Best Defenses of All Time

scott99 · Jan 20, 2026

I know it wasn’t the whole year, but the Pat’s 2018 performance vs the Rams in SB 53 is probably the best defensive performance in a Super Bowl ever, even better than the 1985 Bears in SB XX vs the Pats.

The reason it’s better is that the Rams NEVER even got into the red zone, and only scored 3 points all game. The Pats scored 10 vs the Bears, yet they were nowhere near as explosive an offense as the 2018 Rams. The 2018 Rams were 14th highest scoring offense of all time. They scored 527 points, an average of 32.9 a game. Pats held them to almost 30 points less than their average per game. The Pats scored 362 points in 1985, an average of 22.6 a game.

I know it’s a different era, but those 2018 Rams were WAY tougher to stop than the 1985 Pats.

scott99 · Jan 20, 2026

Vindicate said:
Here's the homer take: 03/04 is top 5 all time. Better than 2013 Seahawks.

As far as each section of the defense, I agree. Defensive line was fierce, led by Hall of Famer Seymour, the linebackers, fierce, also ball hawks and got after the QB (McGinnest is the alltime sack leader in the playoffs). The secondary, also led by a Hall of Famer in Ty Law, and possible Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison (only player beside the murderer Ray Lewis to have 30 INTs and 30 sacks).

That 04 defense is hard to believe. I believe they are the ONLY team ever to lose their starting corners (Law & Poole) and still win a SB, their starting CBs were a 2nd year 4th round pick (Asante Samuel) and an undrafted rookie free agent (Randall Gay). That is something I think will never be repeated. Unbelievable version of next man up.

TheRainMaker · Jan 20, 2026

RobertWeathers said:
2000 Raiders scored 30 a game and were held to 3 in the AFCCG. If they lost then I would agree with you.

Nobody really paid attention to the Raiders that season as a legit threat. 2001 was when they were taken seriously. Had they handled the draft correctly and selected Shaun Alexander, they are probably #2 seed hosting NE in the divisional round.

The Titans were the heavy favorites in 2000 despite their terrible offense with everyone else in a distant 2nd. Ravens were the media darlings that year and beating the Titans in the playoffs was a massive upset. Beating the Raiders a week later wasn't that shocking.

I feel absolutely disgusted saying this, but the 2007 Giants stifling the Cowboys (one the road), Packers (on the road) and the final boss Patriots should get more attention than it does. That was a gauntlet of teams they faced on their road to the Lombardi. We know why it doesn't get talked about because they were pedestrian statically.

RobertWeathers said:
Look at the ****ty QBs the 85 Bears faced. Their only loss was against the best they'd faced the entire year.

That was before my time. 90's is when I started watching.

Wozzy · Jan 20, 2026

2019 Patriots…

If Tom didn’t get injured and the Patriots offense didn’t fall off a cliff, that would have been a historically good defense.

They probably could have used another DT to offset the offense falling off, or they could have refused to trade Michael Bennett. But for the first half of the season that was one of the highest scoring defenses in fantasy football history.

maust · Jan 20, 2026

RobertWeathers said:
Look at the ****ty QBs the 85 Bears faced. Their only loss was against the best they'd faced the entire year.

Marino was the 2nd best they faced, Joe Montana was the best. Ken O'Brien & Phil Simms were in their primes and I think it's fair to say Dieter Brock & Danny White were pretty damn good in '85 The rest of their schedule wasn't exactly a murderer's row of great QB's but they weren't all the Sister's Of The Poor.

BobDigital · Jan 20, 2026

I won't say all time.. but of those i've seen in the salary cap era...

1996 Packers
2000 Ravens
2002 Bucs
2004 Patriots (when they were fully healthy)
2006 Colts (when 100% healthy)
2009 Jets
2013 Seahawks
2015 Broncos
2025 Texans

There really has been a massive gap between the last 2 great Ds imo.

RobertWeathers · Jan 21, 2026

TheRainMaker said:
Nobody really paid attention to the Raiders that season as a legit threat. 2001 was when they were taken seriously. Had they handled the draft correctly and selected Shaun Alexander, they are probably #2 seed hosting NE in the divisional round.

The Titans were the heavy favorites in 2000 despite their terrible offense with everyone else in a distant 2nd. Ravens were the media darlings that year and beating the Titans in the playoffs was a massive upset. Beating the Raiders a week later wasn't that shocking.

I feel absolutely disgusted saying this, but the 2007 Giants stifling the Cowboys (one the road), Packers (on the road) and the final boss Patriots should get more attention than it does. That was a gauntlet of teams they faced on their road to the Lombardi. We know why it doesn't get talked about because they were pedestrian statically.

Point taken. Just stating they held a 30ppg offense to 3 points on the road. They may not be a top 5 GOAT defense but they accomplished as ton

TheRainMaker said:
That was before my time. 90's is when I started watching.

Check out a few of the YouTube games of that D. Even though they faced marginal offenses the pass rush was ridiculous...

