What Drives (allowed) is

Drives faced: the number of possessions opponents had against this defense. It sets the pace the other defensive drive numbers are measured against.

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

In 2018 the Saints led at 10.44; the league average was 11.48.

League snapshot — 2018

League leader

NO · 10.44

League average

11.48

Best to worst

2.44

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NO	10.44	16
2	DAL	10.63	16
3	CAR	10.75	16
4	LAC	10.88	16
5	TEN	10.94	16
6	WAS	11	16
7	ATL	11.06	16
8	DET	11.13	16
9	IND	11.13	16
10	PHI	11.13	16
11	CIN	11.25	16
12	KC	11.25	16
13	LAR	11.25	16
14	LV	11.25	16
15	SEA	11.38	16
16	BAL	11.44	16
17	NYG	11.50	16
18	GB	11.56	16
19	MIA	11.63	16
20	SF	11.63	16
21	NE	11.69	16
22	TB	11.69	16
23	PIT	11.75	16
24	CHI	11.81	16
25	HOU	11.81	16
26	JAX	11.81	16
27	DEN	11.88	16
28	ARI	11.94	16
29	MIN	11.94	16
30	BUF	12.19	16
31	CLE	12.75	16
32	NYJ	12.88	16

At a glance — 2018

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NO · 10.44

League laggard

NYJ · 12.88

League average

11.48

Spread (max − min)

2.44

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NO	10.44	-1.04	100%
2	DAL	10.63	-0.85	96.8%
3	CAR	10.75	-0.73	93.5%
4	LAC	10.88	-0.60	90.3%
5	TEN	10.94	-0.54	87.1%
6	WAS	11	-0.48	83.9%
7	ATL	11.06	-0.42	80.6%
8	DET	11.13	-0.35	77.4%
9	IND	11.13	-0.35	74.2%
10	PHI	11.13	-0.35	71%
11	CIN	11.25	-0.23	67.7%
12	KC	11.25	-0.23	64.5%
13	LAR	11.25	-0.23	61.3%
14	LV	11.25	-0.23	58.1%
15	SEA	11.38	-0.10	54.8%
16	BAL	11.44	-0.04	51.6%
17	NYG	11.50	0.02	48.4%
18	GB	11.56	0.08	45.2%
19	MIA	11.63	0.15	41.9%
20	SF	11.63	0.15	38.7%
21	NE	11.69	0.21	35.5%
22	TB	11.69	0.21	32.3%
23	PIT	11.75	0.27	29%
24	CHI	11.81	0.33	25.8%
25	HOU	11.81	0.33	22.6%
26	JAX	11.81	0.33	19.4%
27	DEN	11.88	0.40	16.1%
28	ARI	11.94	0.46	12.9%
29	MIN	11.94	0.46	9.7%
30	BUF	12.19	0.71	6.5%
31	CLE	12.75	1.27	3.2%
32	NYJ	12.88	1.40	0%

Does Drives (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 793–785–37 ATS (50.3%) across 2020–2025, #242 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2022 (148–116, 56.1%); its worst 2021 (123–147, 45.6%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	140–114–2	55.1%
2021	272	123–147–2	45.6%
2022	271	148–116–7	56.1%
2023	272	125–133–14	48.4%
2024	272	130–133–9	49.4%
2025	272	127–142–3	47.2%

