Bill Barnwell wrote yesterday about the dominant fantasy performance by the Seahawks defense against Arizona on Sunday. The Seahawks scored two touchdowns, forced 8 turnovers, recorded three sacks, and pitched a shutout. That made me wonder: which defense produced the best fantasy in NFL history?

I used Footballguys.com’s scoring system in the Footballguys Players Championship to calculate every performance by a fantasy D/ST since 1940. Here it is:

Team Defense/Special Teams

1 point – Every sack

2 points – Every team takeaway (interception or fumble recovery)

6 points – Every TD (via interception return, fumble return, punt or kickoff return, blocked FG return, missed FG return, blocked punt return)

5 points – Every safety

12 points – Every shutout

8 points – Allowing between 1- 6 points

5 points – Allowing between 7 – 10 points

Because I decided to use the official scoring designation for every play and chose not to rewatch every game in NFL history, there is one error that will come up in every few hundred games. Occasionally, an offense will score a touchdown on its own fumble recovery and that goes down in the gamebooks as a fumble recovery just like a defensive touchdown. So, be warned, these are unofficial fantasy scores.

As it turns out, Seattle’s game against Arizona comes in tied for 10th place. Incredibly, the best performance by a fantasy defense — a whopping 52 points — came in a Steelers-Browns game but wasn’t delivered by Pittsburgh. The came in the 1989 season opener, and after losing 41-10 the following week, Pittsburgh rebounded to finish 9-7 and make the playoffs. In 1950, the New York Giants also scored 52 fantasy points against the Steelers. New York scored 18 points in that game — 2 safeties, two fumble return touchdowns — and forced 9 turnovers and 7 sacks. The table below lists the best performances by a fantasy defense:

Tm	Yr	Opp	Gm	Boxscore	FR	INT	SK	TDs	Safety	PA	FP
CLE	1989	PIT	1	Boxscore	5	3	6	3	0	0	52
NYG	1950	PIT	1	Boxscore	6	3	7	2	2	7	52
SEA	1984	KAN	10	Boxscore	0	6	2	4	0	0	50
GNB	1978	SDG	4	Boxscore	6	5	8	2	0	3	50
CLE	1960	CHI	11	Boxscore	1	7	4	3	0	0	50
CHI	1940	WAS	12	Boxscore	1	8	0	3	0	0	48
PHI	1965	PIT	13	Boxscore	3	9	5	3	0	13	47
SEA	2005	PHI	12	Boxscore	2	4	4	3	0	0	46
WAS	1973	SDG	1	Boxscore	3	4	8	2	0	0	46
SEA	2012	ARI	13	Boxscore	4	4	3	2	0	0	43
DEN	1984	DET	6	Boxscore	3	7	6	2	0	7	43
NYG	1963	WAS	13	Boxscore	3	7	5	3	0	14	43
HOU	2002	PIT	13	Boxscore	3	2	6	3	0	6	42
DEN	1997	CAR	10	Boxscore	1	3	4	3	0	0	42
STL	1966	PHI	4	Boxscore	0	5	9	3	0	10	42
GNB	1966	ATL	7	Boxscore	0	4	8	3	0	3	42
RAM	1952	DTX	7	Boxscore	2	6	6	2	0	6	42
SFO	2009	STL	4	Boxscore	2	1	5	3	0	0	41
NWE	2001	CAR	16	Boxscore	3	3	3	3	0	6	41
BOS	1963	HOU	9	Boxscore	2	6	5	2	0	3	41
NYG	1961	WAS	8	Boxscore	0	4	5	1	2	0	41
BOS	1961	SDG	14	Boxscore	1	5	5	2	0	0	41
GNB	1991	TAM	8	Boxscore	3	5	6	1	0	0	40
CHI	1985	DAL	11	Boxscore	1	4	6	2	0	0	40
KAN	1969	HOU	5	Boxscore	4	5	4	1	0	0	40
DET	1962	MIN	13	Boxscore	5	5	2	3	0	23	40
NYJ	1997	TAM	15	Boxscore	1	2	3	3	0	0	39
MIN	1988	DAL	11	Boxscore	3	4	6	1	1	3	39
SEA	1984	CHI	4	Boxscore	3	3	4	3	0	9	39
HOU	1977	CHI	8	Boxscore	2	0	6	2	1	0	39
PHI	1975	WAS	14	Boxscore	1	7	3	2	0	3	39
DET	1968	CHI	2	Boxscore	2	8	1	1	0	0	39
KAN	1968	SDG	13	Boxscore	0	7	6	1	1	3	39
SDG	1961	DEN	8	Boxscore	3	4	1	2	0	0	39
DTX	1960	BOS	13	Boxscore	1	4	5	2	0	0	39
DET	1950	GNB	1	Boxscore	1	7	0	3	0	7	39
PHI	1950	CRD	2	Boxscore	4	8	4	1	0	7	39
ATL	2002	CAR	11	Boxscore	2	4	8	1	0	0	38
TEN	2000	DAL	16	Boxscore	3	2	4	2	0	0	38
SFO	1994	ATL	7	Boxscore	2	4	6	2	0	3	38
BUF	1988	GNB	9	Boxscore	3	1	6	2	0	0	38
SEA	1981	CLE	16	Boxscore	7	3	6	2	0	21	38
STL	1977	NYG	7	Boxscore	1	3	6	2	0	0	38
BAL	1971	BUF	4	Boxscore	2	4	9	0	1	0	38
BOS	1963	HOU	13	Boxscore	3	3	9	2	1	28	38
PIT	1952	NYG	10	Boxscore	2	7	3	2	0	7	38

