NFLs top defensive divisions AFC East NFC West dominate

Yesterday, . Today, I'm turning my attention to the defensive side of the ball. How do the rankings shake out? See below:8) AFC SouthThe are the defensive kings of the AFC South, with the rest of the division lacking star power on that side of the ball. headlines a rock-solid defense featuring fellow proven playmakers and . With , and capable of shutting out receivers on the perimeter, the can dictate the terms to offenses around the NFL. The ' defense will live in the shadows of their high-powered offense, but the team will only make a run if the defense carries its weight. The unit struggled stopping the run in 2014; coordinator Greg Manusky must find a way to plug the holes between the tackles. and had difficulty tackling big backs on power-based runs, and how well they hold up at the point of attack will be critical to the unit's postseason survival.Coach Gus Bradley has some intriguing pieces to build around in Jacksonville. brings a big-bodied presence to the front, with athletic and physical sideline-to-sideline players and backing him up -- they should be good enough to keep the competitive when they are overmatched on the field. Dick LeBeau joined Ray Horton this offseason to fix the ' defense, but the unit doesn't have enough blue-chippers to challenge the top offenses in the NFL.7) NFC SouthDefensive play in the NFC South has dipped in recent years -- with the exception of the . Ron Rivera's squad has dominated on the strength of stellar play from and . The energetic tandem breathes life into the unit with tenacity, toughne s and physicality; they also excel at clogging pa sing lanes between the hashes and knocking the ball loose from receivers. Under-the-radar cover corners and could emerge as the division's top cornerback tandem.Credit Dan Quinn for bringing energy to Atlanta, but he'll need to wave a magic wand to get the unit to play with the physicality and force needed to reach the postseason. New additions , , and give the front seven some toughne s and electricity, giving Atlanta a legitimate chance to get after the pa ser. The want to get back to their blitz-happy ways under coordinator Rob Ryan. adds muscle to the secondary, which, with J.J. Redick Jersey returning to health and rediscovering his game, should play better behind a fortified pa s rush led by and .Lovie Smith snatched the play card from coordinator Leslie Frazier prior to the preseason to put his own stamp on the ' Tampa 2 defense. The soft-spoken defensive architect has a solid front seven in place, with in the middle and a host of swift tacklers (, and/or ) on the flanks. If Tampa Bay's defenders run to the ball with reckle s abandon, the turnovers will eventually come in bunches. 6) NFC EastThe prolific offenses in the NFC East overshadow their defensive brethren, but the division should feature more competitive units in 2015. The and , in particular, are vastly improved, with a series of personnel moves upgrading the talent in key areas. Dallas snatched up a pair of pa s rushers in and rookie who can destroy opponents off the edges; in Hardy, Gregory and , the have a three-headed monster to unleash on quarterbacks in the pocket. With cornerback out, pa sers could "dink-and-dunk" the ball down the field, but coordinator Rod Marinelli's insistence on energy, effort and hustle could negate the "catch-and-run" approach.The signed to serve Tony Carr Jersey as CB1 and added to compete for a starting role on the opposite side. gives the team a versatile free safety with sub-package potential (nickel corner) to enhance nickel and dime coverage. If the can continue to pre sure the pa ser with consistent succe s, Chip Kelly's spirited bunch could spark a run to 50. The saga has diverted attention away from the ' defense and its immense potential. The rebuilt line has the size and girth (in and ) to hold the point against the run. Though Washington still needs to identify a pa s-rush partner for him, the energetic can single-handedly create pre sure on pa sing downs. The secondary remains a bit of a question mark, with and adjusting to a new scheme and returning from injury. How well the pieces of the puzzle fit will ultimately determine whether the defense can carry an offense that might struggle with at the helm.Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo's return to the is expected to rejuvenate their defense, but personnel i sues -- 's uncertain status, inexperience at safety -- could prevent the cerebral play caller from fully utilizing his playbook. It's hard to see this team packing a defensive punch this season. 5) AFC NorthIt's uncommon for the AFC North to rank below the line defensively, but this season, questions surround each of the defensive units in the division. The are incorporating more Tampa 2 concepts to reduce the number of big plays routinely surrendered in their previous zone-blitz scheme. and must provide a consistent rush off the edge to make the zone-heavy approach work, with blitzes from and perhaps augmenting the pa s rush. A lack of pre sure could expose the leaky coverage of and .After finishing third in total defense in 2013, the struggled in coordinator Paul Guenther's first season at the helm, but the pieces are in place for a bounce-back in 2015. and should form a dangerous combination at the point of attack; the return of and gives the team a pair of enforcers between the tackles. If and can limit the big plays on the outside, the could claw back into the top 10.The are always in the "elite-defense" conversation, due to the presence of several blue-chip players along the front seven, including and . With and expected to contribute as interior "house wreckers," Baltimore's front can alleviate the pre sure on , and in coverage.Ignore the ' dismal ranking against the run last season and pay close attention Will Magnay Jersey to the collection of talent a sembled by general manager Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine. The can punch opponents in the mouth with a rugged front featuring , and on the line and and in the middle. With the blanket coverage provided by , and in the secondary, the ' D could get the Dawg Pound rocking again.4) NFC NorthThe "Black and Blue" division has a tradition of fielding some of the NFL's most physical defenses. Last season, the were the group that bullied foes behind a front seven that controlled the trenches with athleticism and physicality. Although the lo s of and weakens the rotation along the front line, the arrival of ensures the beatdowns will continue between the tackles. and own the second level as active linebackers with nasty demeanors. If coordinator Teryl Austin can get decent play from his corners, the ' defense will remain an elite unit in his second season at the helm.The ' offense has been stealing the headlines, but the