Who Has The Best Defense In Nfl 2021?
It’s no secret that a good defense can take a team a long way in the NFL. But who has the best defense heading into the 2021 season?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have the best defense in the NFL right now. They are very good at stopping the run and they have a great pass rush. They also have a good secondary. They are very difficult to score against and they have only given up 13 points per game.
Led the NFL in fewest yards allowed per play
In 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers led the NFL in fewest yards allowed per play.
They also ranked first in the NFL in fewest passing yards allowed per play and second in the NFL in fewest rushing yards allowed per play.
The Buccaneers’ defense was statistically the best defense in the NFL in 2021.
Had the NFL’s best-rated pass defense
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the NFL’s best-rated pass defense this season, according to ESPN’s Pass Defense Rating metric.
The Bucs allowed just 5.8 yards per pass attempt and intercepted 21 passes, while allowing a league-low 52.5% completion rate. They also finished second in the NFL with 47 sacks.
The Bucs’ defense was led by All-Pro defensive tackle Gerald McCoy, who had 9.5 sacks, and Pro Bowl linebacker Lavonte David, who had seven sacks and five interceptions.
Had the NFL’s second-best run defense
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had the NFL’s second-best run defense in 2020, allowing just 92.2 yards per game on the ground. The Buccaneers also ranked second in the NFL in total defense, allowing just 284.4 yards per game.
The Los Angeles Rams
The Los Angeles Rams have the best defense in the NFL according to many experts. They are very good at stopping the run and they have a lot of talent in their secondary. They also have a good pass rush and they are very good at creating turnovers.
Had the NFL’s best-rated run defense
In 2021, the Los Angeles Rams had the NFL’s best-rated run defense, allowing just 71.6 yards per game on the ground. The Rams also ranked in the top five in points allowed per game (18.7), sacks (48) and takeaways (30).
Had the NFL’s second-best pass defense
The Los Angeles Rams had the NFL’s second-best pass defense in 2020, behind only the Pittsburgh Steelers. They allowed an average of 209.9 passing yards per game and intercepted 18 passes, tied for sixth in the NFL. The Rams also allowed a league-low 13 passing touchdowns.
Allowed the fewest points per drive
The Los Angeles Rams have the best defense in the NFL, allowing the fewest points per drive. The Rams have a great pass rush and a very good secondary. They also have a good run defense. The Rams are led by defensive coordinator Wade Phillips.
The Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts have the best defense in the NFL. They are led by defensive end, Justin Houston, who had 9.5 sacks last season. The Colts also have a stout secondary, led by safety Malik Hooker. The Colts gave up the fewest points per game last season and will look to continue that success in 2020.
Had the NFL’s third-best pass defense
The Indianapolis Colts had the NFL’s third-best pass defense in 2020, per Football Outsiders. The unit was led by All-Pro cornerback Xavier Rhodes, who had two interceptions and 13 passes defensed. The Colts also have one of the best young safeties in the game in Malik Hooker, who had three interceptions and eight passes defensed last season.
Had the NFL’s fourth-best run defense
The Indianapolis Colts had the NFL’s fourth-best run defense in 2021, allowing just 98.8 yards per game. They were also tied for fifth in the league with 30 sacks.
Allowed the third-fewest points per drive
of any team in the NFL this season, according to our defense-adjusted expected points added metric. The Colts allowed 0.82 points per drive, trailing only the Los Angeles Rams (0.81) and the Pittsburgh Steelers (0.80).
