Four of the NFL’s top teams struggle defensively. They have survived the issues so far, but the competition level is about to increase exponentially.<\/p>\n
The Kansas City Chiefs<\/a> offense,\u00a0led by second-year wunderkind Patrick Mahomes<\/strong><\/a>, lead the league in points per game with\u00a035.6 <\/a>and yards per game at\u00a0427.2<\/a>. Most of that comes from passing as the Chiefs rank 16th with\u00a0114.4<\/a>\u00a0rushing yards and 23rd with\u00a024.4<\/a>\u00a0attempts, both on a per game basis.<\/p>\n This is an issue with Kareem Hunt<\/strong><\/a> no longer on the roster, someone the team could trust to produce on sporadic work. Spencer Ware<\/strong><\/a> stepped in with mediocre results. Damien Williams<\/strong><\/a> performed admirably with Ware hurt, but it remains to be seen if the former Miami Dolphin<\/a> can keep it up.<\/p>\n Keeping the opposing offense off the field while giving your defense rest pays dividends in the playoffs. Relying so heavily on the pass leads to stopped clocks and quick drives; and more opportunities for the other team. This shows up in the Chiefs ranking 32nd giving up\u00a0282.5<\/a>\u00a0passing yards and 26th against the run, allowing\u00a0126.9<\/a>\u00a0yards per game.<\/p>\n Kansas City can not afford to give the other team extra possessions in the playoffs. Safety Eric Berry’s<\/strong><\/a> return may not be enough. In week 15, the Chiefs were at home to a Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> team they had beaten nine straight times. They lost by a single point on a two-point conversion at the end of regulation.<\/p>\n The Houston Texans<\/a> have gone from worst to first; not surprising considering Deshaun Watson<\/strong><\/a> missed more than half of 2017 with a torn ACL. He has returned to lead the 18th-ranked passing offense with 233.1<\/a> yards per game.\u00a0The rookie numbers were bound to fall, but the Texans also reduced Watson’s volume following a rib injury earlier in the year. Houston still boasts a top-half scoring offense; coming in at 11th with 25.1<\/a> points per game.<\/p>\n Will Fuller<\/strong><\/a> tore his ACL back in Week Eight, meaning DeAndre Hopkins<\/strong><\/a> will need to produce like he did Sunday against the New York Jets<\/a>. Protecting their franchise quarterback is the Texans’ biggest concern going forward, meaning they will need more consistency from a ground game that lacks a true workhorse.<\/p>\n J.J. Watt<\/strong><\/a> has returned to dominant form after suffering through injuries the last two years. His presence has helped Houston rank fourth against the run, holding opposing backfields to 88.3<\/a> rushing yards per game. Conversely, the Texans check in near the bottom against the pass. Over the last three weeks especially, they have given up 337<\/a> passing yards per game. For all the pressure Watt and Jadeveon Clowney<\/strong><\/a> create up front, the secondary featuring safety Tyrann Mathieu<\/strong><\/a> is a liability.<\/p>\n The Texans mask this with their slower pace leading to them having the fifth-ranked scoring defense; allowing 20.1<\/a> points per game. They also give opponents the second-fewest red zone opportunities in the NFL at 2.7<\/a>. Sunday, Houston narrowly escaped with a win against the Jets 29-22. Their competition in the postseason will be substantially better.<\/p>\n The Los Angeles Rams’<\/a> seventh-ranked rushing attack is averaging 129.1 yards per game, spearheaded by\u00a0Todd Gurley<\/strong><\/a>. The Rams passing offense is 12th the past three weeks; putting up 229.3<\/a> yards per game.<\/p>\n Jared Goff<\/strong><\/a> has looked uncomfortable the past few weeks. Defenses have disguised their coverages longer to neutralize the communication between the signal caller and his head coach.\u00a0Cooper Kupp<\/strong><\/a> being gone from the lineup has become more obvious with every game, as he was Goff’s safety blanket.<\/p>\n A star-studded defense is healthy after both Aqib Talib<\/strong><\/a> and Marcus Peters<\/strong><\/a> missed time this year. That pedigree has resulted in the Rams ranking 21st in rushing yards, permitting 123.3<\/a> yards per game. The pass defense ranks 17th; allowing 239.8<\/a> passing yards per game. Those marquee players will need to play up to their reputations if Los Angeles wants to take that next step after losing in the wild card last year.<\/p>\n Aaron Donald<\/strong><\/a> is the only consistent presence on that side of the ball, and teams have started double- and even triple-teaming him to minimize his impact. The Rams returned home and faced the Philadelphia Eagles<\/a>, who had Nick Foles<\/strong><\/a> at quarterback and a banged up secondary. The final score was 30-23 Philly.<\/p>\n Atop the NFC landscape, the New Orleans Saints<\/a> face a different set of questions. Sure, they just came from behind to beat the Carolina Panthers<\/a> on Monday night. They also could only muster 12 points against a defense that came allowing 101.9<\/a> rushing and 250.3<\/a> passing yards per game; good for 7th and 21st, respectively. The Saints quarterback typically plays worse on the road, but the game seemingly played into Drew Brees\u2019<\/strong><\/a> strengths.<\/p>\n The trio of\u00a0Michael Thomas<\/strong><\/a>,\u00a0Alvin Kamara<\/strong><\/a>, and\u00a0Mark Ingram<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>key the Saints’ second-ranked offense to the tune of 32.8<\/a> points per game; a number that has fallen to 16.7 over the last three weeks.<\/p>\n The issue for New Orleans comes from that narrow usage tree. If those three studs are ineffective, who can the Saints count on? Carolina knows New Orleans better than any playoff contenders, so maybe that played into the sluggish night. It is also worth mentioning that as the top seed, the Saints would have the luxury of playing at home; notable for Brees.<\/p>\n Their defense ranks third in scoring; allowing 12<\/a> points per game the last three weeks. They were up to the task against the Panthers, but they lost a similar game only two weeks prior to the Dallas Cowboys<\/a>. These games were on the road, possibly alleviating the concern. The midseason trade for Eli Apple<\/strong><\/a> and the return of\u00a0Marcus Davenport<\/strong><\/a> give New Orleans\u2019 defense some added teeth for a potential championship run.<\/p>\n Four top teams, all with issues defensively. The side of the ball that wins championships. They will need to figure it out quickly, or they all could very well end up on the outside looking in.<\/p>\nHouston Has a Problem<\/h2>\n
Rams Hollywood or Bust<\/h2>\n
Bayou Breakdown<\/h2>\n