PTF 2007 DEFENSIVE TALENT POWER RANKINGS
One weighting system for every defense. Scheme changes personnel usage — not the value of the position group.
HOW THE RANKINGS WORK
This version deliberately removes the separate 4-3 and 3-4 weighting formulas.
We already know which teams use a 4-3 and which use a 3-4. The individual position-room rankings already account for the players each team actually uses in that structure. Because of that, the overall defensive ranking does not need to artificially re-weight a position simply because the base front changes.
Every team now uses the exact same five-unit formula:
30% Secondary + 20% MLB + 18% OLB + 17% DE + 15% DT/NT
The philosophy is simple:
Secondary — 30%: the most important unit because it represents five regularly used defenders and directly controls the passing game.
MLB — 20%: the most important linebacker component and the central organizer of the defense.
OLB — 18%: very close to MLB, but slightly less influential overall.
DE — 17%: the more valuable defensive-line room because edge pressure has greater impact than interior depth.
DT/NT — 15%: still important, but the lowest of the five unit weights.
The scheme is retained as context only.
4-3 teams are marked 4-3 and naturally use their proper 4-3 personnel.
3-4 teams are marked 3-4 and naturally use their proper 3-4 personnel, including the interior player functioning as the nose tackle.
There is no 330-pound cutoff, no zero score for lacking a certain body type, and no extra 3-4 DE size adjustment in the overall formula. If a team actually uses a player in that role, his established unit NOVR counts.
League-average defensive score: 84.48
League median defensive score: 84.70
THE FULL LEAGUE DEFENSIVE POWER RANKING
1. Bills — 91.09 — 3-4 — SEC 93.80 | MLB 77.5 | OLB 94.5 | DE 97.0 | NT 93.0
2. Lions — 91.07 — 4-3 — SEC 91.28 | MLB 91.0 | OLB 87.5 | DE 95.5 | DT 90.0
3. Eagles — 90.59 — 4-3 — SEC 92.88 | MLB 93.0 | OLB 75.0 | DE 95.0 | DT 96.5
4. Titans — 89.32 — 3-4 — SEC 85.98 | MLB 83.0 | OLB 93.0 | DE 95.5 | NT 93.0
5. Cowboys — 88.30 — 3-4 — SEC 91.10 | MLB 83.0 | OLB 85.5 | DE 87.5 | NT 94.0
6. Jaguars — 88.20 — 4-3 — SEC 90.10 | MLB 97.0 | OLB 89.0 | DE 87.5 | DT 72.5
7. Dolphins — 86.72 — 4-3 — SEC 87.10 | MLB 99.0 | OLB 79.5 | DE 83.0 | DT 82.5
8. Bears — 86.37 — 4-3 — SEC 85.73 | MLB 84.0 | OLB 95.0 | DE 92.5 | DT 73.5
9. Buccaneers — 85.72 — 4-3 — SEC 87.30 | MLB 89.0 | OLB 86.0 | DE 75.0 | DT 90.0
10. Ravens — 85.63 — 3-4 — SEC 92.70 | MLB 83.5 | OLB 65.0 | DE 91.0 | NT 93.0
11. Chargers — 85.59 — 4-3 — SEC 91.30 | MLB 86.0 | OLB 73.0 | DE 92.0 | DT 81.5
12. Broncos — 85.49 — 4-3 — SEC 94.08 | MLB 89.0 | OLB 82.0 | DE 76.5 | DT 78.0
13. Giants — 85.31 — 4-3 — SEC 89.65 | MLB 90.0 | OLB 86.5 | DE 80.0 | DT 75.0
14. Steelers — 84.91 — 4-3 — SEC 87.88 | MLB 94.0 | OLB 83.5 | DE 77.0 | DT 77.5
15. Panthers — 84.75 — 3-4 — SEC 85.08 | MLB 79.5 | OLB 77.0 | DE 89.5 | NT 95.0
16. Redskins — 84.64 — 4-3 — SEC 84.53 | MLB 98.0 | OLB 87.0 | DE 72.5 | DT 78.0
17. Packers — 84.53 — 3-4 — SEC 88.30 | MLB 74.5 | OLB 82.5 | DE 90.5 | NT 86.0 - Updated MLB ranking, now its calculated with G. Wilkinson
