NFL Week 2 Roundup: Who has the best and worst defense?
There were some huge performances from defenses in Week 2 of the NFL season. The Buffalo Bills shut out the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots were excellent against the New York Jets and the Carolina Panthers stopped the high-power New Orleans Saints offense through three quarters.
But which defensive unit has been the cream of the crop so far and which has struggled so far? Let's have a look.
The best defenses after Week 2
Right now, the Carolina Panthers have the best defense in the NFL. The New Orleans Saints scored 38 points against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1, but Jameis Winston and company could only manage seven points against the Panthers in Week 2.
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Head coach Matt Rhule's team lead the league in:
- Least average yards allowed per game – 190.0
- Least average points allowed per game – 10.5
- Least average passing yards allowed per game – 143.5
- Least average rushing yards allowed per game – 46.5
- Fewest average completions allowed per game – 15.5
- Fewest average passes for first downs allowed per game – 6.5
- Total sacks – 10
- Total quarterback hits – 21
- Lowest third-down stop percentage – 25%
- The lowest percentage of opposition drives ending in points – 12.5%
While several young rising stars are making big plays, Carolina has no superstars leading the league in individual stats categories. Pass rushers Brian Burns and Morgan Fox lead the team in quarterback hits with three each, while the Las Vegas Raiders' Maxx Crosby leads the league with 10.
Similarly, Shaq Thompson has a team-high 14 combined tackles, while Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner tops the NFL with 33, more than doubling Thompson's number. For Panthers defensive coordinator Phil Snow's unit, this is truly a team effort.
In other categories, the Dallas Cowboys defense leads the NFL in turnovers with six, and the Miami Dolphins' three forced fumbles is a league-high after Week 2. The Los Angeles Rams have conceded the least penalties, six, and the New England Patriots have hauled in the most picks with five, thanks to Zach Wilson of the New York Jets, who threw four interceptions on Sunday.
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The worst defenses after Week 2
While it is early days in the 2021 NFL season, some concerning trends emerged for several defenses after Week 2.
The Atlanta Falcons defense tops the list after allowing 48 points against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, although 14 were from Matt Ryan's pick-sixes. The Falcons have conceded the most points in the NFL (80) through Week 2 and the most passing touchdowns with eight.
The Falcons defense is really bad. Like, really, really, really bad
The Kansas City Chiefs have allowed the most yards, an average of 469 per game, and 7.6 yards per offensive play against them, following their high-scoring loss against the Baltimore Ravens.
Head coach Andy Reid's defense is a worry after Week 2, conceding the most average rushing yards in the NFL, 202 per game and 6.0 yards per attempt. The Chiefs have also had seven rushing touchdowns scored against them, more than double the number of any other team, but they have played Nick Chubb's Cleveland Browns and Lamar Jackson's Ravens.
Thanks to Derek Carr and Patrick Mahomes, the Ravens have allowed the most passing yards, 376 per game. Meanwhile, the Seattle Seahawks have conceded the most first downs (23 per game), while the Buccaneers' pass defense is a cause for concern, having had the most passes completed against them (38.5 per game).
The Falcons and Dallas Cowboys have conceded the most penalties through Week 2, each averaging 6.5 per game.
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