NFL defensive line rankings heading into Week 8

• Jaguars rise thanks to Arik Armstead: ex 49 earned a game grade of 89.9, his highest for the Jaguars and his best since Week 3 of 2023.

• Slide for Saints: The unit had the second-worst run defense record of the week.

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Estimated reading time: 15 minutes

The defensive line is the heart of any successful defense, its job is to both confuse the opposing quarterback with the pass and stop rushing attacks at the line of scrimmage.

Elite defensive lines can change the course of a game by applying pressure, forcing rushed shots and creating turnovers, and suppressing the game to control the tempo.

This season we’ll be following the NFL defensive line throughout the season. Unlike our offensive line ratingswhich in some cases take into account the results of the previous season ratingsthese ratings will be based solely on the 2024 game.

While Detroit Lions retain their spot at number two, signs point to them struggling without star power Aidan Hutchinson. Ahead of Week 7 of the 2024 NFL regular season, here are the weekly updates ratings We are approaching 8 weeks.

Key:

Best Player = Highest Score for the Season.

Red text = player rated below 60 (replacement level)

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (no changes)

Top five by number of shots:

Highsmith returned from injury and picked up where he left off with an overall game grade of 84.3.

Best Player: TJ Watt

After putting on a great performance in Week 6 to protect the series, the Jets weren’t going to let that happen again. New York double-teamed and triple-teamed Watt all night, resulting in a modest overall game score of 69.0.

2. Detroit Lions (no changes)

Top five by number of shots:

Without Hutchinson for the first time this season, the Lions defensive line looked ordinary and was fifth worst for the week. The unit recorded its lowest per-game score all season.

Best Player: Alim McNeil

McNeil has been a delight for passers over the last three games, as he has 16 pressures, a 13.1% pass-rush win percentage and a 74.4 pass-rush rating.

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