Best NFL Defenses in 2025-26: NFL Defense Rankings Through Week 16

The NFL season is in its final stretches and the league’s best defenses are keeping their teams in the thick of the postseason chase.

The Texans and Broncos are stifling opposing offenses on a weekly basis while the Raiders and Giants seem to be playing shorthanded as they make their offseason travel plans.

Let’s see what makes the league’s best defenses so successful.

Don’t forget: You can watch all of the NFL action on the gridiron with DIRECTV.

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2025-26 NFL Season Defensive Rankings

Through 16 weeks, these are the league’s best defensive units.

Houston Texans

The Houston Texans defeated the Raiders 23-21 in a surprisingly tight Week 16 contest. Houston’s defense started the day with a Derek Stingley Jr. pick-six and it looked like it was off to the races.

The Raiders defense kept Houston out of the end zone and their offense hit two big plays to keep things competitive. Geno Smith hit rookie Ashton Jeanty on a 60-yard wheel route to the house. Then, with five minutes to go, Jeanty hid behind a bottled up line of scrimmage then burst out and took it 51 yards for the score before anyone knew what happened.

This marks Houston’s seventh win in a row and their sixth straight game holding an opponent to 21 points or less.

Houston currently sits in the 7-seed, the only AFC seed yet to clinch a playoff spot. But with a two-game advantage over the Colts, they hold their playoff destiny in their hands. A win in either of the final two weeks or an Indianapolis loss would clinch the playoff spot for Houston and set up a first-round matchup in Foxboro, Denver, Buffalo or Los Angeles.

Seattle Seahawks

Week 16 kicked off with one of the biggest games of the season. With first place in the NFC West on the line, Seattle stared down a 30-14 deficit to the Rams in the third quarter. Every ounce of momentum going LA’s way, Seattle’s defense turned the game on a dime.

Three clock-stopping 3-and-outs in a row and a punt return touchdown by Rashid Shaheed made it a one-score game in an instant. And the offense took over from there in a 38-37 OT win that gives Seahawks the number one spot in the division and the NFC.

They prevailed, but Seattle’s defense took its punches. After limiting the Rams offense in their Week 11 matchup, Seattle gave up a season high 581 total yards. Matthew Stafford threw for 457 yards and nearly half of it went to Puka Nacua. But the Rams couldn’t get the knockout.

Seattle wraps up their season with a road trip to Carolina, who just took the lead in the NFC South. Then it’s off to San Francisco to face the 49ers, in a game that very well could decide the NFC West. Seattle’s in the playoffs, but where they play their first game comes down to them.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles defense is getting hot at the exact right time. Last week, they shut out the Raiders and held them to a merciless 75 total yards. This week the Eagles held Washington to 18 points and just 220 total yards. It’s their seventh straight game with a turnover, keeping them atop the NFC East with two games to go.

The league average for passer rating is 91.8. Here are the last five passer ratings against this defense: 72, 28.7, 47.9, 59.6, 56.9. You see numbers like that, and you totally get why sophomore cornerbacks Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean just made the Pro Bowl.

Next up for the Eagles is a battle test in Buffalo. The Bills sit at the 5-seed in the AFC and have won four in a row. It’s a dark horse Super Bowl matchup, but still a playoff-like atmosphere for two of the league’s best teams.

Philadelphia clinched the NFC East on Sunday with a win and a Dallas loss. Currently the #3 seed in the NFC, Philly’s playoff seeding can still go either way down the stretch.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs became just the third team in 2025 to lose to the Tennessee Titans. A week removed from being eliminated from the playoffs for the first time in a decade and losing Patrick Mahomes to a season-ending knee injury, the game rung somber for KC.

Cam Ward had one of his best days as a pro, completing 21 of 28 passes for 228 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas City sacked him twice but gave up 164 yards on the ground as Tennessee slowly put them away. With their offense unable to move the ball, Kansas City’s defense had their backs against the wall all game.

Next up for Kansas City are two divisional matchups: home against Denver and then on the road in Las Vegas. For a lost Chiefs season, playing the role of spoiler as Denver tries to wrap up the #1 seed would be a nice Christmas gift.

Denver Broncos

The Broncos became the second team in a row to get carved up by Trevor Lawrence. Lawrence made big play after big play coming off play action and on third down to put this game out of reach and keep it out of reach.

On the day, he threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns while running for another. It’s his second straight game with four-plus total touchdowns.

Denver’s pass rush got to Lawrence for five sacks, but it wasn’t enough. The loss snaps Denver’s league-leading 11-game win streak and puts them on shakier footing in the playoff standings. Though they still hold on to the number one seed, it’s by decimal points over New England.

