What Def yac (allowed) is

Yards allowed after the catch: the yards opponents' receivers gained after securing the ball against this defense. Tackling and pursuit rather than coverage — a defense that covers well but tackles poorly bleeds yards here.

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

In 2021 the Bills led at 93.41; the league average was 115.8.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

BUF · 93.41

League average

115.8

Best to worst

58.71

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	BUF	93.41	17
2	CAR	93.71	17
3	NE	95.65	17
4	ARI	100	17
5	CHI	100.2	17
6	HOU	102.6	17
7	LV	103	17
8	SF	103.9	17
9	PIT	104.6	17
10	WAS	106.4	17
11	IND	108.7	17
12	JAX	109.1	17
13	CLE	111.5	17
14	DET	112	17
15	DEN	112.1	17
16	NYG	112.4	17
17	LAC	112.8	17
18	PHI	112.8	17
19	ATL	115.7	17
20	MIA	115.9	17
21	GB	116.9	17
22	NO	117.9	17
23	CIN	119.9	17
24	TEN	126.8	17
25	TB	128.9	17
26	LAR	129.6	17
27	MIN	131.2	17
28	NYJ	131.9	17
29	DAL	135.6	17
30	KC	141.6	17
31	BAL	146.7	17
32	SEA	152.1	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

BUF · 93.41

League laggard

SEA · 152.1

League average

115.8

Spread (max − min)

58.71

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	BUF	93.41	-22.40	100%
2	CAR	93.71	-22.10	96.8%
3	NE	95.65	-20.16	93.5%
4	ARI	100	-15.81	90.3%
5	CHI	100.2	-15.57	87.1%
6	HOU	102.6	-13.16	83.9%
7	LV	103	-12.81	80.6%
8	SF	103.9	-11.92	77.4%
9	PIT	104.6	-11.22	74.2%
10	WAS	106.4	-9.40	71%
11	IND	108.7	-7.10	67.7%
12	JAX	109.1	-6.69	64.5%
13	CLE	111.5	-4.34	61.3%
14	DET	112	-3.81	58.1%
15	DEN	112.1	-3.69	54.8%
16	NYG	112.4	-3.40	51.6%
17	LAC	112.8	-3.04	48.4%
18	PHI	112.8	-2.98	45.2%
19	ATL	115.7	-0.10	41.9%
20	MIA	115.9	0.13	38.7%
21	GB	116.9	1.08	35.5%
22	NO	117.9	2.08	32.3%
23	CIN	119.9	4.08	29%
24	TEN	126.8	11.02	25.8%
25	TB	128.9	13.13	22.6%
26	LAR	129.6	13.84	19.4%
27	MIN	131.2	15.43	16.1%
28	NYJ	131.9	16.08	12.9%
29	DAL	135.6	19.78	9.7%
30	KC	141.6	25.84	6.5%
31	BAL	146.7	30.90	3.2%
32	SEA	152.1	36.31	0%

Does Def yac (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 802–776–37 ATS (50.8%) across 2020–2025, #228 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (145–109, 57.1%); its worst 2024 (118–145, 44.9%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	145–109–2	57.1%
2021	272	125–145–2	46.3%
2022	271	150–114–7	56.8%
2023	272	124–134–14	48.1%
2024	272	118–145–9	44.9%
2025	272	140–129–3	52.0%

Def yac (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Bills lead at 93.41 — they ranked #13 last year. Seahawks are last at 152.1 — #21 last year.

The league average is 115.8, down 0.43 from 116.2 last year.

Biggest riser: Texans, #31 → #6. Biggest faller: Cowboys, #6 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 58.71; 21 teams are within 14.89 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

BAL · +35.64

Biggest faller

HOU · −34.23

Most consistent

NYJ · +0.57

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -0.43

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	BAL	146.7	111.1	+35.64
2	DAL	135.6	104	+31.59
3	SEA	152.1	121	+31.12
4	MIN	131.2	109	+22.24
5	NO	117.9	97.88	+20.01
6	CIN	119.9	101.4	+18.44
7	LAC	112.8	94.50	+18.26
8	PIT	104.6	87.94	+16.65
9	KC	141.6	127.1	+14.52
10	WAS	106.4	92.31	+14.10
11	LAR	129.6	115.6	+14.02
12	TB	128.9	124.6	+4.38
13	IND	108.7	107	+1.71
14	TEN	126.8	125.4	+1.45
15	GB	116.9	116.2	+0.69
16	NYJ	131.9	131.3	+0.57
17	DEN	112.1	113.2	−1.07
18	SF	103.9	105.9	−1.99
19	CLE	111.5	114.3	−2.84
20	NYG	112.4	116.6	−4.15
21	PHI	112.8	117.1	−4.30
22	CHI	100.2	107.9	−7.70
23	MIA	115.9	129.8	−13.81
24	NE	95.65	114.9	−19.29
25	BUF	93.41	113.8	−20.40
26	DET	112	132.6	−20.56
27	LV	103	126	−23
28	JAX	109.1	133.6	−24.44
29	CAR	93.71	119.3	−25.54
30	ATL	115.7	142	−26.29
31	ARI	100	129.4	−29.38
32	HOU	102.6	136.9	−34.23