RobertWeathers · Jan 21, 2026

maust said:
Marino was the 2nd best they faced, Joe Montana was the best. Ken O'Brien & Phil Simms were in their primes

I agree

maust said:
and I think it's fair to say Dieter Brock & Danny White were pretty damn good in '85 The rest of their schedule wasn't exactly a murderer's row of great QB's but they weren't all the Sister's Of The Poor.

Danny White - yes. Solid tier 2 QB. The German Gunslinger was more or less a game manager for that team. He's was ok. Not ****ty

Huckleberry1 · Jan 21, 2026

2025 Bronco's. Followed by the 2025 Texans and 2025 Chargers. After that it's the 2025 Dolphins and 2025 Jets.

I need to leave room for either the 2025 Rams or Seahawks.

reflexblue · Jan 21, 2026

p8ryts said:
To be honest 2 of the three touchdowns were next level stuff. The Diggs catch hasn't gotten as much attention but that was one of the best catches I have ever seen. The ball was in between 2 defenders, great hand catch, spun around, maintained possession throughout, and survived the ground, all still clutching the ball in his hands. The Boutte catch was great. I wish he got more chances, but he is becoming my favorite Patriot. During the whole game, Drake Maye stood tall, took him punishment, made some great throws, and was thankful for his teammates at the end. The Houston Defense never had a chance. I hope we do the same thing to Denver next week. Personally, I have been underestimating this team all year. It has evolved into a very good unit.

That diggs catch was unbelievable and it should get much more attention. That throw from maye was a bullet

Steve102 · Jan 21, 2026

RobertWeathers said:
I agree

Danny White - yes. Solid tier 2 QB. The German Gunslinger was more or less a game manager for that team. He's was ok. Not ****ty

Oh... not that Dieter... never mind, carry on.

maust · Jan 21, 2026

Steve102 said:
Oh... not that Dieter... never mind, carry on.

No you may not touch my monkey. That was my way of saying...

VrabelJr · Jan 21, 2026

The 2014 Seahawks defense should be on these lists even though they didn’t win the Super Bowl. Still an insane defense that took a miracle to beat. They led the league in fewest yards, fewest points, and most takeaways.

Steve102 · Jan 21, 2026

maust said:
No you may not touch my monkey. That was my way of saying...

maust · Jan 21, 2026

BobDigital said:
I won't say all time.. but of those i've seen in the salary cap era...

1996 Packers
2000 Ravens
2002 Bucs
2004 Patriots (when they were fully healthy)
2006 Colts (when 100% healthy)
2009 Jets
2013 Seahawks
2015 Broncos
2025 Texans

There really has been a massive gap between the last 2 great Ds imo.

That's an important distinction you bring up. When comparing 'bests' we really do need to separate the pre and post cap eras and keep in mind real FA didn't hit the NFL until the year before the cap. Teams like the 60's Packers, 70's Steelers (players were basically indentured servants once drafted) and 80's- early 90's Niners and Giants (FA existed in name only) could stockpile great defensive players without concern another team would sign them away as long as the owners would write the check. The first D on that list only became great because Reggie White won the lawsuit that got him the freedom to go to Green Bay and created real FA in the process. Once FA started the cap was right behind it, if it wasn't Jerruh and Eddie DeBartolo would have written bigger and bigger checks and gone back and forth winning Super Bowls. Most of the revenue growth the league has seen would never have happened.

TommyD4207 · Jan 21, 2026

Steve102 said:

Why did we find this **** so funny at the time?

Also, the side note that no one's mentioning: The best defense in the playoffs has been the New England Patriots, and it's not close.

maust · Jan 21, 2026

TommyD4207 said:
Why did we find this **** so funny at the time?

Maybe because I wasn't the only one sick of the Eurotrash and Techno BS explosion of the late 80's/early 90's and satirizing the inane self important pomposity of it appealed to us? I know that's why it amused me. Plus it had a monkey, provided your not getting hit with their poop everything is better with monkeys.

That's all I got

NFL Mystique · Jan 21, 2026

RobertWeathers said:
2000 Raiders scored 30 a game and were held to 3 in the AFCCG. If they lost then I would agree with you.

Look at the ****ty QBs the 85 Bears faced. Their only loss was against the best they'd faced the entire year.

Ravens intentionally took out the starting QB in that game. They probably would have won regardless. But just noting that.

Steve102 · Jan 21, 2026

maust said:
Maybe because I wasn't the only one sick of the Eurotrash and Techno BS explosion of the late 80's/early 90's and satirizing the inane self important pomposity of it appealed to us? I know that's why it amused me. Plus it had a monkey, provided your not getting hit with their poop everything is better with monkeys.

That's all I got

Monkeys are funny. The busting balls of euro pop was funny at the time, borderline uncomfortable. My favorite bit he did was Phillip the Hyper Hypo.

RobertWeathers · Jan 21, 2026

NFL Mystique said:
Ravens intentionally took out the starting QB in that game. They probably would have won regardless. But just noting that.

Yep. Goose pancaked Gannon.

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