Ranking the 10 Best Pass-Rushing Teams in the NFL
Defensive players who are part of a strong front seven are key personnel for teams. Teams that have good pass-rushers find a way to terrorize quarterbacks, get in their heads and create plenty of short-lived drives.
At the end of the day, pass-rushers can sometimes become difference-makers if they apply plenty of pressure on the quarterback. Some players have been able to do that, giving their team the upper hand, especially in some close contests.
In this slideshow, we rank the 10 teams with the best pass-rushing groups based on how many sacks and hurries the top players have collected. As always, chime in with your thoughts below.
10. Dallas Cowboys
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DE: Jeremy Mincey: 1 sack, 9 hurries
DE: Tyrone Crawford: 0 sacks, 5 hurries
Defensive ends Jeremy Mincey and Tyrone Crawford have managed to provide pressure throughout the season but have only combined for one sack. In fact, Mincey’s sole sack came recently on Monday Night Football in Week 8 against the Washington Redskins.
Although Henry Melton leads the team in sacks with 3.5 and owns more than one-third of Dallas’ sack total, Mincey and Crawford have provided most of the pressure and have been good at hurrying quarterbacks.
Mincey and Crawford have had a big hand in helping the Cowboys get off to a 6-2 start.
9. Chicago Bears
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DE Willie Young: 7 sacks, 1 hurry
NT Stephen Paea: 4 sacks, 2 hurries
DT Jay Ratliff: 3.5 sacks, 1 hurry
Chicago’s success up front has been a correlation with the success the defensive backs have had so far in coming up with picks. Chicago is currently 12th in sacks and seventh in interceptions.
Despite the lack of activity from Jared Allen, who joined the team this offseason, Willie Young has led the way for the Bears.
Although stopping the run has been a weakness, the Bears have managed to do well against the pass throughout most of the season.
8. Philadelphia Eagles
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OLB Connor Barwin: 6 sacks, 4 hurries,
DE Vinny Curry: 4 sacks, 3 hurries
OLB Trent Cole: 3.5 sacks, 5 hurries
Philadelphia’s pass rush has not translated into interceptions. But the front seven has done its job in pressuring quarterbacks and trying to end offensive drives.
Connor Barwin and Trent Cole have solidified a strong duo as outside linebackers, while Vinny Curry has provided supplemental pressure up front at the line.
If the Eagles secondary can take advantage, the team will begin to collect more interceptions.
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7. Baltimore Ravens
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OLB Elvis Dumervil: 7 sacks, 6 hurries
OLB Pernell McPhee: 4 sacks, 3 hurries
Baltimore’s starting outside linebackers have combined for 11 sacks—one of the best totals between two outside linebackers on the same team.
Elvis Dumervil continues to be one of the top defensive players in the league in his second year in Baltimore. Pernell McPhee had a strong showing his rookie season but was quiet the last two years. He has slowly returned to his 2011 form, which might make a difference on defense for the Ravens.
6. San Diego Chargers
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OLB Dwight Freeney: 2 sacks, 13 hurries
DE Corey Liuget: 2.5 sacks, 5 hurries
In terms of sacks, the San Diego Chargers do not have a player who stands out statistically. But behind the numbers, Dwight Freeney has been a thorn in the side of opposing quarterbacks, leading the league in hurries with 13.
Corey Liuget is the other notable pass-rusher for San Diego, helping Freeney get to the quarterback.
If San Diego can come up with more sacks, it will make a difference and improve its defense.
5. Minnesota Vikings
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DE Everson Griffen: 8 sacks, 7 hurries
DT Tom Johnson: 5 sacks, 2 hurries
DE Brian Robison: 0.5 sacks, 7 hurries
Losing Jared Allen to the Chicago Bears was not easy to accept for Minnesota, but the Vikings moved on and have had success this year with their defensive line.
With very few highlights this season, Everson Griffen is third in the league in sacks. He just tied his career all-time high for most sacks in a single season when he had eight in 2012. He is more than likely to pass that, and he's poised to play in his first Pro Bowl.
Tom Johnson and Brian Robison have provided additional help at the defensive line, giving quarterbacks little time in the pocket.
4. Houston Texans
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DE J.J. Watt: 7 sacks, 7 hurries
OLB Whitney Mercilus: 2 sacks, 8 hurries
J.J. Watt gets most of the attention on the team (and in the NFL) for his ability to beat offensive linemen and terrorize quarterbacks, and rightfully so. He has seven sacks and seven pass deflections, more than any defensive lineman in the NFL.
Whitney Mercilus has also assisted Watt in pressuring opposing quarterbacks, helping drives come to an end while making Houston a stout and tough defense.
3. Buffalo Bills
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NT Marcell Dareus: 7 sacks, 2 hurries
DE Mario Williams: 6 sacks, 3 hurries
DE Jerry Hughes: 5.5 sacks, 5 hurries
DT Kyle Williams: 2.5 sacks, 3 hurries
The Bills have arguably the best defensive line in football with Mario Williams, Kyle Williams and Marcell Dareus all coming off Pro Bowl appearances last year.
Dareus, Williams and Jerry Hughes rank in the top 12 in the NFL in sacks. Buffalo’s defensive line has created issues for opposing offenses.
Although Dareus ties fourth in the league in sacks and leads the team, all four of Buffalo’s defensive linemen have had a hand in getting to the quarterback. The defensive line owns 21 of the team’s 28 sacks.
In addition to being the key in helping create 12 interceptions, the Bills defensive line has allowed just three rushing touchdowns.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
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OLB Justin Houston: 10 sacks, 7 hurries
OLB Tamba Hali: 4 sacks, 3 hurries
Justin Houston and Tamba Hali have been tabbed as one of the most dangerous pass-rushing duos in the NFL. They made the last two Pro Bowls and are likely to do so again.
Houston currently leads the league in sacks and has recorded three multi-sack games. He has dragged down opposing quarterbacks in six of Kansas City’s seven games this season.
Houston’s sidekick, Hali, has provided additional pressure from the other side, making it hard for blockers, as offensive coordinators have no answer for stopping them. Opposing quarterbacks have struggled against Kansas City’s front seven.
1. Denver Broncos
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OLB Von Miller: 9 sacks, 7 hurries
DE DeMarcus Ware: 7 sacks, 3 hurries
It is hard to make a case against the Denver Broncos when they own two of the top four league leaders in sacks.
Adding DeMarcus Ware was the biggest offseason addition in the NFL. His presence and performance have made a big difference for Denver’s defense, improving it to fourth after finishing 14th in 2013.
Von Miller continues his dominance, as he is second in the league with nine sacks. He is returning to his 2012 form, when he registered 18.5 sacks.
Statistics courtesy of Sporting Charts and ESPN.
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