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CAR · 100.1

Multi-year laggard

TB · 123.0

Biggest improver

SEA · −7.25/yr

Biggest decliner

CIN · +5.23/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CAR	100.1	−1.86	119.3	93.71	98.35	84.47	111.4	101.2	92.50
2	LAC	104.0	−0.95	94.50	112.8	92	135	100.5	105.5	87.60
3	CLE	104.3	−1.82	114.3	111.5	95.65	100	109.2	96.82	102.6
4	NE	104.3	+0.14	114.9	95.65	101.5	106.2	99.18	96.24	116.6
5	BUF	105.4	+0.82	113.8	93.41	104.1	101	121.3	77.41	126.4
6	NO	106.2	−0.18	97.88	117.9	95.29	110.6	125.6	94.94	101.4
7	PIT	107.0	+4.34	87.94	104.6	99.18	109	115.3	120.6	112.4
8	GB	107.2	−1.08	116.2	116.9	94.12	104.4	111.2	89	119
9	CHI	107.2	−1.52	107.9	100.2	110.2	127.2	112.6	98.41	94.20
10	PHI	108.1	−1.81	117.1	112.8	101.2	122.6	93.53	93.59	115.6
11	DET	108.1	−4.04	132.6	112	98.18	107.6	113.4	86.41	106.8
12	WAS	108.5	+4.00	92.31	106.4	93.71	130.4	91.82	131.2	113.8
13	HOU	110.2	−3.76	136.9	102.6	102.5	115.8	117.7	93.18	103
14	SF	110.3	+1.74	105.9	103.9	112.1	114.9	105.4	108.6	121.2
15	NYG	110.6	−3.03	116.6	112.4	107.7	135.6	102.8	102.6	96.40
16	ATL	111.2	−4.71	142	115.7	106	95.88	114.7	95.47	108.6
17	DEN	111.2	−2.69	113.2	112.1	121.4	119.4	117.8	91.47	103
18	LAR	112.0	−3.55	115.6	129.6	117.1	102.4	116.9	99.59	102.6
19	ARI	112.7	−4.29	129.4	100	150.5	89.65	113.9	111.2	94
20	NYJ	112.8	−4.82	131.3	131.9	102.4	108.6	100.4	120.8	94.40
21	TEN	113.2	−5.33	125.4	126.8	125.1	107.1	100.4	117.6	90
22	BAL	114.7	−3.29	111.1	146.7	109.8	106.4	114.2	113.6	101
23	DAL	115.0	−0.00	104	135.6	105.9	104.3	124.4	128.1	102.8
24	IND	116.5	+3.09	107	108.7	121.8	112.1	118.2	114.7	133
25	MIA	116.6	−2.68	129.8	115.9	121.2	110	116.2	118.7	104.6
26	MIN	116.7	−4.15	109	131.2	130.5	136.1	119.9	87.41	103
27	LV	117.1	−1.51	126	103	121.7	136.8	117	100.1	115.4
28	KC	118.2	−3.55	127.1	141.6	118.4	96.71	118.7	109.2	115.5
29	CIN	118.6	+5.23	101.4	119.9	100.4	117.6	118.6	143.9	128.2
30	JAX	119.2	−2.89	133.6	109.1	122.5	125.9	134.5	100.1	108.6
31	SEA	119.8	−7.25	121	152.1	123	123.1	126.9	116.5	75.80
32	TB	123.0	+1.26	124.6	128.9	100.2	127.2	123.1	126.4	130.4

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
BUF	113.8	93.41	104.1	101	121.3	77.41	126.4
CAR	119.3	93.71	98.35	84.47	111.4	101.2	92.50
NE	114.9	95.65	101.5	106.2	99.18	96.24	116.6
ARI	129.4	100	150.5	89.65	113.9	111.2	94
CHI	107.9	100.2	110.2	127.2	112.6	98.41	94.20
HOU	136.9	102.6	102.5	115.8	117.7	93.18	103
LV	126	103	121.7	136.8	117	100.1	115.4
SF	105.9	103.9	112.1	114.9	105.4	108.6	121.2
PIT	87.94	104.6	99.18	109	115.3	120.6	112.4
WAS	92.31	106.4	93.71	130.4	91.82	131.2	113.8
IND	107	108.7	121.8	112.1	118.2	114.7	133
JAX	133.6	109.1	122.5	125.9	134.5	100.1	108.6
CLE	114.3	111.5	95.65	100	109.2	96.82	102.6
DET	132.6	112	98.18	107.6	113.4	86.41	106.8
DEN	113.2	112.1	121.4	119.4	117.8	91.47	103
NYG	116.6	112.4	107.7	135.6	102.8	102.6	96.40
LAC	94.50	112.8	92	135	100.5	105.5	87.60
PHI	117.1	112.8	101.2	122.6	93.53	93.59	115.6
ATL	142	115.7	106	95.88	114.7	95.47	108.6
MIA	129.8	115.9	121.2	110	116.2	118.7	104.6
GB	116.2	116.9	94.12	104.4	111.2	89	119
NO	97.88	117.9	95.29	110.6	125.6	94.94	101.4
CIN	101.4	119.9	100.4	117.6	118.6	143.9	128.2
TEN	125.4	126.8	125.1	107.1	100.4	117.6	90
TB	124.6	128.9	100.2	127.2	123.1	126.4	130.4
LAR	115.6	129.6	117.1	102.4	116.9	99.59	102.6
MIN	109	131.2	130.5	136.1	119.9	87.41	103
NYJ	131.3	131.9	102.4	108.6	100.4	120.8	94.40
DAL	104	135.6	105.9	104.3	124.4	128.1	102.8
KC	127.1	141.6	118.4	96.71	118.7	109.2	115.5
BAL	111.1	146.7	109.8	106.4	114.2	113.6	101
SEA	121	152.1	123	123.1	126.9	116.5	75.80

Def yac (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (95.19), 2019 Steelers (86.50), 2020 Steelers (87.94), 2021 Bills (93.41).

Bills have led this stat 2 of 4 seasons.

The best season on record is Steelers 2019 at 86.50; the worst Seahawks 2021 at 152.1.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

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