What INT Return Yds (allowed) is

Interception return yards: the yards this defense gained returning its interceptions. It turns a stop into field position or points.

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

In 2019 the Patriots led at 22.06; the league average was 10.18.

League snapshot — 2019

League leader

NE · 22.06

League average

10.18

Best to worst

18.38

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NE	22.06	16
2	HOU	18.88	16
3	SF	17.88	16
4	BAL	16.19	16
5	PIT	14.69	16
6	CLE	13.69	16
7	LV	13.38	16
8	TB	12.56	16
9	MIA	11.88	16
10	CIN	11.31	16
11	GB	11.06	16
12	NYG	10.69	16
13	IND	10.44	16
14	SEA	10.06	16
15	PHI	9.94	16
16	TEN	9.88	16
17	CHI	9.81	16
18	CAR	8.81	16
19	KC	8.81	16
20	NO	8.75	16
21	NYJ	8.63	16
22	LAR	8.56	16
23	JAX	8.25	16
24	ATL	8.13	16
25	WAS	6.63	16
26	MIN	5.94	16
27	DEN	5.44	16
28	DAL	5.19	16
29	ARI	5.13	16
30	DET	4.75	16
31	LAC	4.63	16
32	BUF	3.69	16

At a glance — 2019

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NE · 22.06

League laggard

BUF · 3.69

League average

10.18

Spread (max − min)

18.38

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NE	22.06	11.88	100%
2	HOU	18.88	8.70	96.8%
3	SF	17.88	7.70	93.5%
4	BAL	16.19	6.01	90.3%
5	PIT	14.69	4.51	87.1%
6	CLE	13.69	3.51	83.9%
7	LV	13.38	3.20	80.6%
8	TB	12.56	2.38	77.4%
9	MIA	11.88	1.70	74.2%
10	CIN	11.31	1.13	71%
11	GB	11.06	0.88	67.7%
12	NYG	10.69	0.51	64.5%
13	IND	10.44	0.26	61.3%
14	SEA	10.06	-0.12	58.1%
15	PHI	9.94	-0.24	54.8%
16	TEN	9.88	-0.30	51.6%
17	CHI	9.81	-0.37	48.4%
18	CAR	8.81	-1.37	45.2%
19	KC	8.81	-1.37	41.9%
20	NO	8.75	-1.43	38.7%
21	NYJ	8.63	-1.55	35.5%
22	LAR	8.56	-1.62	32.3%
23	JAX	8.25	-1.93	29%
24	ATL	8.13	-2.05	25.8%
25	WAS	6.63	-3.55	22.6%
26	MIN	5.94	-4.24	19.4%
27	DEN	5.44	-4.74	16.1%
28	DAL	5.19	-4.99	12.9%
29	ARI	5.13	-5.05	9.7%
30	DET	4.75	-5.43	6.5%
31	LAC	4.63	-5.55	3.2%
32	BUF	3.69	-6.49	0%

Does INT Return Yds (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 831–747–37 ATS (52.7%) across 2020–2025, #146 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (141–113, 55.5%); its worst 2024 (129–134, 49.0%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	141–113–2	55.5%
2021	272	143–127–2	53.0%
2022	271	144–120–7	54.5%
2023	272	134–124–14	51.9%
2024	272	129–134–9	49.0%
2025	272	140–129–3	52.0%

INT Return Yds (allowed) in 2019 vs 2018

Patriots lead at 22.06 — they ranked #16 last year. Bills are last at 3.69 — #21 last year.

The league average is 10.18, down 0.73 from 10.91 last year.

Biggest riser: 49ers, #32 → #3. Biggest faller: Chargers, #8 → #31.

Spread between first and last: 18.38; 21 teams are within 4.30 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2019 vs 2018

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

SF · +14.44

Biggest faller

NYJ · −11.25

Most consistent

JAX · +0.94

League trend 2019 vs 2018

▼ -0.73

Rank	Team	2019	2018	Δ
1	SF	17.88	3.44	+14.44
2	NE	22.06	9.75	+12.31
3	BAL	16.19	6.56	+9.63
4	PIT	14.69	5.56	+9.13
5	CLE	13.69	6.38	+7.31
6	TB	12.56	6.06	+6.50
7	LV	13.38	7.75	+5.63
8	GB	11.06	6.25	+4.81
9	CAR	8.81	5.69	+3.13
10	HOU	18.88	15.75	+3.13
11	TEN	9.88	7.50	+2.38
12	ARI	5.13	3.44	+1.69
13	PHI	9.94	8.88	+1.06
14	JAX	8.25	7.31	+0.94
15	NYG	10.69	11.94	−1.25
16	ATL	8.13	9.69	−1.56
17	SEA	10.06	12.25	−2.19
18	CIN	11.31	13.88	−2.56
19	IND	10.44	13.75	−3.31
20	DAL	5.19	8.81	−3.63
21	MIN	5.94	9.94	−4
22	DEN	5.44	9.88	−4.44
23	DET	4.75	9.25	−4.50
24	BUF	3.69	8.31	−4.63
25	WAS	6.63	12.88	−6.25
26	NO	8.75	16.19	−7.44
27	MIA	11.88	20.50	−8.63
28	KC	8.81	17.50	−8.69
29	LAR	8.56	18.13	−9.56
30	CHI	9.81	20.63	−10.81
31	LAC	4.63	15.44	−10.81
32	NYJ	8.63	19.88	−11.25

