What Plays per drive (allowed) is

Plays per drive allowed: opponent plays divided by opponent drives. Long, sustained possessions against this defense show up here.

Lower is better. It is a rate, so a team's number does not grow with games played. Source: P + N.

In 2020 the 49ers led at 5.12; the league average was 5.74.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

SF · 5.12

League average

5.74

Best to worst

1.17

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	SF	5.12	16
2	WAS	5.18	16
3	LAR	5.19	16
4	PIT	5.24	16
5	PHI	5.26	16
6	MIA	5.31	16
7	DEN	5.43	16
8	NO	5.45	16
9	CHI	5.48	16
10	CIN	5.53	16
11	LAC	5.55	16
12	TB	5.61	16
13	DAL	5.62	16
14	IND	5.64	16
15	JAX	5.66	16
16	ATL	5.76	16
17	MIN	5.83	16
18	NYJ	5.87	16
19	ARI	5.88	16
20	KC	5.88	16
21	BAL	5.90	16
22	GB	5.96	16
23	DET	6.03	16
24	BUF	6.04	16
25	NE	6.04	16
26	LV	6.05	16
27	CAR	6.11	16
28	CLE	6.16	16
29	HOU	6.19	16
30	SEA	6.22	16
31	NYG	6.25	16
32	TEN	6.29	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

SF · 5.12

League laggard

TEN · 6.29

League average

5.74

Spread (max − min)

1.17

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	SF	5.12	-0.63	100%
2	WAS	5.18	-0.56	96.8%
3	LAR	5.19	-0.56	93.5%
4	PIT	5.24	-0.50	90.3%
5	PHI	5.26	-0.48	87.1%
6	MIA	5.31	-0.43	83.9%
7	DEN	5.43	-0.32	80.6%
8	NO	5.45	-0.29	77.4%
9	CHI	5.48	-0.27	74.2%
10	CIN	5.53	-0.21	71%
11	LAC	5.55	-0.19	67.7%
12	TB	5.61	-0.13	64.5%
13	DAL	5.62	-0.12	61.3%
14	IND	5.64	-0.10	58.1%
15	JAX	5.66	-0.08	54.8%
16	ATL	5.76	0.02	51.6%
17	MIN	5.83	0.09	48.4%
18	NYJ	5.87	0.13	45.2%
19	ARI	5.88	0.14	41.9%
20	KC	5.88	0.14	38.7%
21	BAL	5.90	0.16	35.5%
22	GB	5.96	0.22	32.3%
23	DET	6.03	0.29	29%
24	BUF	6.04	0.29	25.8%
25	NE	6.04	0.30	22.6%
26	LV	6.05	0.31	19.4%
27	CAR	6.11	0.37	16.1%
28	CLE	6.16	0.41	12.9%
29	HOU	6.19	0.45	9.7%
30	SEA	6.22	0.48	6.5%
31	NYG	6.25	0.51	3.2%
32	TEN	6.29	0.54	0%

Does Plays per drive (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 773–805–37 ATS (49.0%) across 2020–2025, #269 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (133–121, 52.4%); its worst 2024 (123–140, 46.8%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	133–121–2	52.4%
2021	272	131–139–2	48.5%
2022	271	130–134–7	49.2%
2023	272	121–137–14	46.9%
2024	272	123–140–9	46.8%
2025	272	135–134–3	50.2%

Plays per drive (allowed) in 2020 vs 2019

49ers lead at 5.12 — they ranked #8 last year. Titans are last at 6.29 — #19 last year.

The league average is 5.74, up 0.26 from 5.48 last year.

Biggest riser: Commanders, #31 → #2. Biggest faller: Patriots, #1 → #25.

