Of the top 16 teams in points allowed (the top half of the league) 12 of them made the playoffs, but how do they compare in other defensive stats?
The Broncos, Seahawks and Texans have the three best overall
defenses in the league and all three made the playoffs. I have argued that the Bronco and Seahawk defenses are the main reason that both teams got the #1 seed in their respective conferences.
The Bronco defense finished first in yards per play allowed at 4.46 while the Seahawks were a distant second at 4.56. The Texans, Eagles and Jags also allowed less than 5.00 yards per play. While the 49ers and Bears allowed more than 5.50 yards per play. The average this year was 5.33.
The Texans were not as good at stopping 3rd downs as the two #1 seeds. The Chargers have the 3rd best 3rd down defense of the playoff teams. The Broncos have the best red zone TD defense allowing TDs on only 42.6% red zone drives. The Patriots had one of the worst red zone defenses in the league, but they also allowed the fewest red zone drives. The Texans had the best scoring % defense in the league. They allowed scores on only 27.6% of all opponent drives. This is one area where the Bronco defense was average, allowing scores on 35.6% of all drives, just many of those were FGs.
In terms of stopping the run, the comparative data is below.
The Seahawks, Broncos and Jaguars were all elite at stopping the run while the Bills and Bears were terrible. The Panthers were average but gave up more than twice as many 20+ yard runs as the Broncos. The Bills gave up a league worst 7 runs of 40+. Two of the three run D’s that allowed no runs of 40 or longer made the playoffs. The on D that didn’t wad the Vikings. The Bronco defense was average at getting TFLs. The Texans were the best among playoff Ds. These TFL could be on runs or passes, but the majority are on runs. The Panthers, Bears, Rams, and 49ers were all poor at getting TFLs.
Comparative pass defense is below.
The Bronco pass defense was the best of the playoff teams with the best ANYA, pressure rate, sack rate and fewest 20+ yard passes allowed. They were near the top in PR allowed. The top seven teams in PR allowed all made the playoffs and there was a distinct jump from the top 7 to middle group. The Chargers had the best at 75.0, but the Bills were 7th at 79.8 which is a tiny difference in this goofy metric (which goes from 0 to 144.2 or something like that). The Bronco defense also led the league in pressures, QBhits and QB knockdowns. The only knocks on the Bronco pass defense are the lack of INTs (10). Of the playoff teams, only the Packers (8) and 49ers (6) were worse. The LOLJets set an NFL record for finishing a season with 0 interceptions. The 49ers were tied with the Titans and Cowboys for second worst with 6. The 49ers and Panthers were also terrible at pressuring the opposing QB while the Bears and Patriots were a little below average (21.8%).
The Bronco defense was also near the bottom of the league in forcing turnovers with only 14. Only the Cowboys, Commanders, Jets were worse at forcing turnovers. For whatever reason, the Bronco run defense only recovered two fumbles. I think they forced more than that, but they were unlucky in recovering them. The D forced 4 total fumbles, but the other two were strip sacks if I recall correctly. The two recovered fumbles on opponent runs was the fewest in the league (tied with the Rams). On the flipside, the Eagles defense recovered 11 fumbles on opponent running plays.
While the defense is only one half of the equation, the Bronco defense is the best of the playoff teams when you take everything into account. Admittedly, the Bronco D got to face a number of young and/or rookie QBs this season, but they also acquitted themselves well when facing really good QBs like Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Jalen Hurts, Dak Prescott and Kermit the QB. In fact the only QBs who really “solved” the Bronco defense were Daniel Jones, Marcus Mariota, and Trevor Lawrence with Jones being the only QB to throw for more than 300 yards on the Bronco defense. It helps that in the NFL (unlike in college), a sack counts against a QBs passing yardage (it counts against a QBs rushing yardage in college for some strange reason).
