your opponent is and takes into account the pace or how many drives take place, where those drives start, etc. etc..
If you order the defenses during Kalani's tenure last year WAS THE 3rd BEST defense he has fielded.
YOU READ THAT RIGHT. Last year's D was better than 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 (not even close), and 2022 (not in the same stratosphere).
Here are the years order with their rank that year:
1. 2020 - 9th (just a great year all around)
2. 2016 - 31st (another great year)
3. 2023 - 54th (Not great at all yet better than all the years below)
4. 2018 - 61st (in the same realm as last year but still worse)
5. 2019 - 68th (bigger gap)
6. 2017 - 69th
7. 2021 - 85th (Not really close to last year)
8. 2022 - 113th (this defense was absolutely terrible.)