Or, if you prefer to limit this to games since 1990:

Tm	Yr	Opp	Gm	Boxscore	FR	INT	SK	TDs	Safety	PA	FP
SEA	2005	PHI	12	Boxscore	2	4	4	3	0	0	46
SEA	2012	ARI	13	Boxscore	4	4	3	2	0	0	43
HOU	2002	PIT	13	Boxscore	3	2	6	3	0	6	42
DEN	1997	CAR	10	Boxscore	1	3	4	3	0	0	42
SFO	2009	STL	4	Boxscore	2	1	5	3	0	0	41
NWE	2001	CAR	16	Boxscore	3	3	3	3	0	6	41
GNB	1991	TAM	8	Boxscore	3	5	6	1	0	0	40
NYJ	1997	TAM	15	Boxscore	1	2	3	3	0	0	39
ATL	2002	CAR	11	Boxscore	2	4	8	1	0	0	38
TEN	2000	DAL	16	Boxscore	3	2	4	2	0	0	38
SFO	1994	ATL	7	Boxscore	2	4	6	2	0	3	38
KAN	2011	OAK	6	Boxscore	0	6	1	2	0	0	37
NYJ	2001	MIA	10	Boxscore	2	3	3	2	0	0	37
SFO	1996	STL	2	Boxscore	3	1	7	0	2	0	37
PHI	2009	CAR	1	Boxscore	2	5	5	2	0	10	36
KAN	2002	STL	13	Boxscore	1	2	7	3	0	10	36
STL	2001	GNB	17	Boxscore	2	6	2	3	0	17	36
BAL	2000	NYJ	16	Boxscore	3	3	1	3	1	20	36
NYG	1996	DET	8	Boxscore	1	5	2	2	1	7	36
SEA	1993	CLE	10	Boxscore	5	2	3	1	1	5	36
WAS	1993	ATL	14	Boxscore	2	4	7	2	1	17	36
NWE	1996	SDG	13	Boxscore	2	4	6	2	0	7	35
MIN	1993	DET	12	Boxscore	0	5	7	1	0	0	35
BUF	1992	IND	3	Boxscore	0	3	5	2	0	0	35
PHI	2008	DAL	16	Boxscore	4	1	4	2	0	6	34
GNB	2005	NOR	5	Boxscore	2	3	4	2	0	3	34
STL	2003	ATL	5	Boxscore	2	2	3	1	1	0	34
NWE	2003	MIA	13	Boxscore	1	2	5	1	1	0	34
TAM	2002	BAL	2	Boxscore	0	1	3	2	1	0	34
CHI	2001	DET	15	Boxscore	2	3	6	1	0	0	34
JAX	1999	SFO	1	Boxscore	2	3	4	2	0	3	34
MIA	1998	OAK	13	Boxscore	1	6	8	2	0	17	34
GNB	1993	RAI	15	Boxscore	2	2	8	1	0	0	34
PHI	1992	NYG	11	Boxscore	2	2	8	3	0	34	34
DAL	1992	BUF	19	Boxscore	5	4	4	2	0	17	34
BAL	2006	PIT	11	Boxscore	1	2	9	1	0	0	33
CHI	2005	DET	2	Boxscore	0	5	3	2	0	6	33
TAM	2002	OAK	19	Boxscore	0	5	5	3	0	21	33
SEA	1998	PHI	1	Boxscore	2	1	9	1	0	0	33
NOR	1998	STL	10	Boxscore	1	2	7	2	0	3	33
STL	1995	CAR	3	Boxscore	2	5	2	2	0	10	33
CHI	2011	DET	9	Boxscore	2	4	2	3	0	13	32
CHI	2006	MIN	12	Boxscore	1	4	5	2	1	13	32
SEA	2003	ARI	2	Boxscore	2	4	2	1	0	0	32
PHI	2002	STL	12	Boxscore	3	2	8	1	0	3	32
