What Pressures (allowed) is

Pressures: the number of opponent dropbacks on which this defense hurried, hit or sacked the quarterback. More predictive of future pass defense than sacks, which need the finish as well as the pressure.

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

In 2020 the Steelers led at 13.31; the league average was 9.26.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

PIT · 13.31

League average

9.26

Best to worst

6.75

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	PIT	13.31	16
2	TB	11.81	16
3	SEA	11.38	16
4	BAL	11	16
5	ARI	10.56	16
6	DEN	10.44	16
7	PHI	10.44	16
8	NYG	10.31	16
9	NO	10.19	16
10	ATL	10.06	16
11	WAS	9.75	16
12	KC	9.56	16
13	MIA	9.44	16
14	IND	9.19	16
15	LV	9.19	16
16	LAR	9.19	16
17	NE	9.13	16
18	BUF	8.94	16
19	CAR	8.94	16
20	LAC	8.94	16
21	CLE	8.88	16
22	NYJ	8.81	16
23	CHI	8.56	16
24	SF	8.56	16
25	DAL	8.25	16
26	GB	8	16
27	HOU	7.94	16
28	TEN	7.44	16
29	JAX	7.25	16
30	MIN	7.25	16
31	CIN	6.94	16
32	DET	6.56	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

PIT · 13.31

League laggard

DET · 6.56

League average

9.26

Spread (max − min)

6.75

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	PIT	13.31	4.06	100%
2	TB	11.81	2.56	96.8%
3	SEA	11.38	2.12	93.5%
4	BAL	11	1.74	90.3%
5	ARI	10.56	1.31	87.1%
6	DEN	10.44	1.18	83.9%
7	PHI	10.44	1.18	80.6%
8	NYG	10.31	1.06	77.4%
9	NO	10.19	0.93	74.2%
10	ATL	10.06	0.81	71%
11	WAS	9.75	0.49	67.7%
12	KC	9.56	0.31	64.5%
13	MIA	9.44	0.18	61.3%
14	IND	9.19	-0.07	58.1%
15	LV	9.19	-0.07	54.8%
16	LAR	9.19	-0.07	51.6%
17	NE	9.13	-0.13	48.4%
18	BUF	8.94	-0.32	45.2%
19	CAR	8.94	-0.32	41.9%
20	LAC	8.94	-0.32	38.7%
21	CLE	8.88	-0.38	35.5%
22	NYJ	8.81	-0.44	32.3%
23	CHI	8.56	-0.69	29%
24	SF	8.56	-0.69	25.8%
25	DAL	8.25	-1.01	22.6%
26	GB	8	-1.26	19.4%
27	HOU	7.94	-1.32	16.1%
28	TEN	7.44	-1.82	12.9%
29	JAX	7.25	-2.01	9.7%
30	MIN	7.25	-2.01	6.5%
31	CIN	6.94	-2.32	3.2%
32	DET	6.56	-2.69	0%

Does Pressures (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 840–738–37 ATS (53.2%) across 2020–2025, #123 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2024 (146–117, 55.5%); its worst 2025 (135–134, 50.2%).

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	138–132–2	51.1%
2022	271	142–122–7	53.8%
2023	272	138–120–14	53.5%
2024	272	146–117–9	55.5%
2025	272	135–134–3	50.2%

Pressures (allowed) in 2020 vs 2019

Steelers lead at 13.31 — they ranked #1 last year. Lions are last at 6.56 — #28 last year.

The league average is 9.26, up 0.30 from 8.96 last year.

Biggest riser: Seahawks, #26 → #3. Biggest faller: Jaguars, #10 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 6.75; 23 teams are within 1.46 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

MIA · +3.50

Biggest faller

SF · −2.19

Most consistent

BUF · 0

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▲ 0.30

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	MIA	9.44	5.94	+3.50
2	SEA	11.38	7.88	+3.50
3	ATL	10.06	6.81	+3.25
4	BAL	11	8.75	+2.25
5	ARI	10.56	8.50	+2.06
6	PIT	13.31	11.25	+2.06
7	DEN	10.44	8.56	+1.88
8	LV	9.19	7.31	+1.88
9	LAC	8.94	7.81	+1.13
10	NYG	10.31	9.19	+1.13
11	IND	9.19	8.31	+0.88
12	TB	11.81	10.94	+0.88
13	PHI	10.44	9.63	+0.81
14	HOU	7.94	7.31	+0.63
15	KC	9.56	9.06	+0.50
16	CLE	8.88	8.63	+0.25
17	NYJ	8.81	8.56	+0.25
18	BUF	8.94	8.94	0
19	NE	9.13	9.13	0
20	GB	8	8.31	−0.31
21	CAR	8.94	9.75	−0.81
22	NO	10.19	11.19	−1
23	DAL	8.25	9.31	−1.06
24	CIN	6.94	8.06	−1.13
25	WAS	9.75	10.88	−1.13
26	DET	6.56	7.75	−1.19
27	CHI	8.56	9.81	−1.25
28	TEN	7.44	8.88	−1.44
29	MIN	7.25	8.94	−1.69
30	LAR	9.19	11.06	−1.88
31	JAX	7.25	9.38	−2.13
32	SF	8.56	10.75	−2.19

