Ranking top 5 NFL defenses heading into Week 7 | NFL 2021-22 season

When one looks at championship form, NFL defenses usually come to the fore. While offense dictates by how much you win a game, NFL defenses decree if you win the game at all, or not.

The NFL defenses this season have been up and down but some teams are now beginning to show a consistent output as we enter Week 7. We rank all the NFL defenses that have caught our eye.

Best NFL defenses entering Week 7

#5 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers sneaked into our top 5 NFL defenses by virtue of their consistent performances over the season. Truth be told, they have not exactly faced an elite offense except maybe the Los Angeles Rams, against whom they lost. But then one has to remember the number of injuries they have in the secondary, with Richard Sherman the latest addition. Yet, they continue to do well.

Their defense has consistently kept their team in the game and with their 5-1 record, the Buccaneers are sitting pretty.

#4 - Dallas Cowboys

It seems odd to pick up the Dallas Cowboys as one of the best NFL defenses this season after they gave up nearly 30 points in their win against the New England Patriots, but anyone who saw the game will have noticed that the Dallas defense was influential.

They had interceptions, they sacked the quarterback, including one where they stripped him clean and generally held their own.

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Also Check Out: Complete NFL Week 7 TV Schedule

Seattle Seahawks v Pittsburgh Steelers

The Top 3 NFL defenses

#3 - Pittsburgh Steelers

The best NFL defenses can boost morale in camp and the fact that the Pittsburgh Steelers enter their bye week with a win has a lot to do with their defense. They make the top 3 of our NFL defenses this week after they limited DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to less than 100 yards, not a mean feat at all.

In fact, with their offense misfiring, the Pittsburgh Steelers have had to depend a lot on their defense.

Personnel including T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith recorded 3.5 sacks in total, while the latter also had 4 quarterback hits. Their presence makes the Steelers one of the leading NFL defenses.

#2 - Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have blown teams out of the water because of their offense. But that ignores just how good their defense has been. They did have a stinker against the Tennessee Titans, and if we had to look at that game in isolation, there's no way they would make it to the Top 3 defenses in the league. But heading into Week 7, their overall record still stands out.

Barring the Tennessee game, the Bills were the top NFL defense heading into Week 6 in terms of points allowed. We will consider the Titans game an aberration and keep them this high.

#1 - Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals remain unbeaten and the offense is turbocharged, but the defense must also be considered as a vital cog in their success so far. In their last game against the Cleveland Browns, they allowed just 14 points, one of which was a Hail Mary.

They had 5 sacks and 6 quarterback hits and, despite the Hail Mary, limited the Browns to less than 300 yards of passing and rushing. Considering that their rushing defense was poor coming into this game, their solid performance against a team that has a good running rhythm is a serious cause of optimism.