SEA	1998	SDG	14	Boxscore	1	7	4	2	0	17	32
CHI	1995	TAM	3	Boxscore	3	4	4	1	0	6	32
HOU	1993	KAN	2	Boxscore	3	2	4	1	0	0	32
CLE	1991	IND	13	Boxscore	2	2	6	1	0	0	32
ATL	1990	HOU	1	Boxscore	4	2	2	3	0	27	32
KAN	1990	CLE	4	Boxscore	2	1	2	2	0	0	32
PIT	1990	CLE	15	Boxscore	8	1	2	0	0	0	32
SEA	2007	STL	7	Boxscore	2	3	7	1	0	6	31
BAL	2006	OAK	2	Boxscore	3	3	6	0	1	6	31
GNB	2006	CHI	16	Boxscore	1	5	2	2	0	7	31
NWE	2003	PHI	2	Boxscore	4	2	8	1	0	10	31
MIA	2003	JAX	5	Boxscore	2	3	4	2	0	10	31
BAL	2003	CLE	15	Boxscore	3	1	5	1	0	0	31
KAN	2002	ARI	12	Boxscore	0	4	5	1	0	0	31
PHI	2001	DAL	9	Boxscore	2	2	3	2	0	3	31
TAM	2000	CHI	2	Boxscore	2	2	5	1	0	0	31
BAL	2000	NYG	20	Boxscore	1	4	4	2	0	7	31
KAN	1999	SDG	7	Boxscore	2	2	5	1	0	0	31
PHI	1999	STL	16	Boxscore	3	4	5	2	0	31	31
DAL	1992	SEA	5	Boxscore	2	1	7	1	0	0	31
PHI	1991	DAL	3	Boxscore	1	3	11	0	0	0	31
WAS	1990	PHO	1	Boxscore	1	4	3	1	0	0	31
DET	2011	DEN	8	Boxscore	2	1	7	2	0	10	30
CHI	2008	MIN	7	Boxscore	1	4	2	3	0	41	30
MIN	2007	ATL	1	Boxscore	0	2	6	2	0	3	30
BUF	2007	DAL	5	Boxscore	1	5	0	3	0	25	30
DET	2007	DEN	8	Boxscore	3	1	5	2	0	7	30
KAN	2006	SFO	3	Boxscore	2	2	4	1	0	0	30
TEN	2006	JAX	14	Boxscore	1	3	4	3	0	17	30
MIN	2005	NYG	9	Boxscore	1	4	2	3	0	21	30
GNB	2002	BUF	15	Boxscore	4	2	6	0	0	0	30
CHI	2001	ATL	3	Boxscore	2	3	6	1	0	3	30
STL	2001	DET	4	Boxscore	1	2	6	1	0	0	30
CAR	2000	STL	13	Boxscore	3	4	2	1	0	3	30
DAL	1999	MIA	11	Boxscore	0	5	2	1	0	0	30
JAX	1999	MIA	17	Boxscore	5	2	5	1	0	7	30
KAN	1998	OAK	1	Boxscore	5	0	10	0	1	8	30
CAR	1996	TAM	13	Boxscore	2	2	4	1	0	0	30
PIT	1994	BUF	10	Boxscore	1	2	7	2	0	10	30
MIN	1993	TAM	5	Boxscore	1	4	3	0	1	0	30
CIN	1992	SEA	1	Boxscore	2	0	6	2	0	3	30
KAN	1992	DEN	16	Boxscore	1	2	6	3	0	20	30
WAS	1991	PHO	3	Boxscore	1	3	4	1	0	0	30
DET	1990	NOR	7	Boxscore	4	4	3	1	0	10	30

And, for good measure, let’s close with the top fantasy performances in playoff games. The final column indicates the round of the postseason.

