Continuing our NFL Defense Power Rankings with spots 30 and 29. As always, these ranks are based on projected 2021 finish in scoring defense, not yards allowed, turnovers forced, or perceived talent level. At ranks 32 and 31 came the Houston Texans and Detroit Lions. Now, without further ado…

30. Las Vegas Raiders

The Raiders deserve credit; despite their move to Las Vegas, they kept tradition alive and fielded yet another horrific defense in 2020. As a matter of fact, they have managed to finish in the bottom half of the NFL in points allowed every year since 2002. For those keeping track at home, that’s a streak the Raiders have kept alive since the last time they appeared in a Super Bowl (that their Pro Bowl center showed up hungover for). During that time, they’ve had exactly one winning season. Talk about depressingly impressive…

It is fitting that after a 2020 season in which Las Vegas finished 30th in scoring defense they slot in at 30th in my 2021 NFL defense power rankings. The consistency with which they give up points in bunches is astonishing; the Raiders have finished the season with a bottom-5 defense the majority of the past decade.

In 2020, the Las Vegas Raiders were 30th in takeaways and 29th in sacks. They focused on bolstering their safety room in the draft, adding three players at the position, most notably Trevon Moehrig in the 2nd round, who many considered to be the top S available. In new defensive coordinator Gus Bradley’s Cover 3 scheme, Moehrig should play the role of single-high safety, allowing him to put his ballhawking skills to good use.

Las Vegas could desperately use a playmaker at the back end, as Jonathan Abram has proven to be a severe liability in coverage, and bringing Karl Joseph back (who they drafted in the 1st round in 2016) after a one-year hiatus in Cleveland certainly won’t be the remedy.

In free agency, the Raiders again honed in on a specific position, as half of their acquisitions were along the defensive front. Their marquee addition was Yannick Ngakoue, who the Silver & Black signed to a 2-year, $26 million contract. Ngakoue isn’t a standout run defender, but with at least 8 sacks each of his 5 years in the NFL, should boost the Raiders’ hopes of finishing with more than their 21 sacks from last season. Interior lineman Solomon Thomas and Quinton Jefferson should provide much needed depth for the Raiders and assist in plugging opposing running lanes on early downs.

These moves were in response to offseason losses as much as a dearth of talent to begin with. Both starting safeties from 2020, Lamarcus Joyner and Erik Harris, signed with other teams in free agency, as did DL Maliek Collins, Takkarist McKinley, Arden Key and Maurice Hurst. While none of these players were huge losses, they did significantly thin the Raiders’ depth.

My personal favorite acquisition of the Raiders’ offseason was a high-risk, high-reward signing in the form of CB Casey Hayward. Hayward has consistently earned above-average marks from PFF, with the exception of a career-worst season last year. Signing a two-time Pro Bowl talent still at the tail end of his prime at 31 years old, to a 1-year, $4 million deal is good business any way you cut it. Should Hayward return to form, the Raiders will have the bona fide CB1 they’ve been missing since Nnamdi Asomugha left in 2010.

Las Vegas was not entirely devoid of talent entering the offseason; Cory Littleton, to whom the Raiders gave a $12 million/year deal last offseason, had a rough start with his new team, but still has the potential to be a significant contributor moving forward. He projects as their best linebacker. Johnathan Hankins is a perennially serviceable run-stuffer at DT. Finally, Maxx Crosby flashed some pass-rushing juice with 7 sacks last year. Similar to Ngakoue, Crosby is not as strong against the run, but there is a perpetual need for edge rushers in today’s NFL.

2021 outlook:

They have some positive signs going into 2021, but not enough to expect any different from the Raiders defense we’ve come to know (and certainly not fear) the last 20 years. Their pass rush projects to be improved, yet still below average, and the team lacks difference-makers at all three levels. Frankly, I could’ve ranked them even lower in my NFL defense power rankings. If recent 1st-round picks Clelin Ferrell and Damon Arnette don’t start playing up to their draft position, it could spell another long season in Sin City.

29. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcon defense’s greatest asset is their offense; despite allowing the fourth-most yards in the NFL, they still managed to win the Time-of-Possession battle thanks to Matt Ryan and Co. It could very well be a similar story in 2021, as new arrivals Mike Davis and Kyle Pitts should offset the losses of Todd Gurley and Julio Jones. For as many yards as the Falcons gave up, they finished middle-of-the-pack with the 19th-ranked scoring defense.

However, after blowing a 16-point-or-more lead 3 separate times last year, the Falcons could’ve used substantial reinforcements on the defensive side of the ball. New GM Terry Fontenot declined, as the only addition of note was EDGE Barkevious Mingo.

One could argue the additions in the secondary of Erik Harris, Duron Harmon and Fabian Moreau were notable, but I see them as like-for-like replacements for the below-average talents of Ricardo Allen, Damontae Kazee and Darqueze Dennard. The loss of Keanu Neal might be more impactful than any addition Atlanta made. Although he’d become a liability in pass coverage since his Achilles’ injury, he was still a force in the run game.

The most pointed sign that Atlanta failed to add defensive talent in free agency was the fact that they didn’t sign a single player on that side of the ball to a contract past 2021. This spells trouble, as they are poised to regress from an admittedly below-average performance last season.

With that said, the Falcon defense has more upside than many others with a similar ranking on this list. After breaking out with 11.5 sacks in 2019 for the Rams, DE Dante Fowler posted only 3 in his inaugural season with the Falcons. Given how volatile of a statistic sacks can be, Fowler could easily double his total from 2020. The Falcons could use the help after finishing 23rd in sacks last season.

Two-time Pro Bowler Grady Jarrett is probably the most underrated DL by casual fans, but not by his fellow players and experts; Jarrett was ranked on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2020 based on votes from his peers.

2020 1st-round selection AJ Terrell had a bumpy rookie campaign, but certainly has the talent to improve moving forward. MLB Deion Jones had 4.5 sacks, 2 INTs and over 100 tackles last season, so Atlanta doesn’t have to worry about their defensive signal-caller. Jones may have found a partner in crime at SAM Linebacker in Foyesade Oluokun, who burst onto the scene by posting 4 forced fumbles, good for 3rd in the league.

Lastly, Atlanta made Richie Grant the second safety off the board in the 2021 NFL draft. While he should provide a boost in coverage ability from the departed Keanu Neal, he is unlikely to turn Atlanta’s secondary around on his own.

2021 outlook:

After allowing the most passing yards in the NFL in 2020, and making few significant upgrades, the Falcons look poised to repeat as a cupcake defensive this coming season. The combination of lack of pass rush and coverage deficiencies could inhibit any hopes Atlanta may have for a playoff run in the twilight of Matt Ryan’s career, although it should make for some exciting shootouts along the way. Put it all together, and the Atlanta Falcons come in at #29 in my NFL defense power rankings.