18. Browns — 84.33 — 4-3 — SEC 81.45 | MLB 72.0 | OLB 90.0 | DE 92.5 | DT 90.5
19. 49ers — 83.91 — 4-3 — SEC 83.62 | MLB 79.0 | OLB 93.5 | DE 87.0 | DT 76.0
20. Texans — 83.38 — 4-3 — SEC 87.53 | MLB 92.0 | OLB 81.5 | DE 74.0 | DT 76.5
21. Patriots — 83.37 — 4-3 — SEC 88.78 | MLB 78.0 | OLB 83.0 | DE 83.5 | DT 80.0
22. Saints — 83.26 — 4-3 — SEC 88.83 | MLB 85.0 | OLB 85.0 | DE 83.0 | DT 68.0
23. Rams — 83.04 — 4-3 — SEC 82.47 | MLB 95.0 | OLB 66.0 | DE 88.5 | DT 82.5
24. Jets — 82.81 — 4-3 — SEC 87.85 | MLB 70.0 | OLB 81.0 | DE 81.5 | DT 93.5
25. Vikings — 82.06 — 4-3 — SEC 75.33 | MLB 85.0 | OLB 93.5 | DE 74.0 | DT 87.0
26. Falcons — 81.57 — 4-3 — SEC 87.98 | MLB 89.0 | OLB 77.5 | DE 69.0 | DT 78.0
27. Cardinals — 81.57 — 4-3 — SEC 84.28 | MLB 73.0 | OLB 91.5 | DE 79.5 | DT 78.0
28. Bengals — 81.13 — 4-3 — SEC 88.30 | MLB 84.0 | OLB 73.5 | DE 83.0 | DT 70.0
29. Colts — 80.36 — 4-3 — SEC 86.18 | MLB 73.0 | OLB 81.5 | DE 84.5 | DT 72.5
30. Chiefs — 78.88 — 3-4 — SEC 81.10 | MLB 63.5 | OLB 77.5 | DE 93.5 | NT 80.0
31. Raiders — 78.81 — 3-4 — SEC 85.15 | MLB 80.0 | OLB 70.0 | DE 78.0 | NT 76.0
32. Seahawks — 76.25 — 3-4 — SEC 86.95 | MLB 61.5 | OLB 79.0 | DE 57.0 | NT 93.0
TOP 4-3 DEFENSES
1. Lions — 91.07 — League 2
2. Eagles — 90.59 — League 3
3. Jaguars — 88.20 — League 6
4. Dolphins — 86.72 — League 7
5. Bears — 86.37 — League 8
6. Buccaneers — 85.72 — League 9
7. Chargers — 85.59 — League 11
8. Broncos — 85.49 — League 12
9. Giants — 85.31 — League 13
10. Steelers — 84.91 — League 14
11. Redskins — 84.64 — League 17
12. Browns — 84.33 — League 18
TOP 3-4 DEFENSES
1. Bills — 91.09 — League 1
2. Titans — 89.32 — League 4
3. Cowboys — 88.30 — League 5
4. Ravens — 85.63 — League 10
5. Panthers — 84.75 — League 16
6. Packers — 84.53 — League 17
7. Chiefs — 78.88 — League 30
8. Raiders — 78.81 — League 31
9. Seahawks — 76.25 — League 32
WHY THIS MODEL IS CLEANER
1. Scheme is information, not a bonus or penalty.
A 3-4 team is not automatically punished because its DT room contains one base interior starter instead of two. A 4-3 team is not automatically rewarded because its DEs are the primary rushers.
2. The existing unit rankings do the personnel work.
The DT article already accounts for one base interior starter in a 3-4 and two in a 4-3. The MLB ranking already accounts for the different inside-linebacker structure. The overall model simply combines those established room scores.
3. The positional hierarchy is now intuitive.
Secondary is clearly first. MLB and OLB are close, with MLB slightly higher. DE carries a little more value than DT/NT. Nothing changes just because the team writes 3-4 instead of 4-3 next to its base defense.
DIVISION-BY-DIVISION BREAKDOWN
AFC EAST
1. Bills — 91.09 — 3-4 — League #1
2. Dolphins — 86.73 — 4-3 — League #7
3. Patriots — 83.37 — 4-3 — League #21
4. Jets — 82.82 — 4-3 — League #24
Buffalo carries the AFC East all the way to the top of the divisional race. The Bills are the #1 defense in PTF, while Miami gives the division a second top-ten unit. New England and New York are more middle-of-the-pack, but neither is bad enough to sink the group.
