Best NFL Defenses in 2025-26 Final Rankings

The 2025-26 NFL regular season is in the books and the league now turns to one of the most unpredictable NFL postseasons in recent memories.

Eight of the league’s top ten defenses made it to the playoffs in hopes of taking home the Lombardi trophy. Let’s see what made the league’s top units stand out and what these teams will need more of in the postseason.

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2025-26 NFL Season Defensive Rankings

At year’s end, here are the NFL’s best defensive units.

Seattle Seahawks

One of the best units in the league, the Seahawks were a nightmare for opposing offenses. They were one of the premier pass rushing teams in the NFL with 47 total sacks on the year. Leonard Williams and Uchenna Nwosu tallied seven a piece and DeMarcus Lawrence added six of his own. Such pressure helped hold opposing quarterbacks to the third lowest quarterback rating.

The Seahawks claimed the number one seed in the NFC thanks to a seven-game win streak to end the year and a 13-3 victory over the 49ers with the division and the number one seed on the line in Week 18. The defense had a second straight dominant performance, allowing just 173 total yards against the 49ers, including a measly 53 on the ground—a season best for this defense.

This defense will be represented by Lawrence, Williams and cornerback Devon Witherspoon at the Pro Bowl. Witherspoon, for his part, made his third Pro Bowl in as many seasons and was PFF’s top ranked corner this season.

Seattle got a round one bye thanks to their dominant performance to end the year and their season-long dominance on the defensive side of the ball. The NFC now runs through one of the toughest places to play in the league.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans have been the league’s best defense all year. They finished the regular season allowing the second-fewest points and the fewest total yards. They were top five against the run and the pass, and they are maybe the reason that the team is not only riding a nine-game winning streak into the playoffs, but are in the playoffs at all.

Houston capped off the season with a 38-30 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. It was the most points they had allowed on the season, but after seeing first place in the AFC South out of hand entering the second half, Houston opted to rest its starters with its playoff seed firmly in place.

Their dual pass rushers of Danielle Hunter, who recorded 15 sacks, and Will Anderson Jr., who recorded 12, set the tone. Each forced three fumbles and helped Houston create a disruptive force on the defensive side of the ball.

To epitomize the three-level success of this unit, Anderson made his second Pro Bowl, linebacker (and heart of this defense) Azeez Al-Shaair made his first and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. followed up his 2024 All-Pro campaign with his second Pro Bowl nod.

Update: First up in the postseason for the Texans was a wild card matchup in Pittsburgh, which they won handily 30-6, making it 10 straight as it competes for the franchise’s first Super Bowl victory.

Denver Broncos

Denver was the league’s best defense a year ago, and they hardly missed a step in 2025. Top five in points against, total yards and rushing yards, this is a defense that yields a league-best 4.5 yards per play.

They ranked near the bottom of the league in forced turnovers, but opposing offenses struggled mightily to move the ball against them. They finished the year with a league-high 64 sacks—11 more than the next highest team.

That’s largely thanks to contributions across the board. Nik Bonitto finished the year with a team-high 14 sacks. Jonathan Cooper added eight, John Franklin-Myers tallied 7.5 and Zach Allen posted seven.

This is a defense that can bring pressure from multiple spots, and with reigning Defensive Player of the Year Patrick Surtain helping to shut down one half of the field, this is a team that is a matchup nightmare for whoever gets them in the playoffs. On the year, Allen, Bonitto and Surtain earned Pro Bowl nods.

Denver, with their win on Sunday over the Chargers, earned the number one seed in the playoffs for the first time in a decade and got a bye week for the wild card round.

New England Patriots

After finishing with the fourth worst record in the league a year ago, the Patriots completed their dramatic turnaround with a 14-3 finish, an AFC East division title, and the second overall seed in the AFC.

New England’s season was a mix of young players making a leap, like quarterback Drake Maye and cornerback Christian Gonzalez who both made the Pro Bowl, notable free agent signings on defense in Milton Williams, Harold Landry III and Robert Spillane and a culture shift under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel.

On the year, the defense finished as one of the league’s most balanced and hardnosed units. They finished top 10 in points against, total yards allowed, passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed. There were plenty of doubters casting shade on New England’s relatively lighter schedule, but 14 wins is nothing to scoff at.

Update: First up for the Pats in the postseason was a matchup with the Los Angeles Chargers in the wild card round which they won 16-3.

Philadelphia Eagles

After looking shaky for much of the season, the Philadelphia Eagles ended the 2025 campaign just as shaky with a 24-17 loss to the Washington Commanders.

It was a game that largely meant little with Philly’s playoff berth secured, but prior to the loss, Philadelphia had been riding a three-game winning streak, and their defense had allowed 30 total points over that stretch, including just 12 to the Buffalo Bills.

