He hasnt recorded double-digit sacks in a season since 2014, but he ranks in the 81st percentile of all players at the position in pass-rush win rate over the six years since. NFL Week 18 - The Dallas Cowboys finish the 2021 season on top of the Football Outsiders DVOA ratings, with a bit of an extra boost from a bunch of Philadelphia backups.The Cowboys had their best single game of the year on Sunday, putting up 96.0% DVOA with a 51-26 win over the Eagles. But it does now after his 50-pressure, breakout season in 2020. This time last year, they were leading the league in pressure rate and threatening all-time marks for how often they were putting opposing quarterbacks under duress. That group will look to match a league-leading 45.1% pressure rate in 2020. Whether the unit misses a beat in 2021 relies on. 1. The Patriots' defensive line and linebackers were problem areas last season. This groups success next season will largely depend on the impact of younger players such as L.J. The Browns finished with the highest run blocking grade at 81.2 over the 49ers (81.0) and Colts (78.8). At 38.0%, they now have the third-best pressure rate of any team, trailing the Rams and Packers. How good Kansas Citys offense is remains somewhat up in the air, but there's little doubt that their defense is cooking at this stage. Training Camp Tour: Rams' top-tier defensive line continues to impress. The next highest were the Green Bay Packers (79.9) and the Washington Football Team (76.6). EDGE 2: 14.5%. Only the Atlanta Falcons are generating pressure at a lower rate than Detroit, which has applied heat on the quarterback just 24.3% of the time. The Saints need that performance over the course of a full season opposite the always-reliable Cameron Jordan. Losing Chase Young to injury, among others, certainly doesn't help, but this defense simply hasnt been able to stop the leaks that have been apparent all year. It's time to mention Ward in the same breath as the best. this season. Sometimes they look excellent and cause real problems for opposing offenses, and on other occasions they little more than a speed-bump for the opposition. Sportsbooks have access to data on everything from defensive line speed to weather conditions and more, and they use these data . The Raiders have struggled to generate any kind of pass rush for years now. Myles Garrett has 71 pressures and a 92.7 PFF pass-rushing grade. Houston Texans. PDEF - Passes Defended . The addition of. Whatever your favorite defensive statistic is, the Jets are probably the worst in the NFL at it. No team blitzes more than Miami (43.1%), and the same is true for the team's defensive backs (26.4%). on the interior is an impressive collection of run-stuffers, though. Only the Cowboys are forcing turnovers at a greater rate than the Colts this season, and that has been able to make up for some weaknesses in personnel on defense. The Packers will need continued improvement from him next season opposite Smith. Chaisson came on stronger down the stretch last season but recorded just a 9.2% pressure rate overall. He recorded a career-high 85.4 PFF grade back in 2019 with Houston before injuries cut his 2020 Cincinnati debut short after just five games. It should be a much-improved unit heading into next season. The Panthers rank sixth in the league in yards per pass allowed (6.7), and, Its hard to separate the run that Miamis defense is on from the quarterbacks they have faced over that stretch. Thats to be expected after the team traded away one of the NFL's best interior defenders (DeForest Buckner) and was without Nick Bosa and Dee Ford for all but 80 combined defensive snaps in 2020 because of injury. His 17.1% pass-rush win rate was a top-10 mark among all interior defenders. The team plays some variant of Cover 1 or Cover 3 on 59% of its snaps, and opponents are too easily attacking that. Safeties Jordan Poyer and Micah Hyde are the highest-graded members of the defense, and neither carries an overall PFF grade higher than 85.0. interior pass-rushing threats beyond the starters, as well. Their best defensive lineman . Sometimes they look excellent and cause real problems for opposing offenses, and on other occasions they little more than a speed-bump for the opposition. The Steelers defense is no longer Blitzburgh, nor is it the best in the league at generating pressure. Several offseason additions on the interior such as. And that was despite, earning an 85.4 overall grade on over 1,000 defensive snaps. . There just isnt much around him on Atlanta's defensive line. The team's stable of impressive defensive backs gives it strength in vital areas to defend the pass. 2018-19. A lot of weight will fall on the shoulders of second-round pick, was everything Indianapolis hoped he would be last season. San Francisco will also need. While many Giants have put together solid individual performances