Stop me if you heard this…wait, no, don’t stop. Keep reading defenses matter. What defense a quarterback goes up against can be the difference between a win and a loss for their team but, more importantly, for our fantasy fortunes.
For instance, did you know that Patrick Mahomes feasted on Cover-2 defenses last season and struggled against the blitz? Against the blitz, he averaged a 60.9 quarterback rating.
And if you are playing DFS, did you know that, on average, quarterbacks and wide receivers beat their expected fantasy points when playing against 3-4 defenses? While running backs beat their expected points going against 4-3 defenses. (Thanks to fantasylabs.com for the info). So, who plays what against whom, it matters. (“Concentrate on defense because the offense will come.”-Andrew Bogut)
AFC DIVISIONS
AFC NORTH
PITTSBURGH STEELERS, DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR,
TERYL AUSTIN
This is the first year for Austin as the Steelers’ defensive coordinator. He was the Steelers’ senior defensive assistant/secondary coach for three seasons.
Brian Flores has been added as the senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach.
2021 Steelers had the worst run defense giving up an average of 143.8 rushing yards per game.
Scheme
Flores typically ran a hybrid 3-4 and 4-3 defensive scheme. Historically, the Steelers have run a 3-4 scheme in the sub package of 2-4-5 nickel or 2-3-6 dime package.
There are suggestions that the Steelers are going to a three-safety hybrid defense with the acquisition of Damontae Kazee.
Minkah Fitzpatrick can play down low and is good when he drops from a two-high alignment to stop routes at the linebacker level. Terrell Edmunds is the most physical and does his best work in the box, and Kazee has had 12 interceptions since 2013, which is the fifth best among safeties over that time.
Baltimore Ravens, Defensive Coordinator, Mike Macdonald
This is the first year for Macdonald as the Ravens’ defensive coordinator.
2021 Ravens ranked last in passing defense, giving up an average of 278.9 passing yards per game.
Scheme
The Ravens scheme revolves around a three-man defensive line with hybrid players.
Cincinnati Bengals, Defensive Coordinator, Lou Anarumo
This is Anarumo’s third season as the Bengals defensive coordinator.
2021 Bengals defense ranked 26th in average passing yards per game, giving up an average of 248.7 passing yards.
Scheme
The Bengals use four defensive linemen on the line of scrimmage, two linebackers, and five defensive backs. The blitz often relies on the safeties to create turnovers. The Bengals’ defensive coordinator often likes to employ wrinkles specific to each offense they meet.
Week1 2021, they used a three-safety look on third downs and never used that look again. Against Baltimore, they went with a blitz-heavy package that used cornerbacks and safeties in the middle of the field. Did not use that package again.
Cleveland Browns, Defensive Coordinator, Joe Woods
Woods has been a defensive coordinator for five years. He has been with the Browns for three years.
2021 the Browns ranked fifth in opponents passing yards per game (202.3) and 12th in rushing yards per game allowed (109.2).
Scheme
The Browns run a two-man coverage Cover-3 with Quarters.
In 2021 the Browns ran a zone defense 72.7% of the time. That was the fourth highest rate in the NFL. They used the zone defense utilizing only two linebackers on the field.
AFC SOUTH
Tennessee Titans, Defensive Coordinator, Shane Bowen
Bowen was appointed defensive coordinator last season. He has been with the Titans for five seasons.
Titans ranked number one in rushing yards allowed per game. They gave up an average of 83.5 yards per game.
Scheme
The Titans run a base 3-4 but will have different alignments. They sometimes have four defensive linemen or have one or two defensive linemen with three or four linebackers on the field. The Titans usually play man coverage on the backend with a single deep safety.
Houston Texans, Defensive Coordinator, Unnamed
Lovie Smith was the defensive coordinator, and now he is the head coach.
2021 the Texans allowed the second most rushing yards per game. The defense gave up an average of 142.2 rushing yards a game.
Scheme
The Texans ran a version of the Tampa-2. This version is a Cover-2, except that the middle linebacker is responsible for recognizing a pass versus a run. When he recognizes a pass, he drops back deep in the middle of the field between the two safeties and cover a third passing zone.
The Texans went away from the Tampa-2 in the second half of 2021.
Jacksonville Jaguars, Defensive Coordinator, Mike Caldwell
This will be Caldwell’s first season as defensive coordinator for the Jaguars. The coaching staff was revamped after last year’s Urban Meyer disaster.
Scheme
The Jaguars’ personnel are built to operate a blitz-heavy, 3-4 defense. Expectations are that something like a 3-4 base front with plenty of blitzing from every level with a mix of coverages will be utilized.
Indianapolis Colts, Defensive Coordinator, Gus Bradly
This will be Bradley’s first season as defensive coordinator for the Colts.
