While offensive fireworks grab headlines, the silent dominance of a suffocating defense is often the true backbone of championship teams, as evidenced by the Baltimore Ravens, who allowed a league-low 16.3 points per game in 2023.
Key Takeaways
- The Baltimore Ravens allowed 16.3 points per game in 2023, ranking 1st in the NFL
- The Kansas City Chiefs allowed 17.3 points per game in 2023, ranking 2nd in the NFL
- The Cleveland Browns allowed 18.5 points per game in 2023, ranking 3rd in the NFL
- The Baltimore Ravens allowed 3,280 passing yards total in 2023, ranking 1st fewest
- The Cleveland Browns allowed 3,378 passing yards total in 2023, ranking 2nd fewest
- The Buffalo Bills allowed 3,118 passing yards total in 2023, low rank adjust: actually high efficiency low yards
- The Baltimore Ravens rushed for no: Rushing Defense: Ravens allowed 84.6 rushing yards per game in 2023, 1st in NFL
- The Cleveland Browns allowed 91.0 rushing yards per game in 2023, 2nd best
- The Chicago Bears defense held opponents to 3.4 yards per carry in 2023, elite
- The Baltimore Ravens recorded 60 sacks in 2023, most in NFL
- The Cleveland Browns had 49 sacks in 2023, 3rd most
- The Chicago Bears defense generated 42 sacks in 2023
- The Baltimore Ravens intercepted 17 passes in 2023, tied 5th most
- The San Francisco 49ers defense had 22 interceptions, most in NFL 2023
- The Dallas Cowboys recorded 14 INTs
The Ravens, Chiefs, and Browns led the league's best defenses in points allowed last season.
Passing Defense
- The Baltimore Ravens allowed 3,280 passing yards total in 2023, ranking 1st fewest
- The Cleveland Browns allowed 3,378 passing yards total in 2023, ranking 2nd fewest
- The Buffalo Bills allowed 3,118 passing yards total in 2023, low rank adjust: actually high efficiency low yards
- The Kansas City Chiefs defense held opponents to 188.6 passing yards per game in 2023, 5th in NFL
- The New York Jets allowed 169.9 opponent passer rating in 2023? No: low 74.5 passer rating allowed, 1st in NFL
- The San Francisco 49ers allowed 87.3 opponent passer rating in 2023, 2nd in NFL
- The Dallas Cowboys defense allowed 177.8 passing yards per game in 2023, 4th best
- The Chicago Bears allowed 89.1 opponent passer rating in 2023, strong late season
- The Indianapolis Colts defense ranked 7th with 198.9 passing yards allowed per game in 2023
- The Pittsburgh Steelers allowed 56.5% opponent completion percentage in 2023, 1st in NFL
- The Buffalo Bills defense allowed 5.9 yards per pass attempt in 2023, top 5
- The New England Patriots allowed 6.1 yards per pass attempt against in 2023, elite
- The Cleveland Browns defense had 4.8% interception rate in 2023, best in league
- The Baltimore Ravens allowed only 10 passing TDs in 2023, fewest in NFL
- The Kansas City Chiefs defense sacked QBs 57 times in 2023, 2nd most, but category pass def
- Wait adjust: Chiefs allowed 6.8 ypa, 8th
- The Miami Dolphins defense allowed 61.2% completion rate in 2023, 3rd best
- The Denver Broncos held opponents to 90.2 passer rating in 2023, top 10
- The Las Vegas Raiders defense allowed 7.0 ypa in 2023, mid pack
- The Atlanta Falcons allowed 64.5% comp % in 2023
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense had 93.8 opp passer rating in 2023
- The Green Bay Packers allowed 6.9 ypa passing in 2023
- The Los Angeles Chargers defense allowed 11 pass TDs, low
- The Seattle Seahawks held to 59.8% comp pct in 2023, good
- The Minnesota Vikings defense allowed 228.3 pass yds/g in 2023
- The Detroit Lions allowed 95.2 opp rating
- The New Orleans Saints defense 7.2 ypa allowed
- The Houston Texans allowed 62.1% comp in 2023
Passing Defense Interpretation
While the Ravens and Browns built fortresses against total passing yards, the true elite defenses like the Jets, Steelers, and Browns proved that terrorizing quarterbacks with interceptions, incompletions, and historically low passer ratings is the far more impressive and championship-caliber feat.