This defense was the difference in their Super Bowl run a year ago, and for Philly to repeat, they will need their defense to be just as dominant.

On the year, Philly was one of the best against the pass. They ranked eighth in sacks, second in opposing quarterback rating and delivered the sixth most hits on opposing quarterbacks. The homegrown defense also held opponents to the lowest completion percentage in the NFL at just 56.5%.

Four of Philly’s five Pro Bowlers were on defense. Their two sophomore corners, Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell, each made their first Pro Bowl. Jalen Carter, the disruptive force on the interior defensive line, made his second and Zack Baun, who’s seen a career resurgence with the Eagles, made his second since switching to inside linebacker.

Update: Philly hosted the San Francisco 49ers in the wild card round, in which they lost 23-19. For a team that has experienced its share of ups and downs in a way that few reigning Super Bowl champions have, a deep playoff run just wasn’t in the cards this season.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs once again were one of the league’s best defensive units, finishing top 10 in total yards allowed and as one of the better teams against the run.

But that will hardly be solace for a team that finished a disappointing 6-11 and missed the playoffs for the first time in a decade and the first time in Patrick Mahomes’s career.

The Chiefs finished the year on a six-game losing streak, including a brutal 14-12 loss to the lowly Raiders in Week 18. With no postseason to look forward to, the Chiefs will now face a slew of questions about the future of the franchise, which will include their defense.

Chris Jones was the sole Pro Bowler on the defensive side of the unit. In an overall disappointing campaign by his standards, the stalwart defensive tackle was by far the Chiefs’ best player on the defensive side of the ball. Though he, too, faces uncertainty heading into the offseason.

Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are just the second team on this list who will not be playing in the postseason. A disappointing offensive campaign quieted a relatively dominant stretch for this defense to end the year.

Minnesota ended the season on a five-game winning streak, and their defense held opponents to 13 points or fewer in four of those matchups. Minnesota was 10th in total turnovers, second in passing yards against, fourth in sacks, fifth in hurry percentage and third in pressure percentage.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores once again put together one of the most terrifyingly difficult defenses to play against. Minnesota will look to make it back to the postseason in 2026.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars finished as one of the hottest teams in the NFL, winning eight straight games to close the regular season. In the process, they claimed their first AFC South title since 2022 and their best finish since 1999.

Jacksonville was the league’s best defense against the run this season and forced the second-most turnovers in the NFL. This was a team peaking at the right time, with a dynamic, playmaking defense and an offense that finally began to live up to its potential down the stretch.

Jacksonville’s defense held opponents to 20 or fewer points in six of their final seven games, including three contests in which they allowed fewer than 10 points.

Despite the impressive campaign, Jacksonville was represented by just one Pro Bowler – long snapper Ross Matiscik – with linebacker Devin Lloyd earning alternate honors after tying for second in the league with five interceptions.

Update: Their season ultimately came to a heartbreaking end in the Wild Card round, where Jacksonville fell 27–24 to the Buffalo Bills in a tightly contested matchup. While the loss stings, the Jaguars’ late-season surge and defensive identity provide a strong foundation moving forward.

Los Angeles Chargers

As has become the norm with a Jim Harbaugh unit, the Chargers were a stingy, hard-hitting defensive team. They finished top 10 in points against, total yards, passing yards allowed and rushing yards allowed.

The Chargers led the league in opposing quarterback passer rating at just 74.8 and were the only team to force more interceptions than passing touchdowns allowed. Safety Derwin James Jr., the defense’s captain, made his fifth Pro Bowl and third-year linebacker Tuli Tuipulotu, who tallied a team-high 13 sacks, made his first.

Though they missed out on the AFC West, the Chargers will happily take a playoff berth after dealing with injuries to quarterback Justin Herbert and playmakers across the roster all year long.

Update: Their playoff season started – and ended – in Foxborough where they took on the Patriots in the wild card round.

Los Angeles Rams

One of the strongest defensive units throughout the year, the Rams defense wilted toward the end of the season, allowing 27 or more points in three of their last four games. Among them was a brutal loss to the Seahawks that knocked them out of the NFC West lead and a stunning loss to the Falcons in Week 17 that mathematically eliminated them from the division title.

However, this is a team that is familiar with deep postseason runs. After winning the Super Bowl in 2021, the Rams have made the playoffs in three straight years, including an NFC Championship appearance last season.

The success of this defense has started up front all year and they were awarded for it. Linebacker Jared Verse, in just his second year, made his second Pro Bowl, and Byron Young, who led the team with 11 sacks, earned his first selection.

Update: This unit got its chance to reset itself in Carolina, edging the Panthers 34–31 in the Wild Card round behind a clutch performance from Matthew Stafford. The Rams avenged their 31–28 loss to Carolina back in Week 13 – but just barely – and now move on to the Divisional Round.