Spread between first and last: 1.17; 20 teams are within 0.35 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NE · +1.33

Biggest faller

WAS · −0.78

Most consistent

CHI · +0.03

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▲ 0.26

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	NE	6.04	4.72	+1.33
2	CAR	6.11	5.06	+1.05
3	NYG	6.25	5.37	+0.88
4	SEA	6.22	5.37	+0.85
5	BUF	6.04	5.21	+0.83
6	TEN	6.29	5.48	+0.81
7	CLE	6.16	5.40	+0.76
8	NYJ	5.87	5.19	+0.68
9	BAL	5.90	5.43	+0.47
10	LV	6.05	5.61	+0.44
11	GB	5.96	5.54	+0.43
12	TB	5.61	5.21	+0.40
13	DET	6.03	5.66	+0.37
14	HOU	6.19	5.83	+0.36
15	ATL	5.76	5.42	+0.34
16	JAX	5.66	5.36	+0.30
17	CIN	5.53	5.26	+0.27
18	PHI	5.26	5.03	+0.23
19	IND	5.64	5.53	+0.11
20	LAC	5.55	5.47	+0.08
21	CHI	5.48	5.45	+0.03
22	ARI	5.88	5.93	−0.05
23	DAL	5.62	5.71	−0.09
24	MIN	5.83	5.94	−0.11
25	PIT	5.24	5.36	−0.11
26	MIA	5.31	5.48	−0.17
27	SF	5.12	5.33	−0.21
28	NO	5.45	5.68	−0.23
29	DEN	5.43	5.69	−0.27
30	KC	5.88	6.17	−0.28
31	LAR	5.19	5.47	−0.28
32	WAS	5.18	5.96	−0.78

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CLE · 5.26

Multi-year laggard

KC · 5.87

Biggest improver

SEA · −0.20/yr

Biggest decliner

SF · +0.15/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CLE	5.26	−0.14	6.16	5.72	5.42	4.31	4.72	4.90	5.60
2	CHI	5.38	−0.07	5.48	5.42	5.62	5.39	5.46	5.49	4.81
3	LAC	5.45	−0.11	5.55	5.96	5.20	5.70	5.64	5.28	4.85
4	TB	5.49	−0.07	5.61	5.62	5.36	5.82	5.69	5.38	4.96
5	NO	5.51	+0.03	5.45	5.31	5.63	5.26	5.90	5.59	5.42
6	DAL	5.55	+0.08	5.62	5.19	5.43	5.57	5.17	5.77	6.06
7	DEN	5.55	+0.00	5.43	5.89	5.25	5.67	5.47	5.47	5.67
8	NE	5.56	−0.07	6.04	5.55	5.47	5.11	5.96	5.52	5.28
9	WAS	5.57	+0.09	5.18	5.77	4.94	5.69	5.80	6.27	5.36
10	MIA	5.58	+0.09	5.31	5.47	5.68	5.39	5.43	5.71	6.04
11	PIT	5.58	+0.04	5.24	5.60	5.63	5.61	5.60	6.13	5.23
12	MIN	5.58	−0.11	5.83	5.79	5.65	5.68	5.65	5.44	5.00
13	CAR	5.59	−0.01	6.11	5.06	5.53	5.22	6.01	5.87	5.34
14	IND	5.59	+0.01	5.64	5.67	5.35	5.45	5.47	6.19	5.39
15	CIN	5.60	+0.04	5.53	5.51	5.48	5.55	5.75	5.59	5.77
16	HOU	5.61	−0.08	6.19	5.72	5.49	5.48	5.39	5.20	5.78
17	NYJ	5.67	−0.00	5.87	5.90	5.50	4.97	5.93	5.63	5.89
18	SF	5.67	+0.15	5.12	5.52	5.44	5.91	5.62	5.99	6.10
19	NYG	5.67	−0.13	6.25	5.96	5.78	5.28	5.49	5.61	5.33
20	BAL	5.68	+0.02	5.90	5.17	5.87	5.58	5.63	5.91	5.67
21	TEN	5.70	−0.07	6.29	5.46	5.69	6.05	5.20	5.24	5.94
22	LAR	5.70	+0.02	5.19	5.94	5.86	5.57	6.06	5.87	5.40
23	LV	5.70	−0.10	6.05	5.85	5.79	5.73	5.43	5.82	5.26
24	ARI	5.72	−0.02	5.88	5.63	5.46	5.82	6.04	5.75	5.46
25	SEA	5.72	−0.20	6.22	6.17	5.80	6.14	5.31	5.45	5.00
26	PHI	5.76	+0.06	5.26	5.79	5.80	6.22	5.54	5.83	5.89
27	BUF	5.78	+0.06	6.04	5.33	5.75	5.47	6.01	5.37	6.48
28	JAX	5.81	+0.02	5.66	5.93	6.02	5.39	6.13	5.42	6.15
29	DET	5.83	+0.02	6.03	5.79	5.93	5.46	5.54	5.50	6.57
30	ATL	5.85	−0.05	5.76	6.12	6.29	5.44	5.91	5.75	5.68
31	GB	5.85	+0.01	5.96	5.82	5.49	6.01	5.61	6.48	5.59
32	KC	5.87	−0.02	5.88	6.09	5.83	5.64	6.03	5.75	5.86