Next up is a Christmas Day matchup with the depleted Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium. On paper, not so bad of a matchup. But Kansas City would love nothing more than to play spoiler on national TV. The Broncos then close out the year with the Chargers, who are just a game back in the division. The Broncos are in the playoffs, but the rest is up for grabs.

Los Angeles Rams

The Rams lost a backbreaker to the Seahawks on Thursday Night Football, losing their hold on the number one seed in the NFC and the NFC West division.

The Rams held Seattle to just 14 points through about the midpoint of the third quarter before Seattle shut down the Rams offense, returned a punt for a touchdown and turned the game on its head.

In a Freaky Friday-like switch, the Rams became unable to stop Seattle. For LA’s defense it wasn’t a shootout, it was a bulldozing. Los Angeles gave up 171 yards on the ground, the second-most on the season.

As has become customary with Los Angeles playing Seattle, they did force multiple turnovers, including two interceptions off Sam Darnold. They sacked him four times. The game was LAs to lose and Seattle yanked it away.

Already having clinched a playoff spot, Los Angeles gets two easy matchups on paper to end the year.

They travel to Atlanta to take on the Falcons on Monday Night Football before hosting the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18. The NFC West and the number one seed are still within reach, but their destiny is now controlled by their division rivals.

New England Patriots

The Patriots bounced back from a divisional loss to the Bills with a comeback win against the Ravens in Baltimore.

The New England defense forced two huge turnovers. The first one led to seven points; the second one sealed the game. With the win, New England keeps their hold on the top spot in the AFC East and the number two seed in the conference.

The turnovers helped make up for allowing 170 yards rushing. That’s now six straight opponents that have rushed for 100+ yards. The last two games against playoff caliber team they let up 160+ yards on the ground. Come playoff time, that’s a script that needs to flip.

New England controls its own destiny in the AFC East. With two games to go, the number 1 seed isn’t out of reach either. Next up, they travel to New York to take on the Jets in Week 17. Then they host Miami in Week 18 to close out the season.

Los Angeles Chargers

With all the attention in the AFC West going to the 12-3 Broncos and the collapse of the Chiefs, the Chargers have quietly kept pace with the best in the conference.

They’re won four straight and seven of their last eight. They walked into Dallas and held one of the best offenses in the league to just 17 points and 340 total yards. The Chargers kept the Cowboys to 91 yards on the ground and minimized big plays from the passing attack.

It now marks three of the last four games that Los Angeles has allowed less than 100 yards on the ground and four straight games having allowed less than 250 yards through the air.

After hiding in the shadows, the Chargers get the spotlight down the stretch. In Week 17, they host the Houston Texans and their number one defense. Then they travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in a Week 18 matchup that could decide the division and the number one seed in the AFC.

Green Bay Packers

For three and a half quarters, the Packers played exemplary defense. Aided by strong winds in Chicago, they held a 16-6 lead with just two minutes left to go. And then, in a blink, Chicago hit a field goal, recovered an onside kick, scored a touchdown to force overtime and walked it off with a bomb to DJ Moore.

Green Bay held Chicago to just 2-11 on third down and kept Chicago out of the end zone until the very end. Quay Walker had 14 tackles and a pass deflection, Javon Bullard had 10 tackles of his own and another pass deflection, but Green Bay couldn’t make a big play on defense.

With the loss, the Packers’ chances at winning the division drop dramatically as they’re 1.5 games behind Chicago. For right now, their focus is on winning out for the rest of the season to hold off Detroit.

Next up in Week 17, Green Bay hosts the Baltimore Ravens before traveling to Minnesota for one last divisional matchup in Week 18. With two straight losses, the Packers not only need to win these last two to assure themselves a spot in the playoffs, but to find some rhythm to make noise once they get there.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars have been one of the quietest division leaders in football. In a big road matchup in Denver, Jacksonville showed out. They made it six straight to stay atop the AFC South and affirmed the Jaguars as a legitimate threat on both sides of the ball.

Jacksonville’s defense helped keep Denver’s rushing attack in check and forced a pair of turnovers from Bo Nix as their offense ran away with this one.

Jacksonville wraps up their season with two divisional matchups. First up, they travel to Indianapolis to take on the limping Colts before hosting Tennessee in Week 18.

The Jaguars have punched their postseason ticket and control their divisional destiny. But with the Houston Texans breathing down their neck, Jacksonville cannot afford to lose either of those games with the division and home field advantage.

