While offenses are typically what get the most attention in Madden, a good defense can really be the key to picking up wins. With that in mind, we'll break down all of the top defenses in "Madden NFL 20" and explain what makes them so great.
The Texans and Bears come out on top as the best squads, both with 88 overall ratings. After that, most defenses seem to hit a point of parity as there are 20 teams between 80 overall and 84 overall. When you consider the averages, those are all pretty similar to one another.
MADDEN 20 REVIEW: The good, the bad and the new from EA Sports
Contents
- Madden 20 team defense ratings
- What is the best defense to use in Madden 20?
- What is the worst defense to use in Madden 20?
Madden 20 team defense ratings
| Team | DEFENSE RATING |
|---|---|
| Texans | 88 |
| Bears | 88 |
| Cowboys | 86 |
| Rams | 86 |
| Vikings | 86 |
| Patriots | 84 |
| Packers | 84 |
| Eagles | 84 |
| Chargers | 84 |
| Ravens | 84 |
| Broncos | 84 |
| Saints | 82 |
| Falcons | 82 |
| Browns | 82 |
| Panthers | 82 |
| 49ers | 82 |
| Titans | 82 |
| Jaguars | 82 |
| Steelers | 80 |
| Seahawks | 80 |
| Lions | 80 |
| Redskins | 80 |
| Jets | 80 |
| Cardinals | 80 |
| Bills | 80 |
| Colts | 78 |
| Chiefs | 78 |
| Bengals | 78 |
| Raiders | 74 |
| Buccaneers | 74 |
| Giants | 72 |
| Dolphins | 72 |
What is the best defense to use in Madden 20?
Texans
Houston will be a fun defensive team to play with in Madden 20 because of edge rushers J.J. Watt (97) and Jadeveon Clowney (92). They each rank as the team's top defensive players, and Clowney's 87 speed makes him a dangerous weapon. Add in a strong secondary with players like Justin Reid (84), Johnathan Joseph (83) and Tashaun Gipson (82) and you've got a solid squad.
Bears
Chicago's defense is anchored by one of the 99 club members: LOLB Khalil Mack. His 89 speed makes him a fun pass-rushing option, and his other skills make him useful as a linebacker. It's almost as if he's good in real life, too. The Bears are also aided by a strong secondary with Eddie Jackson (91), Kyle Fuller (89), Prince Amukamara (81) and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix (80) on the roster.
Cowboys, Rams, Vikings
These three teams all have the same defensive rating, but if I had to choose one to play with it'd be the Rams. Aaron Donald is the best overall player on all of these squads as a member of the 99 club. But if you want a well-rounded defense, then the Vikings are the way to go with five players with an 85 or higher rating on defense.
MORE: Full list of top players in Madden 20, by position
What is the worst defense to use in Madden 20?
Dolphins
The Dolphins are really bad since they also show up on the worst offensive teams to use. Miami does have Xavien Howard, who is a star in real life, but his Madden 20 rating (83) is a lot lower than many expected. He's one of just three Dolphins defenders above an 80 rating, giving this team very little to work with.
Giants
Similar to the Dolphins, the Giants have just three players on defense with an 80+ rating. And two of those players are 80. There aren't too many players on this squad to excite users, which is probably why the rating is so low.
Buccaneers, Raiders
The Bucs and Raiders tie for the third-worst defense in the game, but they're slightly more fun to play with than the Giants and Dolphins. Tampa Bay has a 90 overall player in linebacker Lavonte David and a decent pass rush with guys like Ndamukong Suh (85), Vita Vea (80), Jason Pierre-Paul (78) and Shaquil Barrett (77). The problem with Tampa, however, is that its secondary is atrocious. On the flip end, the Raiders' secondary is what makes them a somewhat good option.