Who Has The Best Run Defense In The NFL?
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Wondering who has the best run defense in the NFL? Check out our list of the top 10 teams, based on data from the past few seasons.
The Case For The Eagles
The Eagles have the best run defense in the NFL. They are led by Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham. The Eagles have only given up 3.4 yards per carry this season. They have also only given up 2 rushing touchdowns all season.
Why The Eagles Have The Best Run Defense
The Eagles have the best run defense in the NFL. They are number one in the league in yards per carry allowed, and they have only given up two rushing touchdowns all season. They are also number one in the league in total rushing yards allowed.
There are a few reasons for their success. First, they have a great defensive line. Fletcher Cox is one of the best defensive tackles in the league, and Brandon Graham is one of the best defensive ends. They also have a great linebacker corps, led by Mychal Kendricks and Jordan Hicks.
Second, they have a great secondary. They have two Pro Bowlers in Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod, and they have a solid third corner in Jalen Mills. Their safeties are very good at stopping the run and they do a great job of covering tight ends and running backs out of the backfield.
Lastly, they are very well coached. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz does an excellent job of putting his players in position to succeed, and head coach Doug Pederson has instilled a winning culture in his team.
The Eagles are not just the best team in the NFL against the run, they are one of the best teams period. If they can keep playing at this high level, they will be tough to beat come playoff time.
The Eagles’ Run Defense Numbers
In 2017, the Eagles had the best run defense in the NFL, allowing an average of just over 79 yards per game on the ground. Their opponents’ rushing yards per attempt was a league-low 3.4, and they allowed just six rushing touchdowns all season.
Those numbers dipped a bit in 2018, as the Eagles allowed 97.1 rushing yards per game (sixth in the NFL) and 3.8 yards per carry (seventh). They did, though, remain tough to score against on the ground, allowing only eight rushing touchdowns (tied for sixth fewest in the NFL).
So far this season, the Eagles’ run defense has been even better than it was in 2017. They’re allowing a league-low 71.3 rushing yards per game and 3.1 yards per carry (both best in the NFL). They’ve also given up just three rushing touchdowns, which is tied for second fewest in the league.
The Eagles’ success against the run is due to a number of factors. Their defensive line is one of the best in the NFL, with end Brandon Graham leading the way. Graham is one of the best edge defenders in the league at setting the edge against opposing runners, and tackle Fletcher Cox is one of the best interior defensive linemen at clogging up running lanes.
The Eagles also have a great linebacker corps, led by Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks. Both Bradham and Hicks are very good at stopping runners in their tracks and keeping them from getting to the second level of the defense.
And finally, the Eagles have a great secondary that does a good job of limiting opponents’ passing options when they do try to throw against them. Cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills are both very good at blanket coverage, while safety Malcolm Jenkins is one of the best tacklers in the secondary in all of football.
The Case For The Steelers
In recent years, the Steelers have consistently had one of the best run defenses in the NFL. They finished 1st in the league in 2016 and 2017, and 3rd in 2018. So, what is it about the Steelers that makes them so good at stopping the run?
Why The Steelers Have The Best Run Defense
The Steelers have long been one of the top defenses in the NFL.
They are especially good against the run. In the past five seasons, they have finished in the top five in rushing defense four times. They were first in 2014 and second in 2015.
So why are they so good against the run?
One reason is that they have good players at all three levels of their defense. Their defensive line is one of the best in the NFL. It is led by Cameron Heyward, who is one of the best defensive ends in the league. The Steelers also have a very good inside linebacker, Ryan Shazier. He is very fast and makes a lot of tackles.
Another reason is that the Steelers play a 3-4 defense. This means that they have three defensive linemen and four linebackers on the field at the same time. This makes it harder for opposing teams to run the ball because there are more defenders near the line of scrimmage.
The Steelers also do a good job of hiding their weaknesses. They do not have a great cornerback, but they make up for it by having two very good safeties, Troy Polamalu and Mike Mitchell. These two players help to take away the middle of the field, which makes it harder for opponents to complete passes.
So if you are looking for a team with a great defense, you should look no further than the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers’ Run Defense Numbers
Since the NFL instituted the 16-game regular season in 1978, the Pittsburgh Steelers have allowed the fewest rushing yards per game of any team. In fact, they are the only team to allow fewer than 100 rushing yards per game over that span. That’s an incredible feat, especially when you consider that they’ve played in some high-scoring affairs during that time.
But how have they done it? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers.
