Green Bay Packers headline surprising defensive rankings
originally appeared on The Sporting News

Defense still wins championships, and a handful of NFL units have already made their case as Super Bowl-caliber through the opening weeks of the 2025 season. While offenses grab the headlines, these defenses are the ones that can dictate outcomes, take over games and tilt the postseason race.

At the top of the list, the Green Bay Packers are reminding the league that a suffocating defense can spark a title run.

The Packers’ offseason blockbuster move for Micah Parsons has transformed an already talented group into something downright terrifying. Parsons isn’t just wrecking offensive game plans, he’s lifting the play of everyone around him. Through two games, Green Bay has given up only three touchdowns while producing eight sacks. Opponents Detroit and Washington combined for just 2.3 yards per carry.

“Relentless. Just physical, aggressive, attacking,” coach Matt LaFleur said of his defense. “The play style is exactly what we want from these guys, and it always starts with the energy and effort.”

That energy shows up everywhere on film. Rashan Gary is coming off a Pro Bowl season and already has 2.5 sacks. Lukas Van Ness looks like a completely different player after a shaky start to his career. Karl Brooks, Devonte Wyatt and Colby Wooden are locking down the middle. Linebackers Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker fly to the ball with speed and instinct. In the secondary, Javon Bullard brings toughness, Keisean Nixon has emerged as a true CB1, and safeties Xavier McKinny and Evan Williams round out a balanced back end.

Green Bay may be young, but the buy-in is clear. With Parsons setting the tone, this group doesn’t show a weakness. If the Packers’ offense holds up its end, the defense is built to take them the distance.

The Packers headline this ranking, but they’re not alone. The Baltimore Ravens continue to be overwhelming with their physicality and depth. The San Francisco 49ers still boast one of the most complete front sevens in football. The New York Jets, powered by Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, remain a nightmare to throw against. And the Kansas City Chiefs, who quietly reshaped their unit over the past two years, are built to complement Patrick Mahomes with a defense that can close games.

Five defenses, one goal: to prove that when January arrives, the Lombardi Trophy will belong to the team that hits the hardest and tackles the best.

In a league obsessed with quarterbacks and offensive highlight plays, these defenses are the equalizers. They don’t just keep teams in games they put teams in position to win the whole thing.

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