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

DEN · 12.41

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 5.44

Biggest improver

NYG · +1.88/yr

Biggest decliner

KC · −2.18/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	DEN	12.41	+1.75	8.13	13	5.59	5	25.29	9.88	20
2	JAX	12.34	+1.54	12.50	3.35	13.65	15.53	2.41	18.35	20.60
3	NYG	11.61	+1.88	6.31	7.94	5.71	23.76	3.06	13.29	21.20
4	LAR	11.54	−0.69	16.63	11.29	14.12	5.88	8.53	14.12	10.20
5	BUF	10.98	−0.04	11.50	14	10.31	8.71	8.53	8.24	15.60
6	SEA	10.95	+1.68	6.63	5.41	9.59	10.41	15.76	14.82	14
7	NE	10.56	−1.99	10.13	18.94	22.53	5.65	2.88	9.18	4.60
8	CAR	10.39	+1.49	6.88	6.06	11.12	12.12	5.65	12.94	18
9	SF	10.27	−0.94	7.69	8	17.94	18.18	9.82	9.88	0.40
10	PIT	9.90	+0.32	10.75	6.18	8.94	10.82	12.29	10.71	9.60
11	GB	9.88	−0.28	6.38	9.65	20.65	4.12	16.94	0	11.40
12	CHI	9.29	+0.11	5.06	7.94	12	14.41	5.12	20.47	0
13	HOU	9.23	−0.38	1.19	17.35	14.88	3.71	16.18	7.53	3.80
14	PHI	9.18	+0.20	6.31	8.41	10.94	12.18	9.76	7.47	9.20
15	NO	9.17	−2.04	12.25	18.41	6.47	10.88	9.94	5.82	0.40
16	IND	9.16	−1.99	16.63	10.29	8.29	15.06	6.18	6.29	1.40
17	ATL	9.11	−0.99	12.75	11.88	7.29	7.29	11	10.18	3.40
18	CIN	9.11	−0.54	5.25	15.65	8.31	8.94	14.65	7.35	3.60
19	MIN	8.91	−0.06	4.06	15.06	10.94	6.59	8.24	9.06	8.40
20	LV	8.85	+0.28	9.75	4	8.29	15.76	7.65	3.71	12.80
21	TEN	8.81	+0.42	11.81	7.53	8.76	5.06	5.06	4.47	19
22	DAL	8.80	−1.84	6.75	23.82	3.53	14.65	5.76	7.06	0
23	MIA	8.01	−0.75	9.13	10.29	6.76	15.88	1.24	6	6.80
24	CLE	7.97	−0.42	13.38	8.71	3.59	7.94	0	17.18	5
25	KC	7.81	−2.18	16.19	9.41	13.24	4.06	6	3.76	2
26	BAL	7.76	+0.88	5.13	2.24	6.18	15.18	6	14.24	5.40
27	TB	7.56	−0.61	10.69	10.41	8.24	5.47	1.65	7.06	9.40
28	WAS	7.23	+0.35	8.50	7.06	4	5	9	6.65	10.40
29	DET	7.09	−0.25	4.06	6.35	9.24	12.29	9.12	7.76	0.80
30	ARI	7.08	−1.86	8.06	14.53	14.47	5.76	0.71	3	3
31	LAC	6.90	−1.05	13.56	4.12	9.76	1.82	10.18	7.47	1.40
32	NYJ	5.44	−0.90	8.38	6.71	4.06	12.47	1.06	0	5.40

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
NYG	6.31	7.94	5.71	23.76	3.06	13.29	21.20
JAX	12.50	3.35	13.65	15.53	2.41	18.35	20.60
DEN	8.13	13	5.59	5	25.29	9.88	20
TEN	11.81	7.53	8.76	5.06	5.06	4.47	19
CAR	6.88	6.06	11.12	12.12	5.65	12.94	18
BUF	11.50	14	10.31	8.71	8.53	8.24	15.60
SEA	6.63	5.41	9.59	10.41	15.76	14.82	14
LV	9.75	4	8.29	15.76	7.65	3.71	12.80
GB	6.38	9.65	20.65	4.12	16.94	0	11.40
WAS	8.50	7.06	4	5	9	6.65	10.40
LAR	16.63	11.29	14.12	5.88	8.53	14.12	10.20
PIT	10.75	6.18	8.94	10.82	12.29	10.71	9.60
TB	10.69	10.41	8.24	5.47	1.65	7.06	9.40
PHI	6.31	8.41	10.94	12.18	9.76	7.47	9.20
MIN	4.06	15.06	10.94	6.59	8.24	9.06	8.40
MIA	9.13	10.29	6.76	15.88	1.24	6	6.80
BAL	5.13	2.24	6.18	15.18	6	14.24	5.40
NYJ	8.38	6.71	4.06	12.47	1.06	0	5.40
CLE	13.38	8.71	3.59	7.94	0	17.18	5
NE	10.13	18.94	22.53	5.65	2.88	9.18	4.60
HOU	1.19	17.35	14.88	3.71	16.18	7.53	3.80
CIN	5.25	15.65	8.31	8.94	14.65	7.35	3.60
ATL	12.75	11.88	7.29	7.29	11	10.18	3.40
ARI	8.06	14.53	14.47	5.76	0.71	3	3
KC	16.19	9.41	13.24	4.06	6	3.76	2
IND	16.63	10.29	8.29	15.06	6.18	6.29	1.40
LAC	13.56	4.12	9.76	1.82	10.18	7.47	1.40
DET	4.06	6.35	9.24	12.29	9.12	7.76	0.80
NO	12.25	18.41	6.47	10.88	9.94	5.82	0.40
SF	7.69	8	17.94	18.18	9.82	9.88	0.40
CHI	5.06	7.94	12	14.41	5.12	20.47	0
DAL	6.75	23.82	3.53	14.65	5.76	7.06	0

INT Return Yds (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (20.63), 2019 Patriots (22.06).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 22.06; the worst 49ers 2018 at 3.44.

The league average has fallen from 10.91 in 2018 to 10.18 in 2019.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2019.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_advanced_defense_def_int_yds
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.