is one of the most dangerous passers in the league. Newton threw for 3,837 yards and 35 touchdowns this season, and he also rushed for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Panthers offense as a whole was very successful this season, scoring 31 or more points 11 times.

However, if any team is equipped to stop Carolina’s high-powered offense, it is Seattle. The Seahawks have proved time and again that they can rise to the occasion when they need to, and they will need to do so again this weekend if they want to move on to the NFC Championship Game.

A Top-10 Run Defense

When looking at the NFL’s top-10 run defenses of 2017, the Seattle Seahawks are notably absent. In fact, they’re not even in the top-20. So how can they possibly be the best defense in the league?

It’s all about context.

The Seahawks may not have been great at stopping the run last season, but they were elite at something far more important: stopping opposing offenses from scoring points. And that’s what defense is all about.

In 2017, the Seahawks allowed the fewest points per game of any team in the NFL. They did this despite having a below-average run defense. How? By being absolutely phenomenal at stopping the pass.

No team was better at preventing passing touchdowns than the Seahawks last season, and no team gave up fewer yards per pass attempt. They also recorded more sacks than any other team in the league. In other words, they were really good at getting to the quarterback and disrupting plays before they could develop into big gains or touchdowns.

So yes, the Seahawks’ run defense wasmiddle-of-the-pack last season. But their elite pass defense more than made up for it, and that’s why they’re still the best defense in the NFL.

The Case for the Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos have been one of the best teams in the NFL for the past few years. They have a great offense and a great defense. Their defense is especially good. They have a lot of good players on defense. They have a good defensive coordinator. They have a good scheme.

A Top-10 Pass Defense

The Denver Broncos have a top-10 pass defense. The unit is anchored by star cornerback Aqib Talib, who is one of the best in the league at his position. The Broncos also have a strong pass rush, led by linebacker Von Miller. Miller is one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL, and he is a big reason why the Broncos have one of the best defenses in the league.

A Top-5 Run Defense

The Denver Broncos have one of the best run defenses in the NFL. In fact, they’re currently ranked No. 5 in the league in terms of yards per game allowed on the ground. And that’s despite the fact that they’ve faced some of the best rushing teams in the league this season, including the Kansas City Chiefs, Los Angeles Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles.

So what makes the Broncos’ run defense so good? Well, there are a few things. First of all, they have a great nose tackle in Domata Peko Sr., who does an excellent job of clogging up the middle of the line and stopping runs before they even have a chance to get going.

In addition, they have two very good edge rushers in Von Miller and Bradley Chubb, who are both excellent at setting the edge and stopping runs that try to go around them. And finally, they have a paint-by-numbers linebacker corps that does a great job of filling gaps and making tackles.

So if you’re looking for a team to bet on against the run, the Broncos are definitely worth considering.

The Case for the Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have the number one ranked defense in the NFL. They are led by defensive end J.J. Watt, who is one of the best players in the league. The Texans have a strong front seven that can stop the run and apply pressure to the quarterback. They also have a talented secondary that can make plays on the ball.

A Top-5 Pass Defense

The Houston Texans have a top-5 pass defense in the NFL. They are stout against the run as well, but their pass defense is what sets them apart from other teams. The Texans have only allowed opposing quarterbacks to throw for more than 300 yards in a game three times this season, and they have not allowed a quarterback to throw for more than 400 yards in a game since 2011.

In addition to their excellent pass defense, the Texans also have a very good run defense. They are sixth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed per game, and they have only allowed more than 100 yards rushing in a game twice this season. Not only do the Texans have a great defense overall, but they also have one of the best defenses in the NFL against both the pass and the run.

A Top-10 Run Defense

In 2017, the Texans had the third-best scoring defense in the NFL, allowing an average of only 20.0 points per game. Pro Football Focus had them ranked as the fifth-best defense overall. They were especially strong against the run, where they ranked sixth in the NFL, allowing an average of only 101.6 rushing yards per game.

The Texans’ run defense was good enough to help them overcome some deficiencies in their passing defense, which struggled at times during the season. In 2018, the Texans’ pass defense should be significantly improved with the addition of Pro Bowl safety Tyrann Mathieu. Mathieu will team up with fellow Pro Bowler Johnathan Joseph to give the Texans one of the best safety duos in the NFL.

Conclusion

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the number one defense in the NFL according to ESPN. They are followed by the New England Patriots, Pittsburgh Steelers, Baltimore Ravens, and then the Buffalo Bills.