defense is what will spark a run to the postseason. and form an imposing 1-2 punch off the edge, with and occupying the middle. The foursome could set the table for to run away with the 2015 Defensive Rookie of the Year award as a high-motor tackling machine. spearheads a secondary with a pair of intriguing lockdown corners ( and ) who have the size and speed to challenge the division's top pa s catchers. This is a defense on the rise.Expectations are high for the , based on the presence of , and , but the team needs several young players to contribute. The fate of Green Bay's defense rests on , , and -- the youngsters could determine whether the can compete with top receiver sidelined.New coach John Fox and coordinator Vic Fangio are committed to restoring the tradition of the ' defense, but the defensive gurus will need some time. Chicago could field a decent pa s rush with , and , but suspect coverage and spotty linebacker play could limit the hunters' chances of getting after the quarterback.3) AFC WestThis division, which has featured some of the top offenses in the NFL, is home to some stellar defenses. The could compete for the Lombardi Trophy on the strength of their defense alone. and are arguably the most explosive pa s-rush tandem in the league -- yet, the best duo on the team might be Jr. and , two sticky cover guys who excel at blanketing pa s catchers on the perimeter and forcing tight throws. With coordinator Wade Phillips adept at creating opportunities for pa s rushers, the ' secondary could become a turnover machine, as quarterbacks make hurried throws from the pocket.The sport an impre sive pa s-rushing tandem of their own in and . Houston in particular is a young, athletic rusher with excellent snap-count anticipation and burst. He anchors a formidable pa s rush that also features the ultra-athletic in the middle. If the secondary can hold up with a rookie () manning one side and the rangy locking down the other (once Smith returns from his ), the could be in busine s. coordinator John Pagano could become a household name after directing one of the top defenses in football this season. San Diego has a set of young playmakers (, , and ) to complement some savvy veterans (, and ) on a rugged defense that overwhelms opponents with speed and athleticism. If the avoid the injury bug, they could emerge as a dark-horse contender in the AFC.The are a year away from contending for a division title, but the pieces are in place to bully opponents in the Black Hole. Led by and an underrated set of linebackers, the are an energetic bunch poised to create chaos at the point of attack. With enthusiastic coordinator Ken Norton, Jr. setting the tone, the are a unit to watch this fall.2) NFC WestThe division has housed some of the NFL's top defenses the past few years, and this will continue in 2015, with the , and vying for defensive supremacy in the NFC West.The have a new architect in coordinator Kris Richard, but the unit should continue to dominate with ers on every level. The "Legion of Boom" sets the tone with its rock 'em, sock 'em approach, but it is the speed and athleticism of the front seven that stifles opponents. , and are the underrated stalwarts that make Seattle nearly impenetrable on game days.The are growing into a salty bunch under coordinator Gregg Williams, and opponents should fear the unit's destructive defensive line and swift linebacker corps. , and are energetic playmakers with a collective combination of skills that exploits disjointed offensive lines. With Williams sending rushers from every angle, the ' athletic defense should run roughshod over opponents this season.Despite losing coordinator Todd Bowles as a play caller, the remain a force behind a rugged defense that punishes opponents at every turn. The -led line is stout at the point of attack, while the versatile secondary hara ses opponents with a hybrid dime package (six defensive backs) featuring three safeties on the field. Given 's ability to snuff out receivers on the perimeter, the should Derrick Favors Jersey not skip a beat in 2015.The are no longer touted as an elite defense, following the lo ses of Brandon Ingram Jersey several key contributors (Patrick Willis, Justin Smith, and Chris Borland). But the unit is still dangerous with new coordinator Eric Mangini in charge. The crafty play caller is a masterful schemer, and he has enough pieces around him to cobble a solid performance from a team that's played great defense for the past decade.1) AFC EastThe defensive firepower in the AFC East is staggering. From pa s rushers (, , , and ) to run stoppers (, , , and ), cover corners (, , , and ) and defensive masterminds (Rex Ryan-Dennis Thurman, Todd Bowles and Bill Belichick), the AFC East is unquestionably the division to look at when it comes to defensive dominance in 2015.The ' defense could lord over the NFL with Ryan and Thurman inheriting a talented unit featuring the most destructive defensive line in football. The exotic blitzes and simulated rushes that are staples of Ryan's playbook should create more one-on-one opportunities for a front line that accounted for 41 of the team's 57 sacks in 2013 while using a similar system under Mike Pettine. With and emerging as young stars in the secondary, the blitz-happy are poised to wreak havoc on foes this season.The lack name recognition on the sidelines (Kevin Coyle is Miami's defensive coordinator), but there is no disputing the star power in the starting lineup. The trot out a front line that features a pair of explosive bookend rushers (Wake and Vernon) surrounding the most destructive interior defender (Suh) in the game. The chaos created at the point of attack should allow Grimes and Co. to feast on errant to ses in the back end.It is almost unfair to give a blitz-happy play caller a crew of cover corners adept at locking down receivers on the perimeter, but that's exactly what happened in New York with Revis, Cromartie and joining forces with Bowles. The arrival of three veteran corners with strong pre s-cover skills allows Bowles to aggre sively attack quarterbacks with a barrage of blitzes designed to give Wilkerson, Richardson, and prime opportunities at the point of attack. Considering how well the suffocated opponents with inferior corners, the thought of an aggre sive defense with ideal secondary personnel is downright scary.The lack the firepower of their divisional rivals, but the presence of a defensive czar on the sidelines gives them a puncher's chance to knock out any opponent. Belichick cleverly crafts schemes to force opponents away from their strengths while also putting his best guys in position to make plays. The job is certainly easier with -caliber players in the lineup, but the defensive wizard finds a way to get it done with so-called no-names dotting the roster.Follow Bucky Brooks on Twitter .