Ranking the top 10 defenses in the NFL heading into Week 15 by yards, points allowed

After nearly four months' worth of NFL games, the best teams on both sides of the ball have set themselves apart from the rest of the league. In 2023, defenses continue to improve league-wide in scoring; Week 6 of the NFL season saw the fewest points in a week of the last decade.

Through Week 14, offenses are averaging 21.7 points per game, the lowest since 2017. The downward trend in scoring started after the 2020 season, when offenses averaged 24.8 points per game. That mark dropped to 23.0 in 2021 and 21.9 in 2022.

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A group of teams have stood out on the defensive side of the ball in 2023. Here's a ranking of the top teams in terms of points and yards allowed through Week 14:

NFL top defenses: Fewest points allowed per game

1. San Francisco 49ers (15.8)
2. Baltimore Ravens (16.8)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (17.5)
4. Dallas Cowboys (17.9)
5. Minnesota Vikings (18.6)
6. Buffalo Bills (18.8)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (19.2)
8. New York Jets (19.8)
9. Las Vegas Raiders (19.9)
10. New Orleans Saints (20.1)

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NFL top defenses: Fewest yards allowed per game

1. Cleveland Browns (263.0)
2. Baltimore Ravens (284.4)
3. Dallas Cowboys (289.9)
4. Carolina Panthers (298.4)
5. New York Jets (299.0)
6. Kansas City Chiefs (299.9)
7. San Francisco 49ers (300.4)
8. New England Patriots (306.9)
9. Miami Dolphins (308.1)
10. Minnesota Vikings (311.2)

NFL top defenses: Points versus yards

These two metrics have different leaders. Here's how the 14 teams making up the best of those categories compare to each other:

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