NFL Network's top 9 defense list going into 2020.

[TitanSlim]

1 hour ago, LuckIsGOAT said:

I dont necessarily disagree with anything you said but Casey and Ryan are both still better players than Clowney

Ehh...that’s certainly debatable.

As for the list. I think the Broncos are vastly underrated. I feel their defense will be closer to top 5 than it will be outside the top 10.

[ChazStandard]

On 8/20/2020 at 3:00 AM, Outpost31 said:

The Patriots haven't been outside of the top 20 in scoring defense in Belichick's entire time there.  They've been outside of the top 10 twice since Brady was a rookie.

Any list that doesn't have the Patriots on top defenses is idiotic. 

Well, that's a two-edged sword. Part of the reason the Pats defense have historically been so good in scoring is their unprecedented run of field position/turnover differential. Without Brady that starting field position will be a lot worse, and you have to expect a LOT more turnovers from the offense. Plus they are weak up front, especially at LB. Teams are gonna run on them, a lot, and with run-first Bradyless offense they won't need to worry about passing to keep up. Throw in losing their emotional leader in Hightower and I can see the argument for taking them out of the top 10.

[fortdetroit]

delete

Edited September 8, 2020 by fortdetroit
wrong!

[BlaqOptic]

On 9/7/2020 at 4:09 PM, Ozzy said:

You think so?  Ok first off I could give a **** what PFF says, those stats are usually either deceptive or just flat not that accurate and do not always tell the entire story.  Was Joe Haden really that good last year?  I thought overall he has kind of disappointed in his entire career based on what he should be.  But hopefully he finds a new life in Pittsburgh and continues to improve.  I like Mike Hilton a lot no question about it, he is very good.  Cameron Sutton I think has ability and so does Layne as well so hopefully one of them can take the spot of Nelson who I am not a huge fan of.  

Fact is do they have CB depth than the Patriots, Bills, 49ers or Ravens have?  Answer I would say to that is no.  

 

Patriots all day with Gilmore, McCourty, Jackson, Jones and Williams.  That is not even a conversation, I would take the Bills guys with White who is better than any CB on Pittsburgh, Wallace was decent last year and they got Josh Norman as well and Neal but that is the closest one to Pittsburgh out of those four.  49ers have Sherman, Moseley, Witherspoon and Williams so yeah that is a better overall group as well.  And Ravens with Humphrey, Peters, Jimmy Smith and Young, especially with those first three corners, that is rock solid.  Steelers are easily one of the best defensive in the NFL, just not the best and again I think corner they need to be great to become a great defense.  Like I said another year with Minkah and they could be great but CB play will have to continue to improve and maybe Sutton or Layne will take that next step.  

That almost has nothing to do what I said but okay... Thanks for your Ted Talk.

[BlaqOptic]

On 9/7/2020 at 3:17 PM, Billy86 said:

Hence why I said they were good. However there are not 25 cbs on the first and second team all pros - there are 5. The highest on Pittsburgh was Hilton at 18th.

Except (a) There are 10 on the first and second team All-Pro and Nelson was ranked 9th... So two swings and two misses...

[BlaqOptic]

On 9/7/2020 at 9:54 AM, Billy86 said:

That implies that PIT has multiple 2nd Team All-Pro level CBs last year, despite none of them going all pro. The Steelers did have good CB play, but not quite at that level - though it's not the be-all-and-end-all, for reference PFF had Hilton at 18th and Haden 25th: https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-pff-rankings-top-25-cornerbacks-through-week-17

It's almost like you purposely skipped over Steve Nelson in favor of naming our nickel corner...

[Ozzy]

1 hour ago, BlaqOptic said:

That almost has nothing to do what I said but okay... Thanks for your Ted Talk.

Nothing to do with what you said?  No I just said four other teams with three if not four better corners on their roster than the Steelers do.  If that has nothing to do with what you said, well then clearly you just disliked the answer.  

[BlaqOptic]

2 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

Nothing to do with what you said?  No I just said four other teams with three if not four better corners on their roster than the Steelers do.  If that has nothing to do with what you said, well then clearly you just disliked the answer.  

Again, you literally went on a rant that did not address what I said. You claimed that in order for the Steelers Defense, which already played at an incredibly high level last year to be good their corners have to play better yet you can only mention 4 teams that are allegedly deeper or better with cornerback play. If you don't see why thats a **** argument then that's on you.

[SBLIII]

I think the Steelers should be 1st

[Hunter2_1]

Only the Fins, but Pats clearly belong in the top 10 still, perhaps even top 5. Secondary is crazy.

 

I stand by my list for now;

 

Steelers, 49ers, Bills, Ravens, Titans, Charger, Chiefs, Patriots, Broncos.

Edited September 14, 2020 by Hunter2_1

[The BILLievers]

Besides a Bills missed tackle on a 4 yard pass that turned into a Jamison Crowder 69 yard TD catch, the Bills D looked like 2019 form. 

Ed Oliver is getting many more snaps and looks like a monster. Newly added Mario Addison had a sack. 

However, Edmunds and Milano both left the game with injuries so that is definitely something to monitor this week. Those 2 are a big reason why the Bills have a top 5 D so hopefully not too bad. 

[Blackstar12]

Colts are top 3 in many categories 

1 Pass D at 122/ypg

#3(tied)in passing yards per attempt at 6.2(an important stat)

#5 Rush D at 85/ypg

#3(tied) in sacks at 7

Still early but encouraging next five games include Jets,Bears, Browns, Bengals.

[AFlaccoSeagulls]

idk how anyone could have any other team besides Baltimore at #1.

[SalvadorsDeli]

1 hour ago, AFlaccoSeagulls said:

idk how anyone could have any other team besides Baltimore at #1.

This is gonna be quoted in your face a billion times after the Chiefs game next week lol.

I think part of it is just that the regular season winning streak has a lot of us having impossibly high standards but I think there's a lot to tighten up on defense for us. Relied on big plays yesterday to stop the Texans which is obviously not a bad thing but at the same time, they moved the ball pretty effectively for the most part. Need to see a lot more from the pass rush. 

In terms of top defenses, think people are probably sleeping on the Bucs and Saints. 

[Bearerofnews]

This list has been accurate. At top. I just wish Derwin was healthy 😪