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

The Raiders made it interesting but the Texans shut the down enough to make it seven wins in a row. Seattle’s third quarter defense made the difference in a huge division win against the Rams. Philadelphia manhandled the Commanders for a second straight dominant defensive outing.

Rk	Team	PA	Total Yds	Pass Yds	Rush Yds	TO
1	Houston Texans	249	4084	2641	1443	25
2	Seattle Seahawks	279	4548	3137	1411	22
3	Philadelphia Eagles	289	4736	2884	1852	18
4	Kansas City Chiefs	294	4619	3068	1551	11
5	Denver Broncos	295	4374	3021	1353	12
6	Los Angeles Rams	299	4906	3320	1586	24
7	New England Patriots	300	4532	3030	1502	16
8	Los Angeles Chargers	301	4247	2690	1557	21
9	Green Bay Packers	303	4524	2967	1557	13
10	Jacksonville Jaguars	312	4764	3455	1309	28
11	Minnesota Vikings	320	4452	2538	1914	15
12	San Francisco 49ers	320	4983	3440	1543	16
13	Carolina Panthers	337	4937	3144	1793	18
14	New Orleans Saints	338	4552	2659	1893	18
15	Buffalo Bills	344	4671	2507	2164	20
16	Baltimore Ravens	348	5274	3640	1634	18
17	Pittsburgh Steelers	350	5447	3740	1707	24
18	Indianapolis Colts	351	5238	3761	1477	19
19	Chicago Bears	354	5221	3256	1965	31
20	Cleveland Browns	355	4167	2461	1706	16
21	Atlanta Falcons	360	4850	2927	1923	18
22	Miami Dolphins	369	5092	3137	1955	17
23	Detroit Lions	374	5211	3487	1724	18
24	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	377	5150	3630	1520	20
25	Las Vegas Raiders	386	4892	3145	1747	14
26	Tennessee Titans	403	5125	3344	1781	13
27	Washington Commanders	404	5746	3626	2120	9
28	New York Giants	412	5595	3331	2264	11
29	Arizona Cardinals	414	5257	3362	1895	19
30	New York Jets	426	5135	3130	2005	4
31	Dallas Cowboys	454	5701	3867	1834	11
32	Cincinnati Bengals	458	6042	3702	2340	20

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

Outside of two big plays, the Texans largely kept the Raiders in check in their week 16 win. The Browns nearly pulled off the upset over Buffalo as they held the Bills to just 95 passing yards. The Chargers lassoed the Cowboys high-scoring offense for their fourth straight win.

Rk	Team	Tot Yds	PA	Pass Yds	Rush Yds	TO
1	Houston Texans	4084	249	2641	1443	25
2	Cleveland Browns	4167	355	2461	1706	16
3	Los Angeles Chargers	4247	301	2690	1557	21
4	Denver Broncos	4374	295	3021	1353	12
5	Minnesota Vikings	4452	320	2538	1914	15
6	Green Bay Packers	4524	303	2967	1557	13
7	New England Patriots	4532	300	3030	1502	16
8	Seattle Seahawks	4548	279	3137	1411	22
9	New Orleans Saints	4552	338	2659	1893	18
10	Kansas City Chiefs	4619	294	3068	1551	11
11	Buffalo Bills	4671	344	2507	2164	20
12	Philadelphia Eagles	4736	289	2884	1852	18
13	Jacksonville Jaguars	4764	312	3455	1309	28
14	Atlanta Falcons	4850	360	2927	1923	18
15	Las Vegas Raiders	4892	386	3145	1747	14
16	Los Angeles Rams	4906	299	3320	1586	24
17	Carolina Panthers	4937	337	3144	1793	18
18	San Francisco 49ers	4983	320	3440	1543	16
19	Miami Dolphins	5092	369	3137	1955	17
20	Tennessee Titans	5125	403	3344	1781	13
21	New York Jets	5135	426	3130	2005	4
22	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5150	377	3630	1520	20
23	Detroit Lions	5211	374	3487	1724	18
24	Chicago Bears	5221	354	3256	1965	31
25	Indianapolis Colts	5238	351	3761	1477	19
26	Arizona Cardinals	5257	414	3362	1895	19
27	Baltimore Ravens	5274	348	3640	1634	18
28	Pittsburgh Steelers	5447	350	3740	1707	24
29	New York Giants	5595	412	3331	2264	11
30	Dallas Cowboys	5701	454	3867	1834	11
31	Washington Commanders	5746	404	3626	2120	9
32	Cincinnati Bengals	6042	458	3702	2340	20

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

The Browns shut down Josh Allen and the Bills passing game as they nearly pulled off the upset. As they tend to do, the Bills gave up most of their yards on the ground. With the help of five sacks, the Vikings held the Giants to 13, yes 13 total passing yards.

