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2026 NFL Defense Ratings

Defense is more than points allowed. These ratings look at whether each team has the talent, coaching, recent form and roster support to rush the passer, cover and get off the field. The table below separates defenses that can carry a team from groups still needing more help.

79.1 League Average 2026 Season · Week 10
No. 1 DefenseSeattle Seahawks90.1 Defensive Rating
Teams Graded 86+1Elite defensive outlooks
What 86+ MeansDefensive JuggernautA defense strong enough to take over a game
League Leaders

Top 3 PFM Defenses

The strongest defensive profiles in the current PFM model.

No. 1 Seattle Seahawks logo
Seattle SeahawksRoster 84.7
90.1 Elite No. 2 Los Angeles Rams logo
Los Angeles RamsRoster 83.4
85.8 Strong No. 3 San Francisco 49ers logo
San Francisco 49ersRoster 83.8
85.8 Strong
Read Beyond the Rank

How to Use the PFM Defense Ratings

Do not read these like a points-allowed list. The useful part is the why: who can wreck a drive, what the defense wants to be, and whether the staff can keep the rush and coverage tied together. A defense without teeth should not scare anybody.

Seattle Seahawks logo No. 1 Defense Seattle Seahawks Defensive Rating: 90.1 Seattle Seahawks logo Best Roster Support Seattle Seahawks Roster Strength: 84.7 Philadelphia Eagles logo Biggest Defensive Edge Philadelphia Eagles Defense over offense: +16.1 San Francisco 49ers logo Strongest Two-Way Team San Francisco 49ers Offense/Defense: 88.4 / 85.8
All 32 Teams

Tap or click any column heading to sort the defense ratings.

