Getting inside the 20 against Minnesota has rarely paid off. Through Week 6, opponents have reached the Vikings’ red zone 12 times and finished only three of those trips with a touchdown, 25.0%, the best rate in the NFL and far below the league-wide figure of 59.9%.
Two of the league’s three unbeaten teams sit at the top. Kansas City, also 5–0, is second at 33.3%, four touchdowns on 12 trips. The Chiefs added to it on Sunday, October 18, when the Chargers got inside the 20 three times and came away without a touchdown in a 22–6 Kansas City win.
A huge stop in the red zone 🤝 pic.twitter.com/PRk7MgDn3I
— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) September 15, 2026
Best red-zone defenses after Week 6
| Rank | Team | Opponent TDs / trips | TD rate | Week 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnesota | 3 of 12 | 25.0% | bye |
| 2 | Kansas City | 4 of 12 | 33.3% | 0 of 3 |
| 3 | Jacksonville | 8 of 20 | 40.0% | 3 of 5 |
| 4 | Cincinnati | 7 of 17 | 41.2% | bye |
| 5 | Cleveland | 7 of 16 | 43.8% | 1 of 2 |
| 6 | LA Chargers | 12 of 25 | 48.0% | 1 of 4 |
| T-7 | Pittsburgh | 5 of 10 | 50.0% | 1 of 2 |
| T-7 | San Francisco | 9 of 18 | 50.0% | 2 of 4 |
| T-7 | New England | 9 of 18 | 50.0% | 0 of 3 |
| T-7 | LA Rams | 11 of 22 | 50.0% | 0 of 5 |
| T-7 | NY Jets | 11 of 22 | 50.0% | 2 of 4 |
Red-zone defense counts how often an opponent that reaches the 20-yard line or closer leaves with a touchdown rather than a field goal or nothing. The difference is four points a trip, and over a season it separates close losses from close wins. Field position does most of the work for the offense there, so the rate tells you how a defense holds up when the field shrinks and there is no room left to cover.
Minnesota’s figure comes with a second strength: the Vikings have allowed only 12 red-zone trips in five games, and 64 points all season. Pittsburgh has allowed the fewest trips overall, 10 in six games, and only half of them ended in touchdowns.
The Rams show the limit of the number. Los Angeles kept Arizona out of the end zone on all five red-zone trips on Sunday, October 18, and still lost 18–16, because the Cardinals kicked their way to the win. The Chargers, sixth at 48.0%, are 0–6.
The bottom six
| Rank | Team | Opponent TDs / trips | TD rate | Week 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-27 | Green Bay | 15 of 20 | 75.0% | 2 of 4 |
| T-27 | NY Giants | 12 of 16 | 75.0% | 3 of 3 |
| 29 | Carolina | 10 of 13 | 76.9% | 2 of 2 |
| 30 | Seattle | 11 of 14 | 78.6% | 2 of 2 |
| 31 | Detroit | 17 of 21 | 81.0% | bye |
| 32 | Washington | 18 of 22 | 81.8% | 3 of 4 |
Washington is last. Opponents have scored touchdowns on 18 of 22 trips inside the Commanders’ 20, and San Francisco converted three of four in its 23–17 win over Washington on Monday night, October 19. The Commanders are 1–4–1 and have allowed 172 points, the third most in the league, even though their defense has forced eight turnovers.
Detroit, at 81.0%, has given up 17 touchdowns on 21 trips and 148 points in five games. Seattle is the odd case: the Seahawks rank third in third-down defense and have allowed only 14 red-zone trips, but 11 of them ended in touchdowns, including both of Denver’s in the Broncos’ 17–14 overtime win.
Chicago and New England opened Week 7 on Thursday, so their numbers above are through Week 6. The Bears allowed one touchdown on two Patriots trips in their 30–24 win, which moves Chicago to 11 of 17 (64.7%), and New England’s defense, after Chicago scored on three of four trips, is now at 12 of 22 (54.5%). Full rankings are on our team stats page.
What comes next
Minnesota hosts Indianapolis on Sunday, October 25, at 1 p.m. EDT, and Kansas City visits Seattle, 30th on this list, on Sunday night at 8:20 p.m. Detroit hosts Green Bay, another bottom-six defense, at 4:25 p.m. Washington is on its bye this week.
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