First, let’s start with a look at their overall rushing defense numbers since 1978. As you can see, they’ve been remarkably consistent, allowing fewer than 100 rushing yards per game in all but four seasons.
season | att | yds | yds/g | rank
——-|——|——|——-|—–
1978 | 564 | 2295 | 96.5 | 1st
1979 | 494 | 1833 | 90.6 | 1st
1980 | 487 | 1774 | 89.2 | 1st
1981 | 530 | 2044 | 94.4 | 1st
1982 | 486
The Case For The Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings have the best run defense in the NFL. They are number one in the league in rushing yards allowed per game and number one in the league in rushing yards allowed per play. They have not allowed a 100 yard rusher in 24 straight games, dating back to week 10 of the 2016 season.
Why The Vikings Have The Best Run Defense
There are a number of reasons why the Minnesota Vikings have been so successful at stopping the run this season. First, they have a very good defensive line. Their starting defensive tackles, Linval Joseph and Sheldon Richardson, are both very strong against the run. They are also very good at getting penetration and disrupting running plays before they get started.
Another reason the Vikings have been so good at stopping the run is that they have a very good linebacker corps. Led by Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, the Vikings have a group of linebackers who are very good at reading and reacting to run plays. They also do a good job of tackling running backs in the open field.
Finally, the Vikings have an excellent safety, Harrison Smith, who is very good at coming up and making tackles on running plays. He is also a good coverage safety and does a good job of blanketimg receivers in the passing game.
The Vikings’ Run Defense Numbers
In 2017, the Vikings allowed the fewest yards per carry (3.2), the second fewest rushing touchdowns (6), and ranked third in terms of Football Outsiders’ DVOA against the run.
This isn’t a new development. The 2016 Vikings also ranked third in DVOA against the run, and were first in 2015. In fact, since Mike Zimmer took over as head coach in 2014, the Vikings have never ranked worse than sixth in DVOA against the run.
The secret to the Vikings’ success against the run is two-fold: they have both excellent personnel and an excellent scheme.
On the personnel front, the Vikings have one of the best defensive linemen in football in Everson Griffen, who is an elite edge defender against both the run and the pass. They also have Linval Joseph, who is one of the best defensive tackles in football against the run.
Behind those two, they have a deep and talented group of linebackers, led by Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks. And in the secondary, they have Harrison Smith, who is one of the best safeties in football against both the run and the pass.
But it’s not just that they have good players — it’s that those players are used correctly within Zimmer’s scheme. Zimmer is a master at using creative linebacker blitzes to create negative plays in the running game, and he has a deep repertoire of stunts and games up front to keep offensive linemen off-balance.
The result is a defense that is consistently among the best in football at stopping opposing running games. And that’s why they’re my pick for who hasthe best run defensein the NFL.
The Case For The Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have the best run defense in the NFL. Here’s why: they have a great front four, they’re well-coached, and they have a good scheme. Let’s take a closer look at each of these reasons.
Why The Panthers Have The Best Run Defense
The Carolina Panthers have the best run defense in the NFL. Here’s why:
1. The Panthers have allowed the fewest yards per carry this season (3.2).
2. They’ve also allowed the fewest rushing touchdowns (3).
3. And they’ve given up the second-fewest rushing yards overall (688).
So, what makes the Panthers’ run defense so good?
Well, for one thing, they have a very good front seven. Their defensive line is anchored by Kawann Short, who is one of the best interior defensive linemen in the league. Short is flanked by talented edge rushers in Mario Addison and Julius Peppers. And their linebackers are no slouches either, with Luke Kuechly and Thomas Davis leading the way. All of these guys are great at stopping the run.
But it’s not just their front seven that makes the Panthers’ run defense so good. Their secondary is also excellent at stopping runners before they can get to the second level. In particular, safeties Kurt Coleman and Tre Boston have been terrific at coming up and making stops in run support this season.
So, there you have it: The Panthers have a great front seven and an excellent secondary, which all adds up to the best run defense in the NFL.
The Panthers’ Run Defense Numbers
When looking at the numbers, the Carolina Panthers have the best run defense in the NFL. They are allowing an average of 71.9 rushing yards per game, which is more than 10 yards less than the second-best team. The only team that is even close to the Panthers is the Denver Broncos, who are allowing 81.4 rushing yards per game.
The Panthers’ success against the run can be attributed to their stout defensive line, which features defensive tackles Kawann Short and Star Lotulelei. Short and Lotulelei are two of the best run-stoppers in the NFL, and they are a big reason why the Panthers have been so successful against the run this season.