2025 NFL Defenses Ranked by Points Against (Lowest to Highest)

Houston capped off their season with a 38-30 victory over the Colts. The Seahawks silenced the 49ers to claim the NFC West division title and the number one seed in the NFC. The Eagles stumbled in a listless Week 18 loss to the Commanders which snapped a three-game winning streak.

Rk	Team	PA	Tot Yds	TO	Pass Yds	Rush Yds
1	Seattle Seahawks	292	4860	25	3297	1563
2	Houston Texans	295	4713	29	3120	1593
3	Denver Broncos	311	4730	14	3182	1548
4	New England Patriots	320	5019	19	3290	1729
5	Philadelphia Eagles	325	5341	21	3226	2115
6	Kansas City Chiefs	328	5126	14	3329	1797
7	Minnesota Vikings	333	4804	21	2694	2110
8	Jacksonville Jaguars	336	5162	31	3707	1455
9	Los Angeles Chargers	340	4849	23	3058	1791
10	Los Angeles Rams	346	5568	26	3684	1884
11	Green Bay Packers	360	5301	14	3300	2001
12	Buffalo Bills	365	4983	20	2668	2315
13	San Francisco 49ers	371	5784	16	3951	1833
14	Cleveland Browns	379	4822	18	2843	1979
15	Carolina Panthers	380	5563	21	3467	2096
16	New Orleans Saints	383	5096	20	3046	2050
17	Pittsburgh Steelers	387	6068	27	4146	1922
18	Baltimore Ravens	398	6027	20	4214	1813
19	Atlanta Falcons	401	5553	23	3407	2146
20	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	411	5733	23	4049	1684
21	Indianapolis Colts	412	5947	21	4215	1732
22	Detroit Lions	413	5642	19	3695	1947
23	Chicago Bears	415	6150	33	3863	2287
24	Miami Dolphins	424	5929	20	3678	2251
25	Las Vegas Raiders	432	5403	16	3417	1986
26	New York Giants	439	6112	15	3642	2470
27	Washington Commanders	451	6533	10	4122	2411
28	Tennessee Titans	478	5867	14	3919	1948
29	Arizona Cardinals	488	6081	19	3923	2158
30	Cincinnati Bengals	492	6475	21	3975	2500
31	New York Jets	503	6045	4	3674	2371
32	Dallas Cowboys	511	6409	12	4276	2133

NFL Defenses Ranked by Total Yards Against (Lowest to Highest)

Houston allowed 354 total yards in Week 18 which was the second most on the year, but it felt largely inconsequential with the backups playing. Denver silenced the Chargers 19-3, allowing just 217 total yards. Minnesota capped off their season with a five-game win streak and 16-3 drubbing of the packers allowing -7 net passing yards. You read that right.

Rk	Team	Tot Yds	PA	TO	Pass Yds	Rush Yds
1	Houston Texans	4713	295	29	3120	1593
2	Denver Broncos	4730	311	14	3182	1548
3	Minnesota Vikings	4804	333	21	2694	2110
4	Cleveland Browns	4822	379	18	2843	1979
5	Los Angeles Chargers	4849	340	23	3058	1791
6	Seattle Seahawks	4860	292	25	3297	1563
7	Buffalo Bills	4983	365	20	2668	2315
8	New England Patriots	5019	320	19	3290	1729
9	New Orleans Saints	5096	383	20	3046	2050
10	Kansas City Chiefs	5126	328	14	3329	1797
11	Jacksonville Jaguars	5162	336	31	3707	1455
12	Green Bay Packers	5301	360	14	3300	2001
13	Philadelphia Eagles	5341	325	21	3226	2115
14	Las Vegas Raiders	5403	432	16	3417	1986
15	Atlanta Falcons	5553	401	23	3407	2146
16	Carolina Panthers	5563	380	21	3467	2096
17	Los Angeles Rams	5568	346	26	3684	1884
18	Detroit Lions	5642	413	19	3695	1947
19	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5733	411	23	4049	1684
20	San Francisco 49ers	5784	371	16	3951	1833
21	Tennessee Titans	5867	478	14	3919	1948
22	Miami Dolphins	5929	424	20	3678	2251
23	Indianapolis Colts	5947	412	21	4215	1732
24	Baltimore Ravens	6027	398	20	4214	1813
25	New York Jets	6045	503	4	3674	2371
26	Pittsburgh Steelers	6068	387	27	4146	1922
27	Arizona Cardinals	6081	488	19	3923	2158
28	New York Giants	6112	439	15	3642	2470
29	Chicago Bears	6150	415	33	3863	2287
30	Dallas Cowboys	6409	511	12	4276	2133
31	Cincinnati Bengals	6475	492	21	3975	2500
32	Washington Commanders	6533	451	10	4122	2411

NFL Defenses Ranked by Passing Yards Against (Lowest to Highest)

The Bills took down the Jets with a dominant defensive performance including just 53 yards through the air. The Vikings capped off a season-ending five-game win streak by putting the Packers in the red with -7 passing yards. Myles Garrett set the new sing-season sack record with his 23rd QB takedown in Week 18 win over the Bengals.

