Honestly, if you're just looking at total yards to judge a team's grit, you're missing the forest for the trees. Defensive stats in pro football are messy. By the time we hit January 2026, the NFL rushing defense rankings 2025 told a story that raw box scores usually hide. You’ve got teams that look like brick walls because nobody bothers running on them, and then you’ve got the actual monsters who make every single yard feel like a car crash.
The Jacksonville Jaguars finished the 2025 regular season sitting right at the top, allowing a measly 85.6 yards per game. That’s insane. Especially when you consider they were giving up over 130 on the ground just a year prior.
The Brick Walls: Top 5 NFL Rushing Defense Rankings 2025
If you want to talk about dominant units, you have to start with the Jags and the Broncos. Denver was basically a "no-fly zone" that also decided to stop letting people walk through the front door. They finished #2 in the league, giving up only 91.1 yards per contest. It wasn't just about the volume, though. Their efficiency was what really killed offensive coordinators' spirits.
Look at the Seahawks. Mike Macdonald has that unit playing like they're in a fever dream. They ranked #3, allowing 91.9 yards. They’re fast. They swarm. Honestly, seeing DeMarcus Lawrence transition to that Seattle front and still dominate against the run at his age is kind of ridiculous. He was the only edge defender with multiple forced fumbles specifically against the run this year.
Then you have the Houston Texans at #4 (93.7 yards) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers rounding out the top five at 99.1 yards. It’s a short list of teams that kept opponents under that 100-yard mark.
Why the Bengals and Giants Struggled
On the flip side, we have to talk about the basement. The Cincinnati Bengals were… well, they were a sieve. They ranked dead last (#32), giving up a staggering 147.1 yards per game. It’s hard to win games when you're letting teams average 5.2 yards every time they hand the ball off.
The Giants weren't much better at #31. They gave up over 145 yards per game. When you see the Giants and Bengals at the bottom of the NFL rushing defense rankings 2025, you start to see why their seasons went off the rails. You can't control the clock if you can't stop the run. It’s football 101, but it’s a lesson those front offices are going to be chewing on all through the 2026 draft.
Efficiency vs. Volume: The PFF Factor
Total yards allowed is the "official" metric, but real junkies look at yards per carry (YPC) and run-stop percentage. This is where things get interesting.
The Seattle Seahawks actually led the league in YPC allowed, holding teams to a ridiculous 3.7 yards.
That’s the difference between a 3rd-and-short and a 3rd-and-long.
It changes everything.
Jack Campbell in Detroit? The kid is a freak. PFF gave him a 93.0 run-defense grade, which is actually the highest they’ve ever given a linebacker in their history. He had 44 run stops. If you’re not familiar with that stat, a "stop" is basically a tackle that results in a "failure" for the offense based on down and distance. Campbell was essentially a heat-seeking missile for 17 straight weeks.
The Mid-Season Trade That Changed Everything
We can't discuss the NFL rushing defense rankings 2025 without mentioning the Quinnen Williams trade. Moving from the Jets to the Cowboys mid-season was the biggest defensive domino to fall. Dallas was struggling—hard—to stop the run early on.
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Once Quinnen arrived, his 14% run-stop percentage basically stabilized a sinking ship. Even though the Cowboys finished in the bottom third of the league in total rushing yards allowed (125.5 per game), their "Havoc" rate skyrocketed in December. They became a much more dangerous team in the playoffs because of that interior presence.
2025 Final Rushing Defense Leaders (Yards Per Game)
- Jacksonville Jaguars: 85.6
- Denver Broncos: 91.1
- Seattle Seahawks: 91.9
- Houston Texans: 93.7
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 99.1
- New England Patriots: 100.9
- Indianapolis Colts: 101.9
- Kansas City Chiefs: 105.7
- Baltimore Ravens: 106.6
- LA Chargers: 107.6
What This Means for 2026
If you're looking at these numbers to predict next season, keep an eye on the Vikings. They ranked 22nd in yards allowed (124.1) but 6th in "Havoc" plays. That suggests they have the talent to disrupt, but they're giving up too many explosive runs.
Teams like the Jaguars and Texans have built their rosters from the inside out. It's not flashy. It doesn't always make the highlight reels like a 60-yard bomb, but it’s why they were playing meaningful football in January.
For your own analysis, stop looking at "Total Yards" as the gold standard. Check the YPC. Look at the run-stop percentages. A team that gives up 110 yards because the other team ran the ball 40 times is actually much better than a team that gives up 90 yards on only 15 carries. Context is king in the NFL rushing defense rankings 2025, and it'll be the same story in 2026.
If you're building a fantasy roster or just trying to win an argument at the bar, start by checking which teams improved their defensive line personnel this offseason. The Jags showed us that a one-year turnaround is possible if you hit on the right interior players. Keep a close watch on the Bengals and Commanders this spring; they have the most ground to make up and the draft capital to do it.