My Take
I agree with ESPN on having the Steelers at No. 1. Pittsburgh's star trio of T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward, and Alex Highsmith guarantees a high-pressure floor, while a revamped secondary, led by Jalen Ramsey, raises the ceiling for interceptions and defensive scores.
Denver slots in right behind them at No. 2. The Broncos led the NFL in sacks in 2024 and paired that with top-three scoring defense metrics, the kind of profile that tends to hold up year over year. Their sheer sack volume nudges them just ahead of Houston for me.
That leaves the Texans at No.3. DeMeco Ryans' group paired top-five pass-efficiency defense with ball skills (19 INTs, second most in 2024), and boasts star playmakers in Will Anderson Jr., Derek Stingley Jr., and Danielle Hunter.
At No. 4, I’m with ESPN again on Minnesota. Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy approach creates pressure (a league-leading 41% blitz rate) and splash plays, but the tradeoff is volatility, which shows up in yards allowed over a full season.
Where I diverge is with Baltimore. The Ravens piled up 54 sacks last year, but week-to-week consistency wasn’t always there. A team like Seattle, which not only led the league with five defensive touchdowns but also benefits from matchups against both the NFC South and AFC South, offers more upside in my view.
