What Forced Fumbles (allowed) is

Fumbles forced by this defense — the ball knocked loose, whether or not the defense recovered it. The forcing is the repeatable skill; the recovery is close to a coin flip.

Higher is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P + N.

In 2022 the Cowboys led at 1.29; the league average was 0.77.

League snapshot — 2022

League leader

DAL · 1.29

League average

0.77

Best to worst

0.82

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	DAL	1.29	17
2	NYG	1.18	17
3	SEA	1.06	17
4	JAX	1	17
5	DEN	0.94	17
6	SF	0.94	17
7	LAC	0.88	17
8	PHI	0.88	17
9	CIN	0.88	16
10	BAL	0.82	17
11	CHI	0.82	17
12	DET	0.82	17
13	HOU	0.82	17
14	IND	0.82	17
15	MIA	0.76	17
16	NE	0.76	17
17	NO	0.76	17
18	ARI	0.71	17
19	GB	0.71	17
20	KC	0.71	17
21	TB	0.71	17
22	BUF	0.69	16
23	CLE	0.65	17
24	MIN	0.65	17
25	NYJ	0.65	17
26	TEN	0.65	17
27	LAR	0.59	17
28	LV	0.59	17
29	CAR	0.53	17
30	PIT	0.53	17
31	ATL	0.47	17
32	WAS	0.47	17

At a glance — 2022

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DAL · 1.29

League laggard

WAS · 0.47

League average

0.77

Spread (max − min)

0.82

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DAL	1.29	0.52	100%
2	NYG	1.18	0.40	96.8%
3	SEA	1.06	0.29	93.5%
4	JAX	1	0.23	90.3%
5	DEN	0.94	0.17	87.1%
6	SF	0.94	0.17	83.9%
7	LAC	0.88	0.11	80.6%
8	PHI	0.88	0.11	77.4%
9	CIN	0.88	0.10	74.2%
10	BAL	0.82	0.05	71%
11	CHI	0.82	0.05	67.7%
12	DET	0.82	0.05	64.5%
13	HOU	0.82	0.05	61.3%
14	IND	0.82	0.05	58.1%
15	MIA	0.76	-0.01	54.8%
16	NE	0.76	-0.01	51.6%
17	NO	0.76	-0.01	48.4%
18	ARI	0.71	-0.07	45.2%
19	GB	0.71	-0.07	41.9%
20	KC	0.71	-0.07	38.7%
21	TB	0.71	-0.07	35.5%
22	BUF	0.69	-0.09	32.3%
23	CLE	0.65	-0.13	29%
24	MIN	0.65	-0.13	25.8%
25	NYJ	0.65	-0.13	22.6%
26	TEN	0.65	-0.13	19.4%
27	LAR	0.59	-0.18	16.1%
28	LV	0.59	-0.18	12.9%
29	CAR	0.53	-0.24	9.7%
30	PIT	0.53	-0.24	6.5%
31	ATL	0.47	-0.30	3.2%
32	WAS	0.47	-0.30	0%

Does Forced Fumbles (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 819–759–37 ATS (51.9%) across 2020–2025, #172 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (141–113, 55.5%); its worst 2023 (123–135, 47.7%).

For picks, this is noise. One stat is not a recipe — the algorithms combine many.

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	141–113–2	55.5%
2021	272	132–138–2	48.9%
2022	271	145–119–7	54.9%
2023	272	123–135–14	47.7%
2024	272	141–122–9	53.6%
2025	272	137–132–3	50.9%

Forced Fumbles (allowed) in 2022 vs 2021

Cowboys lead at 1.29 — they ranked #15 last year. Commanders are last at 0.47 — #30 last year.

The league average is 0.77, down 0.02 from 0.80 last year.