Rk	Team	Pass Yds	Rush Yds	Tot Yds	PA	TO
1	Cleveland Browns	2461	1706	4167	355	16
2	Buffalo Bills	2507	2164	4671	344	20
3	Minnesota Vikings	2538	1914	4452	320	15
4	Houston Texans	2641	1443	4084	249	25
5	New Orleans Saints	2659	1893	4552	338	18
6	Los Angeles Chargers	2690	1557	4247	301	21
7	Philadelphia Eagles	2884	1852	4736	289	18
8	Atlanta Falcons	2927	1923	4850	360	18
9	Green Bay Packers	2967	1557	4524	303	13
10	Denver Broncos	3021	1353	4374	295	12
11	New England Patriots	3030	1502	4532	300	16
12	Kansas City Chiefs	3068	1551	4619	294	11
13	New York Jets	3130	2005	5135	426	4
14	Seattle Seahawks	3137	1411	4548	279	22
15	Miami Dolphins	3137	1955	5092	369	17
16	Carolina Panthers	3144	1793	4937	337	18
17	Las Vegas Raiders	3145	1747	4892	386	14
18	Chicago Bears	3256	1965	5221	354	31
19	Los Angeles Rams	3320	1586	4906	299	24
20	New York Giants	3331	2264	5595	412	11
21	Tennessee Titans	3344	1781	5125	403	13
22	Arizona Cardinals	3362	1895	5257	414	19
23	San Francisco 49ers	3440	1543	4983	320	16
24	Jacksonville Jaguars	3455	1309	4764	312	28
25	Detroit Lions	3487	1724	5211	374	18
26	Washington Commanders	3626	2120	5746	404	9
27	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	3630	1520	5150	377	20
28	Baltimore Ravens	3640	1634	5274	348	18
29	Cincinnati Bengals	3702	2340	6042	458	20
30	Pittsburgh Steelers	3740	1707	5447	350	24
31	Indianapolis Colts	3761	1477	5238	351	19
32	Dallas Cowboys	3867	1834	5701	454	11

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

Jacksonville kept the Broncos run game in check in their huge win in Denver. The Broncos shut down the Jaguars run game, but it wasn’t enough to pull out the win. The Seahawks took their lumps in a divisional tilt against the Rams including 124 yards on the ground.

Rk	Team	Rush Yds	Pass Yds	Tot Yds	PA	TO
1	Jacksonville Jaguars	1309	3455	4764	312	28
2	Denver Broncos	1353	3021	4374	295	12
3	Seattle Seahawks	1411	3137	4548	279	22
4	Houston Texans	1443	2641	4084	249	25
5	Indianapolis Colts	1477	3761	5238	351	19
6	New England Patriots	1502	3030	4532	300	16
7	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	1520	3630	5150	377	20
8	San Francisco 49ers	1543	3440	4983	320	16
9	Kansas City Chiefs	1551	3068	4619	294	11
10	Los Angeles Chargers	1557	2690	4247	301	21
11	Green Bay Packers	1557	2967	4524	303	13
12	Los Angeles Rams	1586	3320	4906	299	24
13	Baltimore Ravens	1634	3640	5274	348	18
14	Cleveland Browns	1706	2461	4167	355	16
15	Pittsburgh Steelers	1707	3740	5447	350	24
16	Detroit Lions	1724	3487	5211	374	18
17	Las Vegas Raiders	1747	3145	4892	386	14
18	Tennessee Titans	1781	3344	5125	403	13
19	Carolina Panthers	1793	3144	4937	337	18
20	Dallas Cowboys	1834	3867	5701	454	11
21	Philadelphia Eagles	1852	2884	4736	289	18
22	New Orleans Saints	1893	2659	4552	338	18
23	Arizona Cardinals	1895	3362	5257	414	19
24	Minnesota Vikings	1914	2538	4452	320	15
25	Atlanta Falcons	1923	2927	4850	360	18
26	Miami Dolphins	1955	3137	5092	369	17
27	Chicago Bears	1965	3256	5221	354	31
28	New York Jets	2005	3130	5135	426	4
29	Washington Commanders	2120	3626	5746	404	9
30	Buffalo Bills	2164	2507	4671	344	20
31	New York Giants	2264	3331	5595	412	11
32	Cincinnati Bengals	2340	3702	6042	458	20

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