What TFL (allowed) is

Tackles for loss: plays this defense stopped behind the line of scrimmage. Each one kills a play before it starts and puts the offense off schedule.

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 Jets led at 5.69; the league average was 4.20.

League snapshot — 2019

League leader

NYJ · 5.69

League average

4.20

Best to worst

3.13

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NYJ	5.69	16
2	BUF	5.25	16
3	TB	5.13	16
4	ARI	5.06	16
5	MIN	5.06	16
6	PIT	4.88	16
7	SF	4.81	16
8	JAX	4.75	16
9	NO	4.75	16
10	PHI	4.75	16
11	CLE	4.63	16
12	DAL	4.63	16
13	DEN	4.56	16
14	WAS	4.56	16
15	CAR	4.50	16
16	LAR	4.38	16
17	LV	4.25	16
18	NYG	4.25	16
19	BAL	4.13	16
20	KC	4.06	16
21	LAC	4.06	16
22	ATL	3.94	16
23	IND	3.88	16
24	TEN	3.75	16
25	GB	3.69	16
26	CIN	3.63	16
27	CHI	3.25	16
28	NE	3.06	16
29	HOU	3	16
30	SEA	2.81	16
31	MIA	2.75	16
32	DET	2.56	16

At a glance — 2019

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NYJ · 5.69

League laggard

DET · 2.56

League average

4.20

Spread (max − min)

3.13

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NYJ	5.69	1.49	100%
2	BUF	5.25	1.05	96.8%
3	TB	5.13	0.92	93.5%
4	ARI	5.06	0.86	90.3%
5	MIN	5.06	0.86	87.1%
6	PIT	4.88	0.67	83.9%
7	SF	4.81	0.61	80.6%
8	JAX	4.75	0.55	77.4%
9	NO	4.75	0.55	74.2%
10	PHI	4.75	0.55	71%
11	CLE	4.63	0.42	67.7%
12	DAL	4.63	0.42	64.5%
13	DEN	4.56	0.36	61.3%
14	WAS	4.56	0.36	58.1%
15	CAR	4.50	0.30	54.8%
16	LAR	4.38	0.17	51.6%
17	LV	4.25	0.05	48.4%
18	NYG	4.25	0.05	45.2%
19	BAL	4.13	-0.08	41.9%
20	KC	4.06	-0.14	38.7%
21	LAC	4.06	-0.14	35.5%
22	ATL	3.94	-0.26	32.3%
23	IND	3.88	-0.33	29%
24	TEN	3.75	-0.45	25.8%
25	GB	3.69	-0.51	22.6%
26	CIN	3.63	-0.58	19.4%
27	CHI	3.25	-0.95	16.1%
28	NE	3.06	-1.14	12.9%
29	HOU	3	-1.20	9.7%
30	SEA	2.81	-1.39	6.5%
31	MIA	2.75	-1.45	3.2%
32	DET	2.56	-1.64	0%

Does TFL (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 808–770–37 ATS (51.2%) across 2020–2025, #215 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2023 (140–118, 54.3%); its worst 2021 (134–136, 49.6%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	129–125–2	50.8%
2021	272	134–136–2	49.6%
2022	271	137–127–7	51.9%
2023	272	140–118–14	54.3%
2024	272	132–131–9	50.2%
2025	272	136–133–3	50.6%

TFL (allowed) in 2019 vs 2018

Jets lead at 5.69 — they ranked #11 last year. Lions are last at 2.56 — #20 last year.

The league average is 4.20, down 0.15 from 4.35 last year.

Biggest riser: Raiders, #32 → #17. Biggest faller: Bears, #4 → #27.

Spread between first and last: 3.13; 21 teams are within 0.78 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2019 vs 2018

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

LV · +1.25

Biggest faller

HOU · −1.88

Most consistent

LAC · +0.06

League trend 2019 vs 2018

▼ -0.15

Rank	Team	2019	2018	Δ
1	LV	4.25	3	+1.25
2	NYJ	5.69	4.63	+1.06
3	JAX	4.75	4.13	+0.63
4	WAS	4.56	3.94	+0.63
5	ATL	3.94	3.38	+0.56
6	DAL	4.63	4.06	+0.56
7	NYG	4.25	3.69	+0.56
8	BUF	5.25	4.75	+0.50
9	PIT	4.88	4.38	+0.50
10	DEN	4.56	4.19	+0.38
11	SF	4.81	4.50	+0.31
12	TB	5.13	4.94	+0.19
13	CLE	4.63	4.50	+0.13
14	LAR	4.38	4.25	+0.13
15	LAC	4.06	4	+0.06
16	TEN	3.75	3.69	+0.06
17	KC	4.06	4.19	−0.13
18	NE	3.06	3.19	−0.13
19	CIN	3.63	3.81	−0.19
20	MIN	5.06	5.25	−0.19
21	ARI	5.06	5.31	−0.25
22	CAR	4.50	4.75	−0.25
23	NO	4.75	5.06	−0.31
24	PHI	4.75	5.13	−0.38
25	IND	3.88	4.50	−0.63
26	GB	3.69	4.44	−0.75
27	BAL	4.13	5.31	−1.19
28	MIA	2.75	4	−1.25
29	SEA	2.81	4.13	−1.31
30	DET	2.56	4.13	−1.56
31	CHI	3.25	5.13	−1.88
32	HOU	3	4.88	−1.88