Biggest riser: Broncos, #32 → #5. Biggest faller: Steelers, #6 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 0.82; 24 teams are within 0.19 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2022 vs 2021

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

DEN · +0.59

Biggest faller

PIT · −0.53

Most consistent

CHI · 0

League trend 2022 vs 2021

▼ -0.02

Rank	Team	2022	2021	Δ
1	DEN	0.94	0.35	+0.59
2	DAL	1.29	0.76	+0.53
3	SEA	1.06	0.53	+0.53
4	JAX	1	0.53	+0.47
5	NYG	1.18	0.71	+0.47
6	BAL	0.82	0.47	+0.35
7	DET	0.82	0.59	+0.24
8	NE	0.76	0.59	+0.18
9	GB	0.71	0.59	+0.12
10	PHI	0.88	0.76	+0.12
11	CHI	0.82	0.82	0
12	NO	0.76	0.76	0
13	BUF	0.69	0.71	−0.02
14	CLE	0.65	0.71	−0.06
15	MIA	0.76	0.82	−0.06
16	WAS	0.47	0.53	−0.06
17	MIN	0.65	0.76	−0.12
18	NYJ	0.65	0.76	−0.12
19	TEN	0.65	0.76	−0.12
20	HOU	0.82	0.94	−0.12
21	CIN	0.88	1	−0.13
22	LV	0.59	0.76	−0.18
23	TB	0.71	0.94	−0.24
24	IND	0.82	1.06	−0.24
25	LAC	0.88	1.12	−0.24
26	CAR	0.53	0.82	−0.29
27	LAR	0.59	0.88	−0.29
28	ATL	0.47	0.82	−0.35
29	KC	0.71	1.06	−0.35
30	SF	0.94	1.29	−0.35
31	ARI	0.71	1.24	−0.53
32	PIT	0.53	1.06	−0.53

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

PIT · 1.03

Multi-year laggard

TEN · 0.59

Biggest improver

LV · +0.16/yr

Biggest decliner

TEN · −0.09/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	PIT	1.03	+0.09	0.81	1.06	0.53	1.12	1.29	1	1.40
2	DAL	0.97	+0.00	1	0.76	1.29	0.82	1.06	0.65	1.20
3	SF	0.97	+0.04	0.81	1.29	0.94	0.59	0.76	0.76	1.60
4	PHI	0.92	+0.02	0.88	0.76	0.88	0.94	1.29	0.71	1
5	ARI	0.91	+0.03	0.94	1.24	0.71	0.35	1	0.76	1.40
6	BAL	0.90	−0.04	1.56	0.47	0.82	0.94	0.71	0.82	1
7	NYJ	0.89	+0.05	1.06	0.76	0.65	0.82	0.82	0.53	1.60
8	MIN	0.88	+0.06	0.69	0.76	0.65	1.29	0.71	1.06	1
9	NYG	0.88	−0.03	0.88	0.71	1.18	1.12	0.94	0.53	0.80
10	CLE	0.86	+0.03	1.06	0.71	0.65	0.82	0.71	0.88	1.20
11	CIN	0.86	+0.06	0.63	1	0.88	0.65	0.82	0.65	1.40
12	IND	0.86	−0.05	0.88	1.06	0.82	1	1.06	0.59	0.60
13	LAC	0.85	+0.08	0.38	1.12	0.88	0.88	0.47	0.59	1.60
14	TB	0.84	−0.04	0.94	0.94	0.71	1.06	0.94	0.71	0.60
15	LV	0.83	+0.16	0.50	0.76	0.59	0.82	0.35	0.59	2.20
16	BUF	0.83	+0.00	0.94	0.71	0.69	0.82	1.06	0.76	0.80
17	ATL	0.81	−0.03	1.06	0.82	0.47	1.12	0.71	0.71	0.80
18	CHI	0.81	−0.04	0.94	0.82	0.82	0.76	1	0.71	0.60
19	KC	0.79	−0.04	0.81	1.06	0.71	0.88	0.88	0.47	0.75
20	DET	0.79	+0.00	0.94	0.59	0.82	0.76	0.76	0.88	0.80
21	HOU	0.78	+0.01	0.56	0.94	0.82	0.88	0.65	0.82	0.80
22	DEN	0.74	+0.01	0.75	0.35	0.94	1.12	0.71	0.53	0.80
23	NO	0.74	+0.09	0.44	0.76	0.76	0.47	0.71	0.65	1.40
24	MIA	0.74	−0.07	1	0.82	0.76	0.88	0.47	0.65	0.60
25	WAS	0.72	+0.04	0.88	0.53	0.47	0.59	0.94	0.65	1
26	SEA	0.71	−0.06	0.88	0.53	1.06	0.76	0.82	0.53	0.40
27	NE	0.71	+0.08	0.31	0.59	0.76	0.88	0.82	0.59	1
28	LAR	0.70	+0.01	0.75	0.88	0.59	0.41	0.59	0.71	1
29	JAX	0.68	−0.01	0.75	0.53	1	0.71	0.29	0.65	0.80
30	GB	0.63	−0.04	0.75	0.59	0.71	0.59	0.94	0.47	0.40
31	CAR	0.61	−0.04	0.88	0.82	0.53	0.29	0.47	0.53	0.75
32	TEN	0.59	−0.09	0.75	0.76	0.65	0.76	0.59	0.41	0.20