In 2021, under Matt Eberflus, the Colts ranked 19th in average passing yards allowed, 234.1, and 11th in average rushing yards allowed 109.1.
Scheme
Per JJ Stankevitz, broadly speaking, Bradley’s scheme is Cover-3. His defense involves playing lots of match coverages and split safety looks.
Last season Bradley’s Las Vegas Raiders blitzed on 75 coverage snaps. They blitzed the fewest amount of any team. But per Pro Football Focus, the Raiders also had the highest coverage grade and the third-highest pass rushing grade when they blitzed.
AFC EAST
Buffalo Bills, Defensive Coordinator, Leslie Frazier
In 2021, the Bills finished first in total defense, first in average passing yards allowed (176.7), first in generated pressure on 30.6% snaps, and 15th in average rushing yards allowed (112.5). Yet they ranked 26th in the league in blitzing on 19.7% snaps.
Scheme
The Bills basically run a 4-3 defensive scheme. Frazier was ranked the best defensive play caller by Pro Football Focus.
New England Patriots, Defensive Coordinator, No one named
Head coach Bill Belichick has not named a defensive coordinator or an offensive coordinator for the 2022 season.
Scheme
The Patriots have run a Fairbanks-Bullough 3-4 defensive system. This is also known as a two-gap system. Each defensive linemen are required to cover the gaps to both sides of the offensive linemen that try to block them.
They have also used a 4-3 defense and increased their use of the nickel defense.
Last season the defense ran a zone-based coverage scheme from Weeks1-6 on approximately 38% of snaps. For the remainder of the season, they revved it up 69%.
Miami Dolphins, Defensive Coordinator, Josh Boyer
Boyer is a hold-over from the Brian Flores regime.
In 2021, the Dolphins finished seventh in sacks (48) and eighth in takeaways with 26.
In 2021, the Dolphins lost seven of its first eight games. They allowed 29.1 points per game (29th), 406.9 yards per game (32nd), and 12 sacks (T28th).
In the next nine games, they won eight. They gave up 15.6 points per game (2nd), 275.9 yards per game (3rd), and had 36 sacks (T3rd).
New York Jets, Defensive Coordinator, Jeff Ulbrich
The Jets’ defense was the third worst defense against the pass. They allowed 259.4 average passing yards per game. They were the fourth worst against the run, allowing an average of 138.3 rushing yards per game.
Scheme
The Jets will most likely employ a 4-2-5 lineup. This is out of a 4-3 base.
Ulbrich has stated that “30-35” snaps is approximately the maximum total he wants any of the team’s linemen to play per game.
AFC WEST
Kansas City Chiefs, Defensive Coordinator, Steve Spagnuolo
The Chiefs were 27th against the pass last season. They allowed 248.7 average passing yards per game.
Scheme
The Chiefs play a hybrid 4-3 scheme. No team played more man coverage than the Chiefs. They played Cover-1 with a single-high safety and ran it more than any other. Their man coverage rate was 63.5%.
Los Angeles Chargers, Defensive Coordinator, Renaldo Hill
Last season the Chargers allowed the ninth highest expected points allowed per play. They ranked 21st in run defense grade and 14th out of the 17th teams with at least 25 snaps in an odd front.
They ranked in the bottom half in average yards per carry (4.6) and sacks (35th).
Scheme
The Chargers have relied on an odd front with a basic 3-4. Their defensive philosophy is dependent on the three interior defensive tackles to anchor and play with heavy hands.
Denver Broncos, Defensive Coordinator, Ejiro Evero
This will be Evero’s first season as the defensive coordinator in Denver. The entire coaching staff is new.
The Broncos were 18th in sacks allowed with 36. They were third in points allowed (18.9).
Scheme
The defense is suspected to run a 3-4 base defense. It is also likely they will blitz a lot.
Las Vegas Raiders, Defensive Coordinator, Patrick Graham
This will be Graham’s first season as the defensive coordinator for the Raiders.
The Raiders’ defense was 16th against the run allowing 112.6 rushing yards per game, and 12th against the pass, allowing an average of 223.0 passing yards per game last season under Gus Bradley.
Scheme
Graham has primarily run the 3-4. He allows the outside linebackers to be both coverage players and pass rushers. His defenses usually utilize zone coverage over man, running a mixture of Cover-3 and Cover-6, allowing the defensive player to drop back and read the offense.
Graham prefers to run zone on early downs and play more man coverage on third and fourth downs. His defensives have also tended to blitz more on third and fourth downs.
AND NOW FOR THE BREAKDOWN…
There really is no breakdown. The AFC runs through the West this year. The defenses should be ready for an offensive bonanza.