Which Teams Have the Worst Defenses in the NFL in 2025?

Fri, Nov 7, 2025
by CapperTek

February's Super Bowl LX in San Francisco is beginning to loom ever closer, and as it does so, the Lombardi contenders are beginning to separate themselves from the chasing pack. So far this term, underdogs have risen, with both the Indianapolis Colts and the New England Patriots defying their lowly preseason expectations to currently lead their respective divisions. But it isn't either of those two that online odds providers consider the favorites to leave the Bay Area as champions.

Instead, it's a familiar face that finds itself at the top of the betting charts. The latest Bovada NFL odds currently position the Kansas City Chiefs as the +600 frontrunners to claim a third Lombardi in four seasons, despite their recent form. The lackluster week nine defeat away at the Buffalo Bills has seen Patrick Mahomes and Co. slip to a decidedly average 5-4 record, and if the playoffs were to take place tomorrow, the Chiefs wouldn't even be involved.

But while the bookies predict an Arrowhead redemption act, other teams are currently floundering, shipping points left, right, and center as their seasons go up in smoke. So, which teams have the worst defenses in the NFL, and what can you expect to see from them throughout the second half of the campaign? Let's take a look.

Cincinnati Bengals

Last season, the Cincinnati Bengals' defence was bad. Really bad. In fact, it was so bad that a league-leading passing year from superstar quarterback Joe Burrow and a receiving triple crown from wideout Ja'Marr Chase couldn't lead them to the postseason. Inexplicably, the Cincy defense in 2025 has somehow gotten worse, becoming the stuff of nightmares.

Consider the evidence: in Week 9, they let the Chicago Bears—quarterbacked by sophomore Caleb Williams—hang 47 points and 576 yards on them, capped by a soul-crushing, 58-yard game-winning strike with only 17 seconds left. The statistics are jaw-dropping, but the manner of defeat cuts deeper. Defensive backs like Jordan Battle and Geno Stone missed tackles and assignments with alarming frequency; the front seven couldn’t stem the tide of big runs or explosive pass plays.

But the loss was made all the more painful given the circumstances. Stand-in QB Joe Flacco, replacing a Burrow who has been injured since week two, somehow led the Bengals down the field twice in less than a minute to put his side on the brink of victory. Then, the defense folded in spectacular fashion, missing two tackles on tight end Colston Loveland, who charged home for the win. But that's not all.

Cincinnati's campaign looked alive and well after a week seven victory over its rival Steelers. Then, they proceeded to allow 39 points to a Jets side that hadn’t won all season and had scored just 17 points in its last two games combined. Now this defeat to the Bears leaves any faint postseason hopes in tatters due to statistically the worst defence in the league, with a whopping 300 points in just nine games.

Dallas Cowboys

The warning signs were already gathering at AT&T Stadium before the 2025 season kicked off, when the Cowboys traded away superstar defensive end Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers on the eve of the new campaign. But even the most pessimistic fan of America's Team couldn't predict just how bad their defense would be without the four-time Pro Bowler.

Heading into week nine, Dallas' faint postseason hopes were just about alive, despite blowout losses to both the Broncos and the Bears already notched. The visit of the Cardinals, losers of five straight games, was supposed to be a game in which the Cowboys improved to 4-4 (and one tie). Instead, Arizona's backup quarterback Jacoby Brissett pieced up the hosts, leading his side down the field time and time again, racking up 261 yards and two touchdowns in a resounding 27-17 victory.

Drama swirls in Dallas like storm clouds over AT&T Stadium. The Cowboys’ defense—once a headline-grabbing force—has unraveled in high definition. In Week 8, Denver marched up and down the field, posting 44 points and 427 total yards while Dallas offered little resistance.

The problems cascade: missing cornerbacks, a battered safety corps (Alijah Clark’s injury loomed large), and a pass rush gone stagnant. The analysts lament constant third-down woes and a penchant for surrendering chunk plays. Game after game, this defense buckles, forcing the offense to play catch-up and erasing any margin for error. So far this term, quarterback Dak Prescott has been unable to keep up, and the Cowboys already look dead and buried even by the season's halfway point.

Tennessee Titans

If ever there was a defense crying out for a revival, it’s Tennessee’s. The cold reality: the Titans are hemorrhaging 28.6 points per game—an eye-watering figure by any standard. The defensive front, once anchored by the imposing Harold Landry, has lost its bite. His departure, coupled with the absence of run-stuffer Jeffery Simmons and shutdown corner L’Jarius Sneed (both sidelined by injury), has left the unit perilously thin, culminating in a grim 1-8 record that shows no signs of improving.

The tale of the tape? In a Week 6 defeat to the Raiders, Las Vegas strolled to a 20-10 win as Tennessee’s defense wilted against the run and the pass. The experts highlight how undisciplined tackling and breakdowns in coverage have defined this unit’s descent. While the Titans occasionally force turnovers, the onslaught of big plays and missed assignments leaves rookie QB Cam Ward perpetually on the back foot. Any statistical deep dive—yards yielded, points allowed, red zone futility—hammers home the verdict: the 2025 Tennessee defense is a liability of historic proportions.