on defense, the unit is far from a well-oiled machine. Arik Armstead, Samson Ebukam and even Arden Key have also been real factors in recent weeks in applying pressure on the quarterback. Even, San Francisco has rescued its season and looks headed for the playoffs, even as a late-season injury to quarterback. Trent Williams showed no rust after missing 2019 and finished with the highest grade among . Chris Jones aligned back inside is a wrecking ball, amassing 58 pressures this season. Special Teams . The recent addition of, The Patriots' defensive line and linebackers were problem areas last season. . Jalen Ramseys role this season is leading to arguably his finest NFL season to date, and his 87.3 PFF coverage grade is his best since he went to the AFC Championship game with Jacksonville in 2017. The biggest issues have come in coverage, where the Lions have allowed a 17.3% explosive pass rate, 30th in the NFL. Dec 29, 2021. Allens 2020 campaign was somewhat overshadowed by Washington's starting edge tandem, but he was excellent when rushing the passer. Right tackle Lane Johnson and center Jason Kelce are arguably the two best players at their positions in the NFL, while Jordan Mailata is a top-10 offensive tackle. With work still left to do for those two and little to get excited about on the interior, this should be one of the lower-graded units in the league again next season. The strength of the Titans' defense is at the safety position, with both Kevin Byard and Amani Hooker arguably playing at an All-Pro level. Only the, There is no team worse at rushing the passer this season than the Falcons. Among them, only. First-round rookie Jaelan Phillips could begin to change that next season, coming off an 86.6 PFF grade last season at the University of Miami. Davenport has impressed when at full strength over the past two seasons, though. This table explained. Hughes might be one of the more underrated edge rushers in the league based on sack totals. Joey Bosa is one of the best defensive linemen in the game, but lately, this defense hasnt been giving him enough help. The team's stable of impressive defensive backs gives it strength in vital areas to defend the pass. He finished with 18.5 sacks and was one of the few bright spots for the Bears in 2021. The 2023 draft is full of talent at quarterback, tight end and offensive tackle. should improve matters in 2021, but the Lions still have a ways to go to get back to average. Last offseason, Trey Hendricksons departure wouldnt have represented a major loss. has seemingly gone from being overrated to underrated in the span of a few seasons. Its hard to separate the run that Miamis defense is on from the quarterbacks they have faced over that stretch. Cornerback Tavierre Thomas is the only defensive back to see significant playing time this season with even an average grade, and he has been impressive, allowing just a 44.1 passer ratingwhen targeted. Offensive Line Rankings 2-11 New York currently ranks 27th in aFPA to both the tight end and wide receiver positions, making the trio must-starts in Week 5. The Broncos could very well have the best edge duo in the NFL with. Hes been the sixth-most valuable interior defensive lineman in the NFL over the past four years, per. Few teams have been dealt as rough a hand as the Ravens when it comes to injuries. That being said, Miamis blitz-heavy nature is suffocating to those quarterbacks. Simmons 57 pressures, two behind Harold Landry for the team lead. Mike Moraitis. Safety Jamal Adams led the team in total pressures (25) through the first 13 weeks of the 2020 campaign. Favorable Defensive Matchups Ravens vs . Pierce and Tomlinson both rank in at least the 83rd percentile of interior defenders in run-defense grade over the past four seasons. Terrell who is playing at an All-Pro level. With work still left to do for those two and little to get excited about on the interior, this should be one of the lower-graded units in the league again next season. There are a lot of teams particularly excited about this offensive tackle class, and rightfully so. The attention he commands frees up other players to enjoy career years, as, can attest. The Broncos have been forced deep into contingency plans at linebacker, with both starters lost for the season to injury, but players like Jonas Griffith are still performing well in relief. If the NFL played only third downs, the Vikings would be one of the league's best defense. Goldmans run-defense grade across the 2018 and 2019 seasons ranked in the 92nd percentile among all players at the position. The Texans will need younger players, such as Charles Omenihu (52.1 overall grade in 2020) and Ross Blacklock (30.2), to take big steps forward if their defensive line is to be anything other than the NFL's worst such unit again next season. The Saints need that performance over the course of a full season