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

SEA · 9.95

Multi-year laggard

CAR · 7.51

Biggest improver

DET · +0.66/yr

Biggest decliner

TB · −0.81/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	SEA	9.95	+0.27	11.38	9.24	7.65	9	9.41	10.59	12.40
2	KC	9.83	−0.16	9.56	10.41	10.35	10.65	10.06	8.06	9.75
3	MIN	9.46	+0.47	7.25	10.88	7.88	8.71	10.59	8.71	12.20
4	DEN	9.41	+0.08	10.44	9.59	7.18	6.88	11.47	12.53	7.80
5	TB	9.39	−0.81	11.81	12.88	8.29	7.88	10.12	7.53	7.20
6	DAL	9.36	−0.03	8.25	10.94	9.47	7.47	10.59	11.59	7.20
7	BUF	9.30	−0.04	8.94	10.88	8.81	9.29	8.88	7.47	10.80
8	DET	9.16	+0.66	6.56	7.29	8.71	11	10.53	9	11
9	PIT	8.87	−0.73	13.31	9.88	6.35	8.82	8.24	9.06	6.40
10	CIN	8.77	+0.29	6.94	10	8.50	8.35	8.94	7.47	11.20
11	MIA	8.73	−0.72	9.44	11.35	8.88	10.59	7.65	7.41	5.80
12	BAL	8.69	−0.37	11	9	7.53	8.41	9.35	7.76	7.80
13	LV	8.66	+0.15	9.19	9.71	7.29	7.41	7.82	6.76	12.40
14	GB	8.59	+0.04	8	9.82	7.41	8.76	8.41	9.35	8.40
15	PHI	8.47	−0.72	10.44	9.06	9.82	9.71	6.53	8.76	5
16	SF	8.46	−0.00	8.56	8.88	8.94	8.71	6.88	6.24	11
17	HOU	8.40	+0.38	7.94	7.29	6.88	9.76	8.53	7.82	10.60
18	JAX	8.36	+0.00	7.25	8.53	9.82	9.24	6.53	9.35	7.80
19	CLE	8.34	−0.01	8.88	9.06	6.06	8.59	9.12	8.71	8
20	NYJ	8.31	−0.21	8.81	8.06	9.35	9.41	8.24	5.12	9.20
21	WAS	8.24	−0.24	9.75	9.47	8	6.53	7.59	7.12	9.20
22	ATL	8.23	+0.42	10.06	6.12	5.18	8.41	7.71	8.71	11.40
23	NE	8.13	−0.33	9.13	8.94	9.53	7.76	6.12	7.06	8.40
24	LAR	8.12	−0.22	9.19	9.47	6.53	7.53	7.71	10.24	6.20
25	NO	8.02	−0.45	10.19	9.76	6.24	6.94	8.53	8.29	6.20
26	NYG	7.95	−0.61	10.31	7.82	9.12	7.82	7.41	8.35	4.80
27	LAC	7.93	−0.22	8.94	9.18	6.59	7.82	7.59	8.18	7.20
28	IND	7.81	−0.18	9.19	7.12	7.88	7.47	7.47	9.53	6
29	ARI	7.71	−0.77	10.56	9.53	8.65	5.71	7	6.71	5.80
30	TEN	7.59	−0.42	7.44	9.88	9.12	7.18	5.35	8.59	5.60
31	CHI	7.53	+0.13	8.56	7.41	4.88	7.47	8.35	7.41	8.60
32	CAR	7.51	−0.04	8.94	8.59	7.41	5.29	5.65	5.47	11.25

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
PIT	13.31	9.88	6.35	8.82	8.24	9.06	6.40
TB	11.81	12.88	8.29	7.88	10.12	7.53	7.20
SEA	11.38	9.24	7.65	9	9.41	10.59	12.40
BAL	11	9	7.53	8.41	9.35	7.76	7.80
ARI	10.56	9.53	8.65	5.71	7	6.71	5.80
DEN	10.44	9.59	7.18	6.88	11.47	12.53	7.80
PHI	10.44	9.06	9.82	9.71	6.53	8.76	5
NYG	10.31	7.82	9.12	7.82	7.41	8.35	4.80
NO	10.19	9.76	6.24	6.94	8.53	8.29	6.20
ATL	10.06	6.12	5.18	8.41	7.71	8.71	11.40
WAS	9.75	9.47	8	6.53	7.59	7.12	9.20
KC	9.56	10.41	10.35	10.65	10.06	8.06	9.75
MIA	9.44	11.35	8.88	10.59	7.65	7.41	5.80
IND	9.19	7.12	7.88	7.47	7.47	9.53	6
LV	9.19	9.71	7.29	7.41	7.82	6.76	12.40
LAR	9.19	9.47	6.53	7.53	7.71	10.24	6.20
NE	9.13	8.94	9.53	7.76	6.12	7.06	8.40
BUF	8.94	10.88	8.81	9.29	8.88	7.47	10.80
CAR	8.94	8.59	7.41	5.29	5.65	5.47	11.25
LAC	8.94	9.18	6.59	7.82	7.59	8.18	7.20
CLE	8.88	9.06	6.06	8.59	9.12	8.71	8
NYJ	8.81	8.06	9.35	9.41	8.24	5.12	9.20
CHI	8.56	7.41	4.88	7.47	8.35	7.41	8.60
SF	8.56	8.88	8.94	8.71	6.88	6.24	11
DAL	8.25	10.94	9.47	7.47	10.59	11.59	7.20
GB	8	9.82	7.41	8.76	8.41	9.35	8.40
HOU	7.94	7.29	6.88	9.76	8.53	7.82	10.60
TEN	7.44	9.88	9.12	7.18	5.35	8.59	5.60
JAX	7.25	8.53	9.82	9.24	6.53	9.35	7.80
MIN	7.25	10.88	7.88	8.71	10.59	8.71	12.20
CIN	6.94	10	8.50	8.35	8.94	7.47	11.20
DET	6.56	7.29	8.71	11	10.53	9	11

Pressures (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Chiefs (12), 2019 Steelers (11.25), 2020 Steelers (13.31).

Steelers have led this stat 2 of 3 seasons.

The best season on record is Steelers 2020 at 13.31; the worst Raiders 2018 at 5.81.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

About this stat

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