In addition to their stellar defensive line, the Panthers also have one of the best linebackers in the NFL in Luke Kuechly. Kuechly is an incredible athlete who has a nose for the ball, and he is always around the ball when it’s a run play. He is a big reason why Carolina has been so successful against the run this season.
Who Has The Best Run Defense In The NFL?
The run defense is a critical part of any NFL team. A good run defense can shut down an opposing offense and make it very difficult for them to score points. A great run defense can be the difference between winning and losing a game. So, who has the best run defense in the NFL?
The Case For The Eagles
The Eagles have been the best team in the NFL against the run over the last two seasons. In 2016, they allowed only 79.2 yards per game on the ground, which was the best mark in the league. Last season, they were even better, surrendering a mere 63.7 yards per game on the ground, which was again the best in the NFL.
In both 2016 and 2017, the Eagles allowed just 3.7 yards per carry, which was again the best in the NFL in both seasons. In fact, over the last two seasons, no team has been better against the run than the Eagles.
The Eagles have a number of talented players on their defensive line, including Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Chris Long, and Haloti Ngata. They also have a talented group of linebackers in Nigel Bradham, Jordan Hicks, and Mychal Kendricks.
The Eagles also have a very good defensive coordinator in Jim Schwartz, who does an excellent job of schemeing to stop the run. The Eagles are very good at setting the edge against runs to the outside and they are also very good at tackling running backs in space.
There are a number of reasons why the Eagles have been so successful against the run over the last two seasons, but it all starts with their personnel and coaching.
The Case For The Steelers
The Steelers have been one of the best teams in the NFL at stopping the run for years now. In 2019, they allowed just 3.6 yards per carry, which was the second-best mark in the league. They also only gave up six rushing touchdowns on the season, which was tied for the second-fewest in the NFL.
So why are they so good at stopping the run? A big part of it is that they have a great defensive line. Cameron Heyward, Stephon Tuitt, and Javon Hargrave are all excellent run-stoppers, and they often collapse the pocket by themselves without needing much help from their linebackers.
Additionally, their linebackers are very good at stopping the run as well. T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree are two of the best edge-defenders in the league at setting the edge and keeping runners from getting to the outside. And inside linebackers Jon Bostic and Vince Williams are both very good at attacking downhill and filling gaps.
The Steelers also do a good job of disguising their coverages and forcing running backs to make quick decisions when they get to the line of scrimmage. This can often lead to them making mistakes and running into defenders instead of open space.
All of these things come together to make the Steelers one of the best teams in the NFL at stopping the run game.
The Case For The Vikings
When it comes to run defense, the Minnesota Vikings are one of the best in the NFL. In 2016, they only allowed 83.6 rushing yards per game, which was good for second in the league. They were also tied for second in the NFL with 16 rushing touchdowns allowed.
One of the main reasons why the Vikings have been so successful at stopping the run is because of their defensive line. They have one of the best defensive lines in the NFL, led by defensive end Everson Griffen. Griffen is a force to be reckon with, as he had 8 sacks last season.
In addition to having a great defensive line, the Vikings also have a good linebackers corps. They are led by middle linebacker Eric Kendricks, who is one of the best run-stopping linebackers in the NFL. Kendricks had 112 tackles last season, which was good for second on the team.
The Vikings also have a good secondary, which is important in today’s pass-happy NFL. However, they will need to improve their pass defense if they want to be a top-10 defense next season.
The Case For The Panthers
The Carolina Panthers have the best run defense in the NFL. They are allowing only 71.8 rushing yards per game and 3.2 yards per carry. They have only allowed 4 rushing touchdowns all season. The Panthers have a very good front 7, led by defensive ends Charles Johnson and Mario Addison, and linebacker Luke Kuechly. The Panthers also have a very good secondary, led by cornerback Josh Norman.
Who Has The Best Run Defense In The NFL?
There are a few ways to measure run defense in the NFL. The most common metric is yards per carry allowed. This measures the average number of yards gained on rushing plays. Another way to measure run defense is by Football Outsiders’ DVOA metric, which takes into account the down-and-distance of every play and adjusts for the strength of opponents.
The Buffalo Bills have the best run defense in the NFL, according to both metrics. The Bills allow just 3.3 yards per carry, which is the best in the NFL. They also have a DVOA of -23.4%, which is also the best in the NFL.
The New Orleans Saints have the second-best run defense in the NFL, according to both metrics. The Saints allow just 3.7 yards per carry, which is second-best in the NFL. They also have a DVOA of -16.8%, which is also second-best in the NFL.
So, if you’re looking for a team with a great run defense, either the Bills or Saints would be a good choice.
