It's fairly common for defensive-minded head coaches to assemble elite defenses, but the NFL world seems to be sleeping on the bully Rivera has built in Carolina. The Panthers rank near the top of the list in most major defensive categories, including scoring defense (second), total defense (third), rushing defense (fourth), passing defense (fifth) and takeaways (eighth). Those numbers speak to the dominance of a unit that is driven by a set of young, athletic defenders with the speed and quickness to wreak havoc from all angles. From an imposing defensive line capable of collapsing the pocket on four-man rushes to an athletic set of linebackers with the potential to get home on an assortment of blitz pressures from the second level, the Panthers have all of the weapons a defensive coordinator would desire in a unit.