Rk	Team	Pass Yds	Rush Yds	Tot Yds	PA	TO
1	Buffalo Bills	2668	2315	4983	365	20
2	Minnesota Vikings	2694	2110	4804	333	21
3	Cleveland Browns	2843	1979	4822	379	18
4	New Orleans Saints	3046	2050	5096	383	20
5	Los Angeles Chargers	3058	1791	4849	340	23
6	Houston Texans	3120	1593	4713	295	29
7	Denver Broncos	3182	1548	4730	311	14
8	Philadelphia Eagles	3226	2115	5341	325	21
9	New England Patriots	3290	1729	5019	320	19
10	Seattle Seahawks	3297	1563	4860	292	25
11	Green Bay Packers	3300	2001	5301	360	14
12	Kansas City Chiefs	3329	1797	5126	328	14
13	Atlanta Falcons	3407	2146	5553	401	23
14	Las Vegas Raiders	3417	1986	5403	432	16
15	Carolina Panthers	3467	2096	5563	380	21
16	New York Giants	3642	2470	6112	439	15
17	New York Jets	3674	2371	6045	503	4
18	Miami Dolphins	3678	2251	5929	424	20
19	Los Angeles Rams	3684	1884	5568	346	26
20	Detroit Lions	3695	1947	5642	413	19
21	Jacksonville Jaguars	3707	1455	5162	336	31
22	Chicago Bears	3863	2287	6150	415	33
23	Tennessee Titans	3919	1948	5867	478	14
24	Arizona Cardinals	3923	2158	6081	488	19
25	San Francisco 49ers	3951	1833	5784	371	16
26	Cincinnati Bengals	3975	2500	6475	492	21
27	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	4049	1684	5733	411	23
28	Washington Commanders	4122	2411	6533	451	10
29	Pittsburgh Steelers	4146	1922	6068	387	27
30	Baltimore Ravens	4214	1813	6027	398	20
31	Indianapolis Colts	4215	1732	5947	412	21
32	Dallas Cowboys	4276	2133	6409	511	12

NFL Defenses Ranked by Rushing Yards Against (Lowest to Highest)

For the 13th time this season, the Jaguars held their opponent under 90 yards rushing in their dominant Week 18 win over the Titans. The Broncos conceded 113 yards on the ground to the Chargers but got the win and the AFC’s number one seed in their 19-3 win. The Seahawks choked out the 49ers 13-3 to claim the NFC West and the NFC’s number one seed by yielding just 53 yards rushing.

Rk	Team	Rush Yds	Pass Yds	Tot Yds	PA	TO
1	Jacksonville Jaguars	1455	3707	5162	336	31
2	Denver Broncos	1548	3182	4730	311	14
3	Seattle Seahawks	1563	3297	4860	292	25
4	Houston Texans	1593	3120	4713	295	29
5	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1684	4049	5733	411	23
6	New England Patriots	1729	3290	5019	320	19
7	Indianapolis Colts	1732	4215	5947	412	21
8	Los Angeles Chargers	1791	3058	4849	340	23
9	Kansas City Chiefs	1797	3329	5126	328	14
10	Baltimore Ravens	1813	4214	6027	398	20
11	San Francisco 49ers	1833	3951	5784	371	16
12	Los Angeles Rams	1884	3684	5568	346	26
13	Pittsburgh Steelers	1922	4146	6068	387	27
14	Detroit Lions	1947	3695	5642	413	19
15	Tennessee Titans	1948	3919	5867	478	14
16	Cleveland Browns	1979	2843	4822	379	18
17	Las Vegas Raiders	1986	3417	5403	432	16
18	Green Bay Packers	2001	3300	5301	360	14
19	New Orleans Saints	2050	3046	5096	383	20
20	Carolina Panthers	2096	3467	5563	380	21
21	Minnesota Vikings	2110	2694	4804	333	21
22	Philadelphia Eagles	2115	3226	5341	325	21
23	Dallas Cowboys	2133	4276	6409	511	12
24	Atlanta Falcons	2146	3407	5553	401	23
25	Arizona Cardinals	2158	3923	6081	488	19
26	Miami Dolphins	2251	3678	5929	424	20
27	Chicago Bears	2287	3863	6150	415	33
28	Buffalo Bills	2315	2668	4983	365	20
29	New York Jets	2371	3674	6045	503	4
30	Washington Commanders	2411	4122	6533	451	10
31	New York Giants	2470	3642	6112	439	15
32	Cincinnati Bengals	2500	3975	6475	492	21

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