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

GB · 10.47

Multi-year laggard

CLE · 11.68

Biggest improver

DAL · −0.30/yr

Biggest decliner

CLE · +0.24/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	GB	10.47	+0.10	10.19	10.41	10.47	10.29	10.76	9.59	11.60
2	KC	10.47	−0.05	10.75	10.18	10.94	10.76	9.94	10	10.75
3	BUF	10.69	−0.05	10.63	11.12	10.81	10.82	10.24	10.41	10.80
4	SF	10.75	−0.24	11.94	10.94	11	10.29	10.65	10	10.40
5	ARI	10.78	−0.08	11.13	10.71	11.41	10.59	10.06	10.76	10.80
6	JAX	10.82	−0.16	11.50	10.47	10.76	11.59	10.65	11.18	9.60
7	ATL	10.85	+0.06	11.06	10.65	10.06	11.59	10.47	10.71	11.40
8	DET	10.88	+0.02	10.88	10.88	10.59	11.12	10.76	11.12	10.80
9	MIA	10.90	−0.29	11.56	11.41	11.06	11.35	10.82	10.47	9.60
10	NE	10.90	+0.00	10	10.88	11.59	12.29	10.47	10.29	10.80
11	LAR	10.91	−0.12	11.81	11	10.41	11.24	10.18	10.71	11
12	CHI	10.93	−0.09	11.44	10.76	10.71	11.24	11	10.94	10.40
13	TEN	10.94	−0.04	10.69	11.18	11.29	10.59	11.29	11.12	10.40
14	PHI	10.97	−0.13	12.31	10.76	10.76	10.41	10.59	10.76	11.20
15	LV	10.98	+0.09	10.63	11	10.82	11	11.18	10.65	11.60
16	NYG	11.01	+0.03	10.38	11.12	10.82	12.06	11.06	10.82	10.80
17	BAL	11.03	−0.02	10.75	11.65	10.41	11.65	11.06	10.71	11
18	CIN	11.06	−0.15	11.38	11.41	11.25	11.12	11	10.88	10.40
19	PIT	11.11	−0.13	11.81	11.65	10.53	11.18	10.82	10.59	11.20
20	WAS	11.16	−0.11	11.94	10.76	11.71	11.47	10.41	10.06	11.80
21	TB	11.17	−0.08	11.31	11.41	11.65	10.88	10.88	10.82	11.20
22	LAC	11.18	+0.11	11.13	10.82	11.24	11.29	10.71	10.65	12.40
23	CAR	11.18	+0.10	10.25	11.76	11.59	11.06	11.12	10	12.50
24	DAL	11.20	−0.30	11.63	12.18	11.82	10.59	11.71	10.47	10
25	HOU	11.24	−0.00	10.63	11.18	11.94	11.59	11.41	11.12	10.80
26	MIN	11.25	−0.03	10.94	11.65	11.59	11.18	11.18	11	11.20
27	NYJ	11.26	−0.12	11.25	11.24	11.53	12.71	10.47	11	10.60
28	NO	11.30	−0.06	11.31	11.71	11.18	11.65	11	10.82	11.40
29	IND	11.32	+0.00	10.88	10.88	11.88	12.12	11.82	10.47	11.20
30	DEN	11.37	+0.02	11.88	10.24	11.94	11.12	11.65	11.35	11.40
31	SEA	11.39	+0.12	11.13	11.35	11.18	10.88	11.71	11.47	12
32	CLE	11.68	+0.24	10.44	10.76	11.12	13.53	12.59	11.94	11.40

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
JAX	11.50	10.47	10.76	11.59	10.65	11.18	9.60
MIA	11.56	11.41	11.06	11.35	10.82	10.47	9.60
DAL	11.63	12.18	11.82	10.59	11.71	10.47	10
CHI	11.44	10.76	10.71	11.24	11	10.94	10.40
CIN	11.38	11.41	11.25	11.12	11	10.88	10.40
SF	11.94	10.94	11	10.29	10.65	10	10.40
TEN	10.69	11.18	11.29	10.59	11.29	11.12	10.40
NYJ	11.25	11.24	11.53	12.71	10.47	11	10.60
KC	10.75	10.18	10.94	10.76	9.94	10	10.75
ARI	11.13	10.71	11.41	10.59	10.06	10.76	10.80
BUF	10.63	11.12	10.81	10.82	10.24	10.41	10.80
DET	10.88	10.88	10.59	11.12	10.76	11.12	10.80
HOU	10.63	11.18	11.94	11.59	11.41	11.12	10.80
NE	10	10.88	11.59	12.29	10.47	10.29	10.80
NYG	10.38	11.12	10.82	12.06	11.06	10.82	10.80
BAL	10.75	11.65	10.41	11.65	11.06	10.71	11
LAR	11.81	11	10.41	11.24	10.18	10.71	11
IND	10.88	10.88	11.88	12.12	11.82	10.47	11.20
MIN	10.94	11.65	11.59	11.18	11.18	11	11.20
PHI	12.31	10.76	10.76	10.41	10.59	10.76	11.20
PIT	11.81	11.65	10.53	11.18	10.82	10.59	11.20
TB	11.31	11.41	11.65	10.88	10.88	10.82	11.20
ATL	11.06	10.65	10.06	11.59	10.47	10.71	11.40
CLE	10.44	10.76	11.12	13.53	12.59	11.94	11.40
DEN	11.88	10.24	11.94	11.12	11.65	11.35	11.40
NO	11.31	11.71	11.18	11.65	11	10.82	11.40
GB	10.19	10.41	10.47	10.29	10.76	9.59	11.60
LV	10.63	11	10.82	11	11.18	10.65	11.60
WAS	11.94	10.76	11.71	11.47	10.41	10.06	11.80
SEA	11.13	11.35	11.18	10.88	11.71	11.47	12
LAC	11.13	10.82	11.24	11.29	10.71	10.65	12.40
CAR	10.25	11.76	11.59	11.06	11.12	10	12.50

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2018.

About this stat

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