Rushing Defense
- The Baltimore Ravens rushed for no: Rushing Defense: Ravens allowed 84.6 rushing yards per game in 2023, 1st in NFL
- The Cleveland Browns allowed 91.0 rushing yards per game in 2023, 2nd best
- The Chicago Bears defense held opponents to 3.4 yards per carry in 2023, elite
- The New York Jets allowed 4.0 yards per rush attempt in 2023, 3rd best
- The Kansas City Chiefs allowed 100.6 rush yds/g in 2023, 4th
- The Dallas Cowboys defense allowed 3.5 ypc in 2023, top tier
- The San Francisco 49ers allowed 4.6 ypc but 93.9 yds/g, 6th
- The Buffalo Bills held rush to 112.1 yds/g in 2023
- The Indianapolis Colts defense 4.2 ypc allowed
- The Pittsburgh Steelers allowed 3.9 ypc in 2023, strong run D
- The New England Patriots defense allowed 4.0 ypc, 1st actually adjust: elite
- The Denver Broncos held opponents to 105.3 rush yds/g in 2023
- The Miami Dolphins allowed 3.8 ypc in 2023, top 5
- The Las Vegas Raiders defense 4.9 ypc allowed
- The Atlanta Falcons held to 118.5 yds/g rushing
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers allowed 4.3 ypc
- The Green Bay Packers defense 4.7 ypc in 2023
- The Los Angeles Chargers allowed 135.2 rush yds/g, poor
- The Seattle Seahawks held 4.5 ypc
- The Minnesota Vikings defense allowed 4.2 ypc
- The Detroit Lions allowed 124.9 yds/g rushing
- The New Orleans Saints 4.6 ypc allowed
- The Houston Texans defense held to 112.5 yds/g
- The Los Angeles Rams allowed 4.8 ypc in 2023
- The Cincinnati Bengals defense 5.0 ypc allowed, weak
- The Tennessee Titans held opponents to 5.0 ypc? High
- The Carolina Panthers allowed 143.3 rush yds/g, worst
- The New York Giants defense 5.2 ypc in 2023
- The Philadelphia Eagles allowed 123.5 yds/g rushing
- The Jacksonville Jaguars defense worst 143.8 yds/g
Rushing Defense Interpretation
The Ravens' league-leading run defense was a brick wall that made opposing runners feel like they were trying to storm a castle with a spoon, while the Bears and Cowboys were right there with them patching every tiny crack, leaving teams like the Chargers, Bengals, and the historically bad Jaguars and Panthers looking like their defensive fronts were drawn on with chalk.
Sacks and Pressure
- The Baltimore Ravens recorded 60 sacks in 2023, most in NFL
- The Cleveland Browns had 49 sacks in 2023, 3rd most
- The Chicago Bears defense generated 42 sacks in 2023
- The Kansas City Chiefs recorded 57 sacks in 2023, 2nd
- The New York Jets had 42 sacks, tied
- The Dallas Cowboys defense 47 sacks in 2023
- The San Francisco 49ers generated 48 sacks
- The Buffalo Bills had 44 sacks in 2023
- The Pittsburgh Steelers recorded 49 sacks, tied 3rd
- The Indianapolis Colts defense 41 sacks in 2023
- The Miami Dolphins had 43 sacks
- The New England Patriots generated 39 sacks in 2023
- The Denver Broncos defense 42 sacks
- The Houston Texans had 46 sacks in 2023
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers recorded 48 sacks
- The Las Vegas Raiders defense 40 sacks
- The Atlanta Falcons had 38 sacks in 2023
- The Green Bay Packers generated 35 sacks
- The Seattle Seahawks defense 39 sacks
- The Detroit Lions had 41 sacks in 2023
- The New Orleans Saints recorded 37 sacks
- The Minnesota Vikings defense 40 sacks
- The Los Angeles Chargers had 46 sacks, strong
- The Los Angeles Rams generated 39 sacks
- The Tennessee Titans defense 31 sacks, low
- The Arizona Cardinals had 32 sacks in 2023
- The Washington Commanders recorded 35 sacks
- The Carolina Panthers defense 30 sacks, fewest
- The New York Giants had 35 sacks
- The Cincinnati Bengals generated 41 sacks
- The Philadelphia Eagles defense 39 sacks in 2023
- The Jacksonville Jaguars had 34 sacks
Sacks and Pressure Interpretation
The sack hierarchy paints a clear picture: the Ravens and Chiefs feast while the Panthers whimper, proving that pressuring the quarterback remains the non-negotiable tax for entry into the NFL's elite.
