2012 Defensive Leaders
| | Rnk | Player | Tackles | Assists | Total | Sack | Sack Yards | Forced Fumbles | Pass Deflect | Safeties | | 1 | J.J. Watt, HOU | 69 | 12 | 81 | 20.5 | 138.5 | 4 | 16 | 0 | | 2 | Aldon Smith, SFX | 49 | 16 | 65 | 19.5 | 144.5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | | 3 | Von Miller, DEN | 55 | 13 | 68 | 18.5 | 129.5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | | 4 | Cameron Wake, MIA | 38 | 15 | 53 | 15 | 92 | 3 | 1 | 0 | | 5 | Clay Matthews, GBP | 32 | 11 | 43 | 13 | 83.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | | 6 | Charles Johnson, CAR | 31 | 11 | 42 | 12.5 | 99.5 | 7 | 4 | 0 | | 6 | Geno Atkins, CIN | 39 | 15 | 54 | 12.5 | 90 | 4 | 2 | 0 | | 8 | Jared Allen, MIN | 36 | 11 | 47 | 12 | 63 | 1 | 3 | 0 | | 9 | Chris Clemons, SEA | 31 | 9 | 40 | 11.5 | 92 | 3 | 4 | 0 | | 9 | Chris Long, STL | 25 | 8 | 33 | 11.5 | 74 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 9 | Julius Peppers, CHI | 32 | 7 | 39 | 11.5 | 73.5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | | 9 | Michael Johnson, CIN | 35 | 17 | 52 | 11.5 | 71 | 0 | 2 | 0 | | 9 | DeMarcus Ware, DAL | 33 | 23 | 56 | 11.5 | 63.5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | | 14 | Greg Hardy, CAR | 41 | 20 | 61 | 11 | 85.5 | 2 | 2 | 0 | | 14 | Anthony Spencer, DAL | 55 | 40 | 95 | 11 | 83 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
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