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 2021 the Chiefs led at 10.18; the league average was 11.07.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

KC · 10.18

League average

11.07

Best to worst

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	KC	10.18	17
2	DEN	10.24	17
3	GB	10.41	17
4	JAX	10.47	17
5	ATL	10.65	17
6	ARI	10.71	17
7	CHI	10.76	17
8	CLE	10.76	17
9	PHI	10.76	17
10	WAS	10.76	17
11	LAC	10.82	17
12	DET	10.88	17
13	IND	10.88	17
14	NE	10.88	17
15	SF	10.94	17
16	LAR	11	17
17	LV	11	17
18	BUF	11.12	17
19	NYG	11.12	17
20	HOU	11.18	17
21	TEN	11.18	17
22	NYJ	11.24	17
23	SEA	11.35	17
24	CIN	11.41	17
25	MIA	11.41	17
26	TB	11.41	17
27	BAL	11.65	17
28	MIN	11.65	17
29	PIT	11.65	17
30	NO	11.71	17
31	CAR	11.76	17
32	DAL	12.18	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

KC · 10.18

League laggard

DAL · 12.18

League average

11.07

Spread (max − min)

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	KC	10.18	-0.89	100%
2	DEN	10.24	-0.83	96.8%
3	GB	10.41	-0.65	93.5%
4	JAX	10.47	-0.60	90.3%
5	ATL	10.65	-0.42	87.1%
6	ARI	10.71	-0.36	83.9%
7	CHI	10.76	-0.30	80.6%
8	CLE	10.76	-0.30	77.4%
9	PHI	10.76	-0.30	74.2%
10	WAS	10.76	-0.30	71%
11	LAC	10.82	-0.24	67.7%
12	DET	10.88	-0.18	64.5%
13	IND	10.88	-0.18	61.3%
14	NE	10.88	-0.18	58.1%
15	SF	10.94	-0.13	54.8%
16	LAR	11	-0.07	51.6%
17	LV	11	-0.07	48.4%
18	BUF	11.12	0.05	45.2%
19	NYG	11.12	0.05	41.9%
20	HOU	11.18	0.11	38.7%
21	TEN	11.18	0.11	35.5%
22	NYJ	11.24	0.17	32.3%
23	SEA	11.35	0.29	29%
24	CIN	11.41	0.35	25.8%
25	MIA	11.41	0.35	22.6%
26	TB	11.41	0.35	19.4%
27	BAL	11.65	0.58	16.1%
28	MIN	11.65	0.58	12.9%
29	PIT	11.65	0.58	9.7%
30	NO	11.71	0.64	6.5%
31	CAR	11.76	0.70	3.2%
32	DAL	12.18	1.11	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%

Drives (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Chiefs lead at 10.18 — they ranked #11 last year. Cowboys are last at 12.18 — #26 last year.

The league average is 11.07, down 0.04 from 11.11 last year.

Biggest riser: Broncos, #29 → #2. Biggest faller: Panthers, #3 → #31.

Spread between first and last: 2; 22 teams are within 0.46 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

CAR · +1.51

Biggest faller

DEN · −1.64

Most consistent

DET · +0.01

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -0.04

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	CAR	11.76	10.25	+1.51
2	BAL	11.65	10.75	+0.90
3	NE	10.88	10	+0.88
4	NYG	11.12	10.38	+0.74
5	MIN	11.65	10.94	+0.71
6	DAL	12.18	11.63	+0.55
7	HOU	11.18	10.63	+0.55
8	BUF	11.12	10.63	+0.49
9	TEN	11.18	10.69	+0.49
10	NO	11.71	11.31	+0.39
11	LV	11	10.63	+0.38
12	CLE	10.76	10.44	+0.33
13	SEA	11.35	11.13	+0.23
14	GB	10.41	10.19	+0.22
15	TB	11.41	11.31	+0.10
16	CIN	11.41	11.38	+0.04
17	DET	10.88	10.88	+0.01
18	IND	10.88	10.88	+0.01
19	NYJ	11.24	11.25	−0.01
20	MIA	11.41	11.56	−0.15
21	PIT	11.65	11.81	−0.17
22	LAC	10.82	11.13	−0.30
23	ATL	10.65	11.06	−0.42
24	ARI	10.71	11.13	−0.42
25	KC	10.18	10.75	−0.57
26	CHI	10.76	11.44	−0.67
27	LAR	11	11.81	−0.81
28	SF	10.94	11.94	−1.00
29	JAX	10.47	11.50	−1.03
30	WAS	10.76	11.94	−1.17
31	PHI	10.76	12.31	−1.55
32	DEN	10.24	11.88	−1.64

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

Drives (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Saints (10.44), 2019 Chargers (10.44), 2020 Patriots (10), 2021 Chiefs (10.18).

The best season on record is Patriots 2020 at 10; the worst Jets 2018 at 12.88.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

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.