opposite the always-reliable, San Franciscos defensive line went from borderline unblockable in 2019 to underwhelming in 2020. But the Raiders are thin on the interior. The Browns are struggling to deal with the loss of key players to injury or the COVID-19 list, and that has certainly had an impact on their defense. Allen and Sweat, in particular, took clear steps forward last season. Updated 03/11/2023 06:12 AM EST. NFC . KANSAS CITY CHIEFS. Lawson should provide much-needed pass-rushing ability off the edge. He joins a group that already features. . Luckily for the Giants, the interior defensive line was their deepest position group last year. The Texans' entire approach to this season appears to have been scattershot and absent of a coherent strategy. He finished with 11 career interceptions and three pick-sixes. Key Stat: Dunlap was credited with 7.0 sacks in his final eight games after being acquired by the Seahawks in October.. From a grade standpoint, Dunlap had a . Clearly, this is not where a team paying two defensive linemen north of $20 million would like to be ranked. from an opt-out. The unit loses Roy Robertson-Harris and Brent Urban heading into 2021 but returns nose tackle Eddie Goldman from an opt-out. 11 or better. Brown and Gross-Matos still have plenty of room to grow heading into 2021, but Burns already began to show signs of becoming one of the NFLs elite pass rushers last year. 5. The biggest issue for the Raiders, though, is that their pass defense has nose-dived, with the team allowing a 107.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. All of a sudden, the Cardinals are struggling to stop the run, allowing 4.5 yards per carry on average and the worst yards, contact per carry figure in the NFL. The Buccaneers ranked fifth in the NFL in team pressure rate (37.1%) and first in rushing yards allowed before contact per attempt (1.0). should give Cincinnati a major boost on the interior, though. Things arent getting any better with Watt no longer in town. At the same time, they are keeping 2021 first-round rookie Zaven Collins a player who might be able to do something about that on the bench. Brandon Staleys Rams defense last season led the league in passer rating allowed to opposing quarterbacks, but the Chargers this season rank just 21st, and thats the stronger area of their game. , but the gap is closing between him and the chasing pack. Receiving Leader: Cooper Kupp, 1947 Yds. Few defenses have as wide a range of performance as the Bengals this season. The Vikings' defensive line ended up as one of the NFL's worst in 2020. Our exclusive database, featuring the most in-depth collection of NFL player performance data. ago. The Broncos could very well have the best edge duo in the NFL with Bradley Chubb and Miller if Miller does return to 100%. The offensive line is expected to be one of the Detroit Lions' strengths in 2021, and Pro Football Focus sees it that way too. Philadelphias defensive line has consistently been one of the NFLs best at generating pressure without blitzing. Carlos Dunlap. They rank just eighth in blitz rate (28.5%) and 18th in pressure rate as a unit. . He's broken up 13 passes on the season. Hargrave ranks in the 91st percentile of qualifying interior defenders in pass-rushing grade since 2019. Bengals defensive line. His 22.0% pass-rush win rate since entering the league in 2016 is second to only Donald (23.4%). Bosa and Ford's return to play alongside Arik Armstead could give the 49ers one of the best edge rotations in the NFL. 1 . Jonathan Allen, Daron Payne, Montez Sweat and Chase Young all look to be impact starters through the early stages of their NFL careers. Those three all finished among the top 35 interior defenders in the NFL in overall grade last season. Robert Quinn was the best player on the Bears last season and one of the best defensive players in the league. Rookie. considering what he accomplished as a pass rusher last season. The Raiders no longer lead the league in pressure rate. Rushing Leader: Jonathan Taylor, 1811 Yds. The Lions certainly play hard for head coach Dan Campbell, but they dont necessarily play well, especially on defense. Three cornerbacks hold sub-45.0 PFF coverage grades on the season, and even the better performers and those who have played the most snaps are giving up a 111.8 passer rating (Shaquill Griffin) and a 90.3 passer rating (Tyson Campbell). Over the past month, the entire Atlanta defense has two fewer pressures than, Washingtons defense isnt just bad; its worst play comes during the most high-leverage situations. all represent added youth and depth to the Bills' edge defender rotation. NFL . The Jaguars' defense cant stop the pass well enough, and the problems originate in the secondary. (79.7) remain one of the best inside duos in the NFL. The Bears have dealt with a lot of injuries, but it hasnt always mattered, such