Multi-year heatmap

32 teams across 7 seasons. Cells colored by quintile within each season; click a column header to jump to that year.

Team	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
DAL	1	0.76	1.29	0.82	1.06	0.65	1.20
NYG	0.88	0.71	1.18	1.12	0.94	0.53	0.80
SEA	0.88	0.53	1.06	0.76	0.82	0.53	0.40
JAX	0.75	0.53	1	0.71	0.29	0.65	0.80
DEN	0.75	0.35	0.94	1.12	0.71	0.53	0.80
SF	0.81	1.29	0.94	0.59	0.76	0.76	1.60
LAC	0.38	1.12	0.88	0.88	0.47	0.59	1.60
PHI	0.88	0.76	0.88	0.94	1.29	0.71	1
CIN	0.63	1	0.88	0.65	0.82	0.65	1.40
BAL	1.56	0.47	0.82	0.94	0.71	0.82	1
CHI	0.94	0.82	0.82	0.76	1	0.71	0.60
DET	0.94	0.59	0.82	0.76	0.76	0.88	0.80
HOU	0.56	0.94	0.82	0.88	0.65	0.82	0.80
IND	0.88	1.06	0.82	1	1.06	0.59	0.60
MIA	1	0.82	0.76	0.88	0.47	0.65	0.60
NE	0.31	0.59	0.76	0.88	0.82	0.59	1
NO	0.44	0.76	0.76	0.47	0.71	0.65	1.40
ARI	0.94	1.24	0.71	0.35	1	0.76	1.40
GB	0.75	0.59	0.71	0.59	0.94	0.47	0.40
KC	0.81	1.06	0.71	0.88	0.88	0.47	0.75
TB	0.94	0.94	0.71	1.06	0.94	0.71	0.60
BUF	0.94	0.71	0.69	0.82	1.06	0.76	0.80
CLE	1.06	0.71	0.65	0.82	0.71	0.88	1.20
MIN	0.69	0.76	0.65	1.29	0.71	1.06	1
NYJ	1.06	0.76	0.65	0.82	0.82	0.53	1.60
TEN	0.75	0.76	0.65	0.76	0.59	0.41	0.20
LV	0.50	0.76	0.59	0.82	0.35	0.59	2.20
LAR	0.75	0.88	0.59	0.41	0.59	0.71	1
CAR	0.88	0.82	0.53	0.29	0.47	0.53	0.75
PIT	0.81	1.06	0.53	1.12	1.29	1	1.40
ATL	1.06	0.82	0.47	1.12	0.71	0.71	0.80
WAS	0.88	0.53	0.47	0.59	0.94	0.65	1

Forced Fumbles (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Chiefs (1.44), 2019 49ers (1.44), 2020 Ravens (1.56), 2021 49ers (1.29), 2022 Cowboys (1.29).

49ers have led this stat 2 of 5 seasons.

The best season on record is Ravens 2020 at 1.56; the worst Raiders 2018 at 0.31.

The league average has fallen from 0.82 in 2018 to 0.77 in 2022.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2022.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_advanced_defense_def_fumbles_forced
Side: defensive
Family: Advanced defense
Data source: P + N
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.