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
SF	5.12	5.52	5.44	5.91	5.62	5.99	6.10
WAS	5.18	5.77	4.94	5.69	5.80	6.27	5.36
LAR	5.19	5.94	5.86	5.57	6.06	5.87	5.40
PIT	5.24	5.60	5.63	5.61	5.60	6.13	5.23
PHI	5.26	5.79	5.80	6.22	5.54	5.83	5.89
MIA	5.31	5.47	5.68	5.39	5.43	5.71	6.04
DEN	5.43	5.89	5.25	5.67	5.47	5.47	5.67
NO	5.45	5.31	5.63	5.26	5.90	5.59	5.42
CHI	5.48	5.42	5.62	5.39	5.46	5.49	4.81
CIN	5.53	5.51	5.48	5.55	5.75	5.59	5.77
LAC	5.55	5.96	5.20	5.70	5.64	5.28	4.85
TB	5.61	5.62	5.36	5.82	5.69	5.38	4.96
DAL	5.62	5.19	5.43	5.57	5.17	5.77	6.06
IND	5.64	5.67	5.35	5.45	5.47	6.19	5.39
JAX	5.66	5.93	6.02	5.39	6.13	5.42	6.15
ATL	5.76	6.12	6.29	5.44	5.91	5.75	5.68
MIN	5.83	5.79	5.65	5.68	5.65	5.44	5.00
NYJ	5.87	5.90	5.50	4.97	5.93	5.63	5.89
ARI	5.88	5.63	5.46	5.82	6.04	5.75	5.46
KC	5.88	6.09	5.83	5.64	6.03	5.75	5.86
BAL	5.90	5.17	5.87	5.58	5.63	5.91	5.67
GB	5.96	5.82	5.49	6.01	5.61	6.48	5.59
DET	6.03	5.79	5.93	5.46	5.54	5.50	6.57
BUF	6.04	5.33	5.75	5.47	6.01	5.37	6.48
NE	6.04	5.55	5.47	5.11	5.96	5.52	5.28
LV	6.05	5.85	5.79	5.73	5.43	5.82	5.26
CAR	6.11	5.06	5.53	5.22	6.01	5.87	5.34
CLE	6.16	5.72	5.42	4.31	4.72	4.90	5.60
HOU	6.19	5.72	5.49	5.48	5.39	5.20	5.78
SEA	6.22	6.17	5.80	6.14	5.31	5.45	5.00
NYG	6.25	5.96	5.78	5.28	5.49	5.61	5.33
TEN	6.29	5.46	5.69	6.05	5.20	5.24	5.94

Plays per drive (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (4.89), 2019 Patriots (4.72), 2020 49ers (5.12).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 4.72; the worst Titans 2020 at 6.29.

The league average has risen from 5.43 in 2018 to 5.74 in 2020.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

About this stat

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