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CLE · 5.05

Multi-year laggard

NE · 3.65

Biggest improver

CLE · +0.69/yr

Biggest decliner

LAR · −0.12/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CLE	5.05	+0.69	3	3.82	3.47	5.18	6.59	6.88	6.40
2	HOU	4.87	+0.43	3.69	3.94	4.06	4.82	6.24	5.35	6
3	PIT	4.82	+0.01	5.81	5	3.29	4.24	4.94	5.24	5.20
4	SEA	4.75	+0.34	5.25	3.06	3.76	4.82	4.35	5.18	6.80
5	TB	4.64	−0.02	5.25	4.29	4.47	4.24	4.76	4.88	4.60
6	BUF	4.62	+0.15	3.63	4.18	5	4.71	5.47	4.94	4.40
7	PHI	4.43	−0.08	5.13	3.65	5.18	3.94	4.76	4.18	4.20
8	ARI	4.42	+0.06	5	3.76	4.18	3.76	5.12	4.12	5
9	NYJ	4.41	+0.34	3.69	3.24	4	4.59	5.24	4.53	5.60
10	BAL	4.38	+0.28	3.88	3.53	4	4.53	4.82	3.88	6
11	MIN	4.37	+0.56	2.81	3.24	3.88	3.35	5.65	6.29	5.40
12	WAS	4.36	+0.08	4.56	3.18	4.65	4.41	5.06	4.06	4.60
13	DEN	4.30	+0.39	3.81	3.41	3.29	3.41	5.53	4.82	5.80
14	NO	4.30	−0.00	4.63	4.47	3.71	3.65	4.53	5.29	3.80
15	TEN	4.26	+0.36	3.13	3.65	3.53	4.24	5.41	4.88	5
16	IND	4.17	−0.01	4	3.24	4.71	4.47	5.18	5	2.60
17	GB	4.12	+0.48	3.31	2.71	3.24	3.76	5.59	4.24	6
18	MIA	4.10	+0.13	3.88	3.53	3.76	4.12	4.88	4.35	4.20
19	KC	4.06	+0.42	2.56	2.47	4.47	4.41	5.12	4.35	5
20	NYG	4.01	+0.15	3.94	2.76	3.65	3.76	5.65	5.29	3
21	DAL	4.00	+0.12	3.06	3.59	4.53	4.29	4.12	5	3.40
22	CHI	3.99	+0.21	3.63	4.18	2.94	3.35	4.76	3.88	5.20
23	LV	3.97	+0.27	3.13	3.12	3.35	4.06	4.88	6.06	3.20
24	LAC	3.97	+0.22	3.19	3.24	3.82	4.12	4.53	5.29	3.60
25	DET	3.95	+0.36	3.31	3	3.47	4	4.12	3.94	5.80
26	SF	3.94	−0.10	3.63	4.88	3.88	4.06	3.94	3.82	3.40
27	LAR	3.84	−0.12	4.06	4.41	3.47	3.82	4.24	3.88	3
28	JAX	3.83	+0.17	3.19	3.24	3.82	3.59	4.82	4.53	3.60
29	CIN	3.80	+0.29	2.69	4.29	2.94	3.53	4.24	3.29	5.60
30	ATL	3.72	+0.33	3.31	2.59	2.82	3.29	4.65	5.59	3.80
31	CAR	3.71	−0.00	3.19	4.06	4.35	3.24	3.82	3.82	3.50
32	NE	3.65	+0.33	2.38	2.94	3.65	3.76	3.71	5.12	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
SEA	5.25	3.06	3.76	4.82	4.35	5.18	6.80
CLE	3	3.82	3.47	5.18	6.59	6.88	6.40
BAL	3.88	3.53	4	4.53	4.82	3.88	6
GB	3.31	2.71	3.24	3.76	5.59	4.24	6
HOU	3.69	3.94	4.06	4.82	6.24	5.35	6
DEN	3.81	3.41	3.29	3.41	5.53	4.82	5.80
DET	3.31	3	3.47	4	4.12	3.94	5.80
CIN	2.69	4.29	2.94	3.53	4.24	3.29	5.60
NYJ	3.69	3.24	4	4.59	5.24	4.53	5.60
MIN	2.81	3.24	3.88	3.35	5.65	6.29	5.40
CHI	3.63	4.18	2.94	3.35	4.76	3.88	5.20
PIT	5.81	5	3.29	4.24	4.94	5.24	5.20
ARI	5	3.76	4.18	3.76	5.12	4.12	5
KC	2.56	2.47	4.47	4.41	5.12	4.35	5
TEN	3.13	3.65	3.53	4.24	5.41	4.88	5
TB	5.25	4.29	4.47	4.24	4.76	4.88	4.60
WAS	4.56	3.18	4.65	4.41	5.06	4.06	4.60
BUF	3.63	4.18	5	4.71	5.47	4.94	4.40
MIA	3.88	3.53	3.76	4.12	4.88	4.35	4.20
PHI	5.13	3.65	5.18	3.94	4.76	4.18	4.20
NE	2.38	2.94	3.65	3.76	3.71	5.12	4
ATL	3.31	2.59	2.82	3.29	4.65	5.59	3.80
NO	4.63	4.47	3.71	3.65	4.53	5.29	3.80
JAX	3.19	3.24	3.82	3.59	4.82	4.53	3.60
LAC	3.19	3.24	3.82	4.12	4.53	5.29	3.60
CAR	3.19	4.06	4.35	3.24	3.82	3.82	3.50
DAL	3.06	3.59	4.53	4.29	4.12	5	3.40
SF	3.63	4.88	3.88	4.06	3.94	3.82	3.40
LV	3.13	3.12	3.35	4.06	4.88	6.06	3.20
LAR	4.06	4.41	3.47	3.82	4.24	3.88	3
NYG	3.94	2.76	3.65	3.76	5.65	5.29	3
IND	4	3.24	4.71	4.47	5.18	5	2.60

TFL (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Cardinals (5.31), 2019 Jets (5.69).

The best season on record is Jets 2019 at 5.69; the worst Lions 2019 at 2.56.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2019.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_advanced_defense_tackles_for_loss
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.