as in games like that Vikings matchup. Emmanuel Ogbah was their most productive pass rusher in 2020, but even he finished the year with only a 64.5 pass-rushing grade. The unit is simply too easy to attack when teams have to make a play. There is no team worse at rushing the passer this season than the Falcons. There are not enough superlatives in the football language guide to bestow on Donald. Washingtons defense isnt just bad; its worst play comes during the most high-leverage situations. Trey Hendrickson has proved to be an excellent free-agent acquisition, building on the career year that got him paid in the first place. Why the Julio Jones trade benefits the Eagles, Where the Eagles land in a ranking of NFL's worst to first candidates in 2021, Eagles won't face Julio Jones in season opener after Falcons agree to trade star WR to the Titans, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. At some point, its time to accept that the Dallas defense isnt just vastly improved from a year ago, but its actually one of the best in the NFL, driven by elite performances from several key players. They still held up against an elite offense when they effectively stopped Green Bay from scoring in the second half in Week 16, but its just been less consistent than it was earlier in the season. Across the past five seasons, Clowney ranks in the 86th percentile at the position in pass-rushing grade and in the 97th percentile in run-defense grade. All three have recorded at least 250 pressures since 2015 despite significant stretches of missed time due to injuries. Cleveland ranked No. The Vikings' defensive line ended up as one of the NFL's worst in 2020. Ranking all 32 NFL defensive line units ahead of the 2021 season | PFF. Detroits defensive line unit finished the 2020 season ranked 30th in PFF grade, ahead of only the Vikings and Texans. Some success stories have arisen such as Jonathan Greenards 87.0 overall grade but they have been few and far between. That was the case again last season, as the Eagles were one of just two teams with a pressure rate above 40% without the aid of the blitz. The questions for Arizona arise on the interior, where Watt should see more time than he has in the past few seasons with Houston. Davenport has impressed when at full strength over the past two seasons, though. The Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham pairing has been at the core of the unit for nearly a decade, but Javon Hargraves addition in free agency last offseason gives Philadelphia another player on the interior who offenses must contend with on passing downs. Previously: 27th in NFL power rankings. 2020-21. Hargrave ranks in the 91st percentile of qualifying interior defenders in pass-rushing grade since 2019. . The Rams dont have the same quality of depth as the other top-five defensive lines in these rankings. Parsons has 60 total pressures despite playing as an off-the-ball linebacker most of the time. The Patriots are coming off consecutive losses in which their opposition put up some points, but even in those games, the defense wasnt overwhelmed as much as it failed to make stops in key situations. (30.2), to take big steps forward if their defensive line is to be anything other than the NFL's worst such unit again next season. Much of the Ravens pass-rushing success in recent years has been a function of scheme rather than individual talent. Continue this thread. Matt Ioannidis and Tim Settle provide the Football Team additionalinterior pass-rushing threats beyond the starters, as well. The next step will be adding more of a power element to complement his high-end burst and bend. One would think that Pittsburgh's defensive line is slated to take a step back after replacing Bud Dupree with Alex Highsmith. In 2019, he earned a sub-90.0 PFF season grade (79.3) for the first time in his career, ending an absurd stretch of dominance. If Fletcher Cox can return to dominance and Kerrigan can bring that same production, Philadelphia could move up the list. still running around here beating everybodys ass when discussing his return to form from an ankle injury that kept him out of the 2020 season. The folks at Pro Football Focus grade every player on every play, but PFF also scores the teams as a whole on different metrics as well. And due to the Colts' inexperience on the edge, he may need to carry the unit next season. The unit made life very tough for Miami on Monday Night Football, only to still lose by 17 because rookie Ian Book was forced to start at quarterback. Bosa and Ford's return to play alongside, could give the 49ers one of the best edge rotations in the NFL. Several offseason additions on the interior such as Michael Brockers, Levi Onwuzurike and Alim McNeill along with the return of a healthy Trey Flowers should improve matters in 2021, but the Lions still have a ways to go to get back to average.