Tm	Yr	Opp	Gm	Boxscore	FR	INT	SK	TDs	Safety	PA	FP	Rd
CHI	1940	WAS	12	Boxscore	1	8	0	3	0	0	48	C
STL	2001	GNB	17	Boxscore	2	6	2	3	0	17	36	D
CHI	1985	NWE	19	Boxscore	4	2	7	1	1	10	35	S
DAL	1978	RAM	18	Boxscore	2	5	3	1	0	0	35	C
DAL	1992	BUF	19	Boxscore	5	4	4	2	0	17	34	S
TAM	2002	OAK	19	Boxscore	0	5	5	3	0	21	33	S
CLE	1948	BUF	15	Boxscore	3	5	0	2	0	7	33	C
MIA	1982	NYJ	12	Boxscore	0	5	4	1	0	0	32	C
BAL	2000	NYG	20	Boxscore	1	4	4	2	0	7	31	S
JAX	1999	MIA	17	Boxscore	5	2	5	1	0	7	30	D
PIT	1978	HOU	18	Boxscore	4	5	4	0	0	5	30	C
RAM	1975	STL	15	Boxscore	2	3	2	3	0	23	30	D
NYG	2000	PHI	17	Boxscore	2	1	6	2	0	10	29	D
BUF	1990	RAI	18	Boxscore	1	6	1	1	0	3	29	C
RAM	1985	DAL	17	Boxscore	3	3	5	0	0	0	29	D
RAI	1983	WAS	19	Boxscore	1	2	6	2	0	9	29	S
OAK	2000	MIA	17	Boxscore	1	3	2	1	0	0	28	D
PHI	1995	DET	17	Boxscore	1	6	2	2	0	37	28	W
HOU	2011	CIN	17	Boxscore	0	3	4	2	0	10	27	W
CHI	1985	RAM	18	Boxscore	2	1	3	1	0	0	27	C
MIA	1971	BAL	16	Boxscore	0	3	3	1	0	0	27	C
OAK	1969	HOU	17	Boxscore	2	3	6	1	0	7	27	D
BUF	1965	SDG	15	Boxscore	0	2	5	1	0	0	27	C
CAR	2005	NYG	17	Boxscore	2	3	4	0	0	0	26	W
NYG	2000	MIN	18	Boxscore	2	3	4	0	0	0	26	C
TEN	1999	JAX	19	Boxscore	4	2	3	1	1	14	26	C
CHI	1985	NYG	17	Boxscore	1	0	6	1	0	0	26	D
MIN	1973	DAL	16	Boxscore	2	4	3	1	0	10	26	C
DAL	1970	DET	15	Boxscore	2	1	3	0	1	0	26	D
HOU	1961	SDG	15	Boxscore	2	4	6	0	0	3	26	C
NYG	1958	CLE	13	Boxscore	1	3	6	0	0	0	26	D
SDG	1992	KAN	17	Boxscore	1	2	7	0	0	0	25	W
DET	1991	DAL	17	Boxscore	2	2	3	1	0	6	25	D
MIN	1987	NOR	16	Boxscore	2	4	2	1	0	10	25	W
WAS	1982	DET	10	Boxscore	3	2	4	1	0	7	25	W
DAL	1977	DEN	17	Boxscore	4	4	4	0	0	10	25	S
BAL	2008	MIA	17	Boxscore	1	4	3	1	0	9	24	W
NWE	2005	JAX	17	Boxscore	1	1	6	1	0	3	24	W
NWE	1997	MIA	17	Boxscore	1	2	4	1	0	3	24	W
DAL	1981	TAM	17	Boxscore	0	4	4	0	0	0	24	D
OAK	1980	HOU	17	Boxscore	1	2	7	1	0	7	24	W
RAM	1974	WAS	15	Boxscore	3	3	1	1	0	10	24	D
GNB	1961	NYG	15	Boxscore	1	4	2	0	0	0	24	C
CLE	1954	DET	13	Boxscore	3	6	1	0	0	10	24	C
GNB	1939	NYG	12	Boxscore	0	6	0	0	0	0	24	C
ATL	2002	GNB	17	Boxscore	3	2	2	1	0	7	23	W
NWE	2001	PIT	18	Boxscore	1	3	3	2	0	17	23	C