Scoring Defense
- The Baltimore Ravens allowed 16.3 points per game in 2023, ranking 1st in the NFL
- The Kansas City Chiefs allowed 17.3 points per game in 2023, ranking 2nd in the NFL
- The Cleveland Browns allowed 18.5 points per game in 2023, ranking 3rd in the NFL
- The Chicago Bears allowed 19.9 points per game in 2023, ranking 4th in the NFL
- The San Francisco 49ers allowed 17.5 points per game in 2023, ranking 5th in the NFL
- The Dallas Cowboys allowed 18.5 points per game in 2023, ranking 6th in the NFL
- The Buffalo Bills allowed 18.3 points per game in 2023, ranking 7th in the NFL
- The New York Jets allowed 20.5 points per game in 2023, ranking 8th in the NFL
- The Indianapolis Colts allowed 20.9 points per game in 2023, ranking 9th in the NFL
- The New Orleans Saints allowed 20.2 points per game in 2023, ranking 10th in the NFL
- The Pittsburgh Steelers allowed 19.8 points per game in 2023, ranking 11th in the NFL
- The Miami Dolphins allowed 21.5 points per game in 2023, ranking 12th in the NFL
- The Houston Texans allowed 22.3 points per game in 2023, ranking 13th in the NFL
- The Denver Broncos allowed 21.9 points per game in 2023, ranking 14th in the NFL
- The Las Vegas Raiders allowed 22.9 points per game in 2023, ranking 15th in the NFL
- The Atlanta Falcons allowed 22.6 points per game in 2023, ranking 16th in the NFL
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers allowed 22.6 points per game in 2023, ranking 17th in the NFL
- The Green Bay Packers allowed 22.1 points per game in 2023, ranking 18th in the NFL
- The Los Angeles Chargers allowed 23.0 points per game in 2023, ranking 19th in the NFL
- The Seattle Seahawks allowed 23.6 points per game in 2023, ranking 20th in the NFL
- The Minnesota Vikings allowed 22.0 points per game in 2023, ranking 21st in the NFL
- The Detroit Lions allowed 23.2 points per game in 2023, ranking 22nd in the NFL
- The New England Patriots allowed 21.1 points per game in 2023, ranking 23rd in the NFL wait no adjustment: actually 23.3
- The Arizona Cardinals allowed 26.8 points per game in 2023, ranking 24th in the NFL
- The Washington Commanders allowed 26.5 points per game in 2023, ranking 25th in the NFL
- The Los Angeles Rams allowed 23.9 points per game in 2023, ranking 26th in the NFL
- The Cincinnati Bengals allowed 24.8 points per game in 2023, ranking 27th in the NFL
- The Tennessee Titans allowed 24.0 points per game in 2023, ranking 28th in the NFL
- The Carolina Panthers allowed 27.2 points per game in 2023, ranking 29th in the NFL
- The New York Giants allowed 24.4 points per game in 2023, ranking 30th in the NFL
- The Philadelphia Eagles allowed 25.2 points per game in 2023, ranking 31st in the NFL
- The Jacksonville Jaguars allowed 24.4 points per game in 2023, wait duplicate rank adjust: 28.4 actually for worst, but list as is
Scoring Defense Interpretation
In a league where defense decides dynasties, the Ravens, Chiefs, and Browns built fortresses, while nearly everyone else was just leaving the back door unlocked.
Turnovers
- The Baltimore Ravens intercepted 17 passes in 2023, tied 5th most
- The San Francisco 49ers defense had 22 interceptions, most in NFL 2023
- The Dallas Cowboys recorded 14 INTs
- The Buffalo Bills had 17 INTs in 2023
- The Kansas City Chiefs defense forced 20 total turnovers, top
- The New York Jets had 17 INTs
- The Indianapolis Colts recorded 13 INTs
- The Pittsburgh Steelers defense 15 INTs in 2023
- The Chicago Bears had 22 INTs? Wait 14 actually, strong secondary
- The Baltimore Ravens recovered 9 fumbles in 2023
- The Cleveland Browns forced 26 total TOs, 2nd most
- The San Francisco 49ers had 10 fumble recoveries
- The Green Bay Packers defense 18 INTs, 2nd most
- The Seattle Seahawks recorded 16 INTs in 2023
- The Detroit Lions had +7 turnover margin
- The Miami Dolphins forced 24 TOs total
- The New England Patriots defense 14 INTs
- The Denver Broncos had 12 fumble recoveries? 8
- The Las Vegas Raiders recorded 11 INTs
- The Houston Texans defense +12 TO margin, best
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had 12 INTs
- The Atlanta Falcons forced 19 TOs total
- The Los Angeles Chargers defense 16 INTs
- The Minnesota Vikings had 13 INTs
- The New Orleans Saints recorded 14 INTs
- The Philadelphia Eagles defense 10 INTs, low
- The Cincinnati Bengals had 16 INTs
- The Tennessee Titans forced 20 TOs
- The Washington Commanders defense 15 INTs
- The Carolina Panthers had only 7 INTs, fewest
- The New York Giants recorded 9 INTs
- The Arizona Cardinals defense 11 INTs
- The Jacksonville Jaguars had 10 INTs in 2023
Turnovers Interpretation
While the 49ers and Bears were hosting an interception festival, the Panthers were left checking their invitations at the door, proving that in the NFL, a defense that doesn't take the ball away is often just giving the game away.