The 10 Best NFL Defenses Over the Last Decade

9. 2006 Jacksonville Jaguars

Unlike the well-rounded 2011 Jets’ Defense, the 2006 Jacksonville Jaguars performed much better against the passing game than the run. They had the seventh-best Adjusted Defensive Passing NEP mark over the last 10 NFL seasons, while their Adjusted Defensive Rushing NEP ranks 128th. So it’s no surprise that they were led by two players who excelled in pass defense -- Bobby McCray’s 10 sacks ranked 16th in the NFL, while Rashean Mathis finished third in the league with eight interceptions.

They gave up more than 250 passing yards in regulation only once all season. That opposing quarterback was Peyton Manning, whose 274.8 pass yards per game were the second-most in the NFL that year. Twice the Jaguars held the opposing team to fewer than 60 yards in a game, including a Week 15 domination of the Titans, who they held to 98 total yards of offense.

In terms of yards allowed, Jacksonville’s rush defense wasn’t nearly as bad as their NEP suggests. They held opponents to an average of 3.5 yards per game on the ground -- third-best in the NFL that year -- but it was the touchdowns that hurt them. The 14 rushing touchdowns they allowed were tied for the 11th-most in the NFL in 2006. The rushing touchdowns allowed, along with their offense’s -5.73 Adjusted NEP, kept Jacksonville out of the playoffs with an 8-8 record, despite their dominance defending against the pass.