GNB	1996	SFO	17	Boxscore	2	3	1	2	0	14	23	D
NWE	1996	JAX	18	Boxscore	2	2	1	1	0	6	23	C
MIA	1992	SDG	17	Boxscore	1	4	1	0	0	0	23	D
NYG	1986	SFO	17	Boxscore	1	3	1	1	0	3	23	D
SFO	1984	CHI	18	Boxscore	0	1	9	0	0	0	23	C
PIT	1974	MIN	17	Boxscore	2	3	0	0	1	6	23	S
BAL	1971	CLE	15	Boxscore	2	3	5	0	0	3	23	D
TAM	2002	SFO	17	Boxscore	2	3	4	0	0	6	22	D
BAL	2000	OAK	19	Boxscore	1	4	4	0	0	3	22	C
STL	1999	TAM	18	Boxscore	0	2	5	0	1	6	22	C
KAN	1991	RAI	17	Boxscore	2	4	2	0	0	6	22	W
WAS	1991	DET	18	Boxscore	1	2	5	1	0	10	22	C
WAS	1983	RAM	17	Boxscore	1	3	3	1	0	7	22	D
BAL	1977	OAK	15	Boxscore	2	2	2	2	0	37	22	D
DAL	1977	CHI	15	Boxscore	3	4	3	0	0	7	22	D
PIT	1975	BAL	15	Boxscore	1	2	5	1	0	10	22	D
BAL	1968	CLE	18	Boxscore	1	2	4	0	0	0	22	C
CLE	1964	BAL	15	Boxscore	2	2	2	0	0	0	22	C
CLE	1955	RAM	13	Boxscore	0	7	2	1	0	14	22	C
PHI	1947	PIT	13	Boxscore	2	0	0	1	0	0	22	D
CHI	1946	NYG	12	Boxscore	2	6	0	1	0	14	22	C
CAR	2003	PHI	19	Boxscore	0	4	5	0	0	3	21	C
PHI	2002	ATL	17	Boxscore	0	2	3	1	0	6	21	D
TEN	1999	BUF	17	Boxscore	2	0	6	1	1	16	21	W
DEN	1998	MIA	17	Boxscore	1	2	1	1	0	3	21	D
SFO	1996	PHI	17	Boxscore	0	3	3	0	0	0	21	W
BUF	1992	PIT	18	Boxscore	1	2	7	0	0	3	21	D
WAS	1991	ATL	17	Boxscore	2	4	4	0	0	7	21	D
BUF	1981	NYJ	17	Boxscore	1	4	5	1	0	27	21	W
SFO	1972	DAL	15	Boxscore	3	2	5	1	0	30	21	D
NYG	1956	CHI	13	Boxscore	1	2	4	1	0	7	21	C
CLE	1950	NYG	13	Boxscore	0	2	4	0	1	3	21	D
PHI	1949	RAM	13	Boxscore	0	1	1	1	0	0	21	C
CHI	1941	NYG	13	Boxscore	2	3	0	1	0	9	21	C
MIN	2009	DAL	17	Boxscore	2	1	6	0	0	3	20	D
ARI	2008	ATL	17	Boxscore	1	2	3	1	1	24	20	W
JAX	2007	PIT	17	Boxscore	1	3	6	1	0	29	20	W
WAS	2005	TAM	17	Boxscore	1	2	3	1	0	10	20	W
PHI	2001	TAM	17	Boxscore	0	4	1	1	0	9	20	W
BAL	2000	TEN	18	Boxscore	0	1	1	2	0	10	20	D
DAL	1996	MIN	17	Boxscore	4	2	2	1	0	15	20	W
SFO	1994	DAL	18	Boxscore	2	3	4	1	0	28	20	C
PHI	1992	NOR	17	Boxscore	1	3	1	1	1	20	20	W
SFO	1989	MIN	17	Boxscore	1	4	4	1	0	13	20	D
NYG	1986	WAS	18	Boxscore	1	1	4	0	0	0	20	C
NWE	1985	RAI	18	Boxscore	3	3	2	1	0	20	20	D
RAI	1983	PIT	17	Boxscore	1	1	5	1	0	10	20	D
DAL	1982	GNB	11	Boxscore	2	3	4	1	0	26	20	D
DET	1957	CLE	14	Boxscore	2	4	2	1	0	14	20	C