7/8 Remaining Playoff Teams Playing Great Defense

We recently looked at how well the Patriots were performing on defense during the second half of the season and how that has helped them grab homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Well, they're not the only team that's playing exceptional defense. Here's the defensive ranks from the second half of the season of the remaining teams in the playoffs:

1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2 (tie). Green Bay Packers + New England Patriots
4. New York Jets
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Chicago Bears
9. Atlanta Falcons
28. Seattle Seahawks.

Looking at those rankings*, seven out of the eight remaining teams were playing an elite level of defense as the season closed. It's definitely not a coincidence that these are the remaining teams because defense wins championships. The ranks of the eliminated squads?

12. New Orleans Saints
13. Kansas City Chiefs
15. Philadelphia Eagles
23. Indianapolis Colts

Once again, it's no coincidence that the lesser defensive teams were beaten. Hopefully the Patriots can continue to play opportunistic defense and stop every offense they have to face.

*#5 are the San Diego Chargers, #8 are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both teams who were making pushes for the post-season.