AFC NORTH
1. Ravens — 85.63 — 3-4 — League #10
2. Steelers — 84.91 — 4-3 — League #14
3. Browns — 84.34 — 4-3 — League #18
4. Bengals — 81.13 — 4-3 — League #28
The AFC North is defined more by depth than by one dominant defense. Baltimore leads the division and remains a top-ten unit, but Pittsburgh and Cleveland are both close enough that the gap between first and third is only 1.30 points. Cincinnati is the clear weak link.
AFC SOUTH
1. Titans — 89.32 — 3-4 — League #4
2. Jaguars — 88.20 — 4-3 — League #6
3. Texans — 83.38 — 4-3 — League #20
4. Colts — 80.36 — 4-3 — League #29
Tennessee and Jacksonville give the AFC South one of the strongest one-two punches in the league. Both defenses rank inside the top six. Houston is respectable, but Indianapolis creates a major drop at the bottom of the division.
AFC WEST
1. Chargers — 85.60 — 4-3 — League #11
2. Broncos — 85.49 — 4-3 — League #12
3. Chiefs — 78.88 — 3-4 — League #30
4. Raiders — 78.81 — 3-4 — League #31
The AFC West is almost split into two completely different tiers. San Diego and Denver are nearly identical top-half defenses, while Kansas City and Oakland sit near the bottom of the league. That imbalance pulls the division average down substantially.
NFC EAST
1. Eagles — 90.59 — 4-3 — League #3
2. Cowboys — 88.30 — 3-4 — League #5
3. Giants — 85.32 — 4-3 — League #13
4. Redskins — 84.64 — 4-3 — League #16
The NFC East is the strongest defensive division in PTF. Philadelphia and Dallas are both top-five defenses, and even the Giants and Redskins sit comfortably in the league's upper half. There is no weak defense in the division.
NFC NORTH
1. Lions — 91.07 — 4-3 — League #2
2. Bears — 86.37 — 4-3 — League #8
3. Packers — 84.53 — 3-4 — League #17
4. Vikings — 82.06 — 4-3 — League #25
Detroit gives the NFC North the #2 defense in the entire league, while Chicago adds another top-ten unit. Green Bay remains solidly in the middle of the league, and Minnesota is the only team that falls clearly below the division's top three.
NFC SOUTH
1. Buccaneers — 85.72 — 4-3 — League #9
2. Panthers — 84.75 — 3-4 — League #15
3. Saints — 83.26 — 4-3 — League #22
4. Falcons — 81.57 — 4-3 — League #26
Tampa Bay gives the NFC South one top-ten defense, with Carolina sitting comfortably around the middle of the league. New Orleans and Atlanta are weaker, but the division avoids having a true bottom-three defense.
NFC WEST
1. 49ers — 83.91 — 4-3 — League #19
2. Rams — 83.04 — 4-3 — League #23
3. Cardinals — 81.57 — 4-3 — League #27
4. Seahawks — 76.25 — 3-4 — League #32
The NFC West is the weakest defensive division. San Francisco leads the group but ranks only #19 overall, while Seattle finishes last in the entire league. There is no top-half defense in the division.
DIVISION STRENGTH RANKING
1. NFC EAST — 87.21
2. NFC NORTH — 86.01
3. AFC EAST — 86.00
4. AFC SOUTH — 85.32
5. AFC NORTH — 84.00
6. NFC SOUTH — 83.83
7. AFC WEST — 82.19
8. NFC WEST — 81.19
The NFC East is clearly the strongest defensive division in PTF, with all four teams ranked #16 or better and two of them inside the top five.
The race for second is almost impossibly close. The NFC North averages 86.01, while the AFC East sits at 86.00. Detroit and Chicago give the NFC North the slightest edge.
The AFC South follows at 85.32 behind the elite Titans/Jaguars pairing.
At the bottom, the AFC West and NFC West both suffer from having two very weak defenses. The NFC West finishes last at 81.19 and is the only division without a single top-16 defense.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This is the version that treats defensive talent most consistently.
The scheme still matters because it determines which players are actually on the field and how the individual unit rankings are constructed. But once those unit scores exist, the overall ranking should ask the same question of every club:
How good is your secondary? How good are your linebackers? How good are your ends? How good is your interior?
That keeps the ranking focused on talent rather than turning the base formation itself into part of the score.
FINAL FORMULA: 30% Secondary + 20% MLB + 18% OLB + 17% DE + 15% DT/NT
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