NFL Power Rankings: The Washington Redskins and 4 Most Underrated Defenses

There are a number of vastly underrated defenses in the NFL this season.

One reason certain defenses may go unnoticed is because there hasn't even been three full weeks of action, but bias from previous seasons also carries over.

Either way, a few teams have exceeded expectations and their defenses are the main contributors towards that resurgence.

In this article, I list the five defenses that are the most underrated in the league this season. 

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Raheem Morris and his young Tampa Bay Bucs' team put on a tremendous defensive performance on Sunday when they defeated the Atlanta Falcons.

Tampa Bay's defense forced three turnovers and sacked Matt Ryan four times in its best showing of the season.

They did allow Ryan to throw for 330 yards in the contest, but the Tampa Bay defense held Michael Turner to just 20 yards on the ground.

This team is full of young talent and will only improve as the season continues.

San Francisco 49ers

The 49ers have played two of the NFL's weakest offenses in Seattle and Cincinnati, but this team still has a plethora of playmakers.

Patrick Willis is having yet another stellar season, and Carlos Rogers has been a nice addition in the secondary. The defense forced three Cincinnati turnovers in Week 3, which eventually won their team the game.

The 49ers' defense will be able to prove its worth when they take on a potent Philadelphia offense in Week 4.

Cleveland Browns

The Browns believe that they can compete in the AFC North and with the way that their defense is playing, I don't see why not.

The Browns are ranked third in the NFL against the pass. However, they are also ranked just 29th against the run which is something that they will have a chance to correct during the bye week.

The defense has placed consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks as well, and they already have 11.5 sacks on the season. This is an extremely young team and, like the Buccaneers, they are only going to get better.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans have allowed the least amount of yards to opposing offenses through Sunday and have done it all without some of the big names that we expect on this defense. 

The team ranks second against the pass and ninth against the run, but they are not yet receiving the credit they deserve. 

They stopped a Baltimore offense that played great against both Pittsburgh and St. Louis, and have yet to allow more than 14 points in a game this season.

The Titans have a great chance of winning the AFC South, especially with Indianapolis out of the race.  

Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins have been a pleasant surprise thus far in the 2011 season, and they were able to prove their worth against a tough Dallas team last night on MNF.

The Redskins have arguably the best front seven in all of football and can get after the quarterback with the best of them.

London Fletcher is still playing at a Pro Bowl level and Brian Orakpo has developed into one of the best young linebackers in the game. 

The team will continue to look for production from first-round pick Ryan Kerrigan, and I fully expect that they will get it.