Ranking All 32 Defenses (pretty decent take) (1 Viewer)

[dutar76]

Actually one of the best "rankings" articles I've read. Stole this from SR home page. I didn't know how to transfer it to SSF.


Ranking all 32 NFL defenses heading into 2018


#10 New Orleans Saints

What a difference one rookie can make. The performance from reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year Marshon Lattimore helped bring this unit to an entirely new level last season. New Orleans ranked in the top 10 in total defense and in points allowed. Teamng up with Lattimore in the secondary, fellow youngsters Marcus Williams and Vonn Bell also played at exceptionally high levels. Adding veteran Patrick Robinson to the mix will only help matters here. And with one of the best defensive linemen in the game in the form of Cameron Jordan anchoring the front seven, New Orleans defense could be among the best in the NFL this coming season.

 

[Taker597]

I'm more hyped for the offense... I feel a lot 40 Burgers this years. Team is just scary loaded.

 

[Mackenzie]

If Davenport winds up being a stud in his first year then you can go ahead and bump that up to a top 5.

 

[dutar76]

I'm more hyped for the offense... I feel a lot 40 Burgers this years. Team is just scary loaded.

The only thing that keeps me from feeling that way is the defenses on our schedule. Eagles, Vikings, Rams, Steelers, Falcons x2, Panthers x2, Ravens, and Bengals. Almost a who's-who of the league's defenses. It's also possible that Cleveland and Dallas' defenses show major improvement this season.

 

[dutar76]

If Davenport winds up being a stud in his first year then you can go ahead and bump that up to a top 5.

If Okafor comes back 100%
If Davenport over-achieves as a rookie
If Davis balls out for us like he did last year for the Jets
If P-Rob balls out for us like he did last year for the Eagles
If Rankins and/or Onyemata make a 3rd year leap
If Anzalone stays healthy
If Lattimore, Crawley, M. Williams, Bell, and PJ all continue to improve
If Coleman returns to his pre-2017 form in coverage and as a ball hawk...
If Klein and Te'o's consistency improves a bit from last year...

A lot of "IF's", but a lot of these are actually expected this year. And we don't need all of them. Even with some or most of these things happening, This year's defense could be very special. If they all do, then the sky is the limit.

 

[mdharper]

I've got my fingers crossed for Davenport. Rabbit's foot. Four-leaf clover. Eat 12 grapes at midnight new year's eve wearing red underwear... but I'm not counting on him.

I'd really like to see Rankins and Onyemata step their game up a notch. Then I'll feel genuinely good about this defense.

 

[dutar76]

I'd really like to see Rankins and Onyemata step their game up a notch. Then I'll feel genuinely good about this defense.

There's a very good chance that you're going to see that this year. Rankins should have a 3rd year 3-tech body, and Onyemata should have a 3rd year 3-tech head.

Rankins had the speed and technique already, just needed to build an NFL physique and endurance. Onyemata pretty much had the body for it straight out of college. He was only lacking experience and technique. Football was almost a brand new sport for him. Well, with 2 seasons and 3 offseasons now... both should be ready to show us what they got with no disclaimers.

 

[DerrickB]

I think we should be ahead of Houston.

 

[dutar76]

I think we should be ahead of Houston.

I think we will be. I can understand putting us at #10. We're loaded with potential, but still gotta prove it on the field. To the national media and non-Saints fans, we are an improved defense, but nothing special.

 

[ChaChingBaby]

It's too early to predict this stuff. Last year around this time of year, no one really believed in our defense at all. Starting 0-2 seemed to reinforce that disbelief before they rose up.

Some notes on teams outside of us -

I'm shocked Minnesota's defense is ranked #1 still by media pundits. They gave up 55 points in a matter of 6 quarters in the playoffs. I'll always believe we exposed their defense in that playoff game and wrote the blueprint for Philly to mop the floor with them. This season will be a "prove it" year more than anything for the Vikings cause last year they took advantage of a weak division that was missing Aaron Rodgers and then in the playoffs their defense fell apart and they looked like a mediocre team on the big stage in the NFC title game.

Denver and Pittsburgh are both overrated in this list too. Pittsburgh is probably the most overrated team in the AFC because every year they're SB favorites and yet they always manage to disappoint in the playoffs while being favorites. That defense nearly gave up 50 points in the playoffs and let Blake Bortles have the game of his life. The Broncos on the other hand had an amazing defense a few years ago but their defense regressed last year when it became apparent they couldn't keep carrying a mediocre offense. Denver gave up gobs of points in blow out losses where their defense broke down (Pats and Eagles blew them out pretty badly)

 

[bobad]

Last season, we lost our last 4 road games. I have to blame most of that on the defense, which gave up an average of mid 20's per game. So we need to get better.