2026 NFL defense ratings table for all 32 teams
#1 Seattle Seahawks logo Seattle SeahawksSEA Elite Defensive Outlook: 90.1 Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.7 Elite Defensive Outlook: 87.8 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.2 Elite Defensive Outlook: 87.4 Solid Offensive Foundation: 81.5 Elite Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#2 Los Angeles Rams logo Los Angeles RamsLAR Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.8 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.4 Elite Defensive Outlook: 88.1 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.4 Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.0 Strong Offensive Outlook: 83.0 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#3 San Francisco 49ers logo San Francisco 49ersSF Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.8 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.8 Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.7 Elite Defensive Outlook: 89.4 Elite Defensive Outlook: 89.4 Elite Offensive Outlook: 88.4 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#4 Kansas City Chiefs logo Kansas City ChiefsKC Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.6 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.7 Elite Defensive Outlook: 92.8 Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.8 Elite Defensive Outlook: 90.5 Elite Offensive Outlook: 88.1 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#5 Pittsburgh Steelers logo Pittsburgh SteelersPIT Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.2 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.2 Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.2 Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.9 Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.9 Solid Offensive Foundation: 79.3 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#6 Chicago Bears logo Chicago BearsCHI Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.1 Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.9 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.4 Elite Defensive Outlook: 87.1 Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.6 Strong Offensive Outlook: 85.5 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#7 Jacksonville Jaguars logo Jacksonville JaguarsJAX Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.0 Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.7 Solid Defensive Foundation: 81.0 Elite Defensive Outlook: 89.3 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.7 Strong Offensive Outlook: 82.4 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#8 Minnesota Vikings logo Minnesota VikingsMIN Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.0 Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.6 Strong Defensive Outlook: 82.7 Strong Defensive Outlook: 82.2 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.8 Major Offensive Concern: 69.6 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#9 Tampa Bay Buccaneers logo Tampa Bay BuccaneersTB Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.0 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.7 Defensive Questions: 76.6 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.4 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.7 Solid Offensive Foundation: 80.1 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#10 Denver Broncos logo Denver BroncosDEN Strong Defensive Outlook: 82.4 Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.1 Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.3 Elite Defensive Outlook: 86.5 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.7 Offensive Questions: 77.3 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#11 Cleveland Browns logo Cleveland BrownsCLE Strong Defensive Outlook: 82.2 Defensive Questions: 75.7 Major Defensive Concern: 73.3 Major Defensive Concern: 72.4 Major Defensive Concern: 72.3 Major Offensive Concern: 71.6 Strong Defensive Outlook View Dashboard
#12 Philadelphia Eagles logo Philadelphia EaglesPHI Solid Defensive Foundation: 81.1 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.1 Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.6 Major Defensive Concern: 64.1 Defensive Questions: 74.7 Major Offensive Concern: 65.0 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#13 Baltimore Ravens logo Baltimore RavensBAL Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.6 Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.7 Major Defensive Concern: 72.8 Major Defensive Concern: 70.5 Defensive Questions: 76.6 Strong Offensive Outlook: 82.3 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#14 Green Bay Packers logo Green Bay PackersGB Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.5 Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.4 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.5 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.5 Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.1 Strong Offensive Outlook: 82.4 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#15 New England Patriots logo New England PatriotsNE Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.2 Defensive Questions: 76.8 Strong Defensive Outlook: 85.3 Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.4 Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.8 Solid Offensive Foundation: 80.7 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#16 Houston Texans logo Houston TexansHOU Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.1 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.7 Solid Defensive Foundation: 81.0 Defensive Questions: 77.2 Solid Defensive Foundation: 80.9 Strong Offensive Outlook: 82.6 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#17 New York Giants logo New York GiantsNYG Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.8 Major Defensive Concern: 72.6 Solid Defensive Foundation: 81.7 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.3 Major Defensive Concern: 74.0 Major Offensive Concern: 73.7 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#18 Los Angeles Chargers logo Los Angeles ChargersLAC Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.3 Defensive Questions: 77.7 Strong Defensive Outlook: 84.1 Major Defensive Concern: 63.0 Defensive Questions: 76.1 Major Offensive Concern: 65.9 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#19 Buffalo Bills logo Buffalo BillsBUF Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.3 Strong Defensive Outlook: 82.2 Defensive Questions: 75.5 Elite Defensive Outlook: 91.6 Elite Defensive Outlook: 86.9 Elite Offensive Outlook: 91.2 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#20 New York Jets logo New York JetsNYJ Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.1 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.5 Major Defensive Concern: 72.1 Major Defensive Concern: 68.2 Defensive Questions: 74.6 Offensive Questions: 77.3 Solid Defensive Foundation View Dashboard
#21 Detroit Lions logo Detroit LionsDET Defensive Questions: 77.0 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.3 Elite Defensive Outlook: 86.4 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.1 Elite Defensive Outlook: 86.7 Elite Offensive Outlook: 88.8 Defensive Questions View Dashboard
#22 Cincinnati Bengals logo Cincinnati BengalsCIN Defensive Questions: 76.9 Solid Defensive Foundation: 79.3 Defensive Questions: 74.3 Strong Defensive Outlook: 86.0 Strong Defensive Outlook: 83.6 Elite Offensive Outlook: 88.0 Defensive Questions View Dashboard
#23 Washington Commanders logo Washington CommandersWSH Defensive Questions: 76.8 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.4 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.3 Major Defensive Concern: 71.3 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.7 Solid Offensive Foundation: 80.1 Defensive Questions View Dashboard
#24 Atlanta Falcons logo Atlanta FalconsATL Defensive Questions: 76.6 Defensive Questions: 76.2 Defensive Questions: 74.3 Major Defensive Concern: 73.0 Defensive Questions: 75.7 Solid Offensive Foundation: 78.3 Defensive Questions View Dashboard
#25 Las Vegas Raiders logo Las Vegas RaidersLV Major Defensive Concern: 73.5 Defensive Questions: 75.5 Major Defensive Concern: 73.3 Major Defensive Concern: 73.7 Defensive Questions: 74.8 Solid Offensive Foundation: 78.2 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
#26 New Orleans Saints logo New Orleans SaintsNO Major Defensive Concern: 73.4 Major Defensive Concern: 73.7 Defensive Questions: 76.0 Major Defensive Concern: 74.0 Defensive Questions: 74.5 Offensive Questions: 74.5 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
#27 Indianapolis Colts logo Indianapolis ColtsIND Major Defensive Concern: 73.2 Defensive Questions: 74.6 Major Defensive Concern: 72.4 Major Defensive Concern: 66.0 Major Defensive Concern: 72.3 Major Offensive Concern: 73.1 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
#28 Tennessee Titans logo Tennessee TitansTEN Major Defensive Concern: 72.4 Major Defensive Concern: 70.2 Defensive Questions: 74.6 Major Defensive Concern: 64.7 Major Defensive Concern: 70.9 Major Offensive Concern: 70.2 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
#29 Arizona Cardinals logo Arizona CardinalsARI Major Defensive Concern: 72.1 Major Defensive Concern: 72.7 Major Defensive Concern: 71.4 Major Defensive Concern: 71.0 Major Defensive Concern: 73.3 Offensive Questions: 74.2 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
#30 Carolina Panthers logo Carolina PanthersCAR Major Defensive Concern: 72.0 Major Defensive Concern: 69.1 Major Defensive Concern: 70.1 Defensive Questions: 74.8 Major Defensive Concern: 73.1 Offensive Questions: 77.7 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
#31 Dallas Cowboys logo Dallas CowboysDAL Major Defensive Concern: 69.2 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.1 Major Defensive Concern: 73.2 Defensive Questions: 75.2 Defensive Questions: 77.3 Strong Offensive Outlook: 84.3 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
#32 Miami Dolphins logo Miami DolphinsMIA Major Defensive Concern: 67.7 Solid Defensive Foundation: 78.5 Major Defensive Concern: 72.0 Major Defensive Concern: 67.7 Major Defensive Concern: 73.6 Solid Offensive Foundation: 78.0 Major Defensive Concern View Dashboard
Rating Guide

What Each Defensive Rating Range Means

The same severity lines used across PFM apply here. Strong defensive numbers should read as strengths, while lower ranges show where the team profile needs more support.

86+ Elite Defensive Outlook

A defensive profile strong enough to shape the full team read.

82–85.9 Strong Defensive Outlook

A real defensive strength, even if the team still needs support elsewhere.

78–81.9 Solid Defensive Foundation

A playable defensive baseline with areas still worth watching.

74–77.9 Defensive Questions

A concern range that needs better support from roster, staff or recent form.

Below 74 Major Defensive Concern

A defensive rating low enough to pull on the overall team outlook.

Team Context

Best Defensive Environments

The defenses with names, identity and enough help around them to actually scare offenses.

Seattle Seahawks

Defensive Rating
90.1
Roster Strength
84.7
Coaching Direction
87.8

For Seattle, the defense has staff support behind the rating. Defensive Rating 90.1 and Coaching Direction 87.8 make the pass rush, coverage and communication easier to trust.

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Kansas City Chiefs

Defensive Rating
85.6
Roster Strength
83.7
Coaching Direction
92.8

Kansas City's defense is not just living on talent. Coaching Direction 92.8 backs up Defensive Rating 85.6, which matters when pressure and coverage have to work together.

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San Francisco 49ers

Defensive Rating
85.8
Roster Strength
83.8
Coaching Direction
85.7

Recent form keeps the San Francisco defensive grade from feeling stale. Defensive Rating 85.8 pairs with Recent Performance 89.4, which matters when the pass rush and coverage have to carry a tight game.

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PFM ratings updated
How PFM grades NFL teams