What Start avg (allowed) is

Opponents' average starting field position against this team, in yards from this team's goal line — a higher number means opponents started farther away. It is mostly this team's special teams and offense (punts, kickoffs, turnovers) handing opponents their starting point.

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

In 2020 the Patriots led at 882.10; the league average was 821.98.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

NE · 882.10

League average

821.98

Best to worst

128.81

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NE	882.10	16
2	NYJ	873.86	16
3	PHI	871.15	16
4	WAS	866.72	16
5	JAX	854.94	16
6	NYG	854.93	16
7	CIN	853.88	16
8	SEA	851.53	16
9	DET	850.71	16
10	PIT	843.52	16
11	HOU	841.76	16
12	LAR	840.89	16
13	MIA	835.98	16
14	DEN	831.50	16
15	SF	830.11	16
16	CHI	823.59	16
17	ATL	818.38	16
18	KC	817.50	16
19	BAL	815.73	16
20	ARI	814.34	16
21	NO	812.59	16
22	IND	807.17	16
23	TEN	803.97	16
24	CLE	801.97	16
25	CAR	799.60	16
26	TB	789.60	16
27	DAL	782.28	16
28	LAC	780.22	16
29	BUF	772.65	16
30	LV	765.35	16
31	MIN	761.67	16
32	GB	753.29	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NE · 882.10

League laggard

GB · 753.29

League average

821.98

Spread (max − min)

128.81

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NE	882.10	60.12	100%
2	NYJ	873.86	51.88	96.8%
3	PHI	871.15	49.17	93.5%
4	WAS	866.72	44.74	90.3%
5	JAX	854.94	32.96	87.1%
6	NYG	854.93	32.95	83.9%
7	CIN	853.88	31.90	80.6%
8	SEA	851.53	29.55	77.4%
9	DET	850.71	28.73	74.2%
10	PIT	843.52	21.54	71%
11	HOU	841.76	19.78	67.7%
12	LAR	840.89	18.91	64.5%
13	MIA	835.98	14.00	61.3%
14	DEN	831.50	9.52	58.1%
15	SF	830.11	8.13	54.8%
16	CHI	823.59	1.61	51.6%
17	ATL	818.38	-3.60	48.4%
18	KC	817.50	-4.48	45.2%
19	BAL	815.73	-6.25	41.9%
20	ARI	814.34	-7.64	38.7%
21	NO	812.59	-9.39	35.5%
22	IND	807.17	-14.81	32.3%
23	TEN	803.97	-18.01	29%
24	CLE	801.97	-20.01	25.8%
25	CAR	799.60	-22.38	22.6%
26	TB	789.60	-32.38	19.4%
27	DAL	782.28	-39.70	16.1%
28	LAC	780.22	-41.76	12.9%
29	BUF	772.65	-49.33	9.7%
30	LV	765.35	-56.63	6.5%
31	MIN	761.67	-60.31	3.2%
32	GB	753.29	-68.69	0%

Does Start avg (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 761–817–37 ATS (48.2%) across 2020–2025, #281 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (138–116, 54.3%); its worst 2023 (117–141, 45.3%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	138–116–2	54.3%
2021	272	125–145–2	46.3%
2022	271	133–131–7	50.4%
2023	272	117–141–14	45.3%
2024	272	120–143–9	45.6%
2025	272	128–141–3	47.6%

Start avg (allowed) in 2020 vs 2019

Patriots lead at 882.10 — they ranked #6 last year. Packers are last at 753.29 — #14 last year.

The league average is 821.98, down 26.13 from 848.11 last year.

Biggest riser: 49ers, #29 → #15. Biggest faller: Raiders, #2 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 128.81; 22 teams are within 34.10 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

BAL · +67.57

Biggest faller

LV · −134.81

Most consistent

ATL · −1.30

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▼ -26.13

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	BAL	815.73	748.16	+67.57
2	SF	830.11	787.70	+42.41
3	KC	817.50	781.85	+35.65
4	TB	789.60	761.78	+27.82
5	PHI	871.15	865.22	+5.93
6	LAR	840.89	836.47	+4.42
7	NYJ	873.86	871.56	+2.30
8	NYG	854.93	852.71	+2.22
9	ATL	818.38	819.68	−1.30
10	PIT	843.52	844.93	−1.41
11	NE	882.10	883.57	−1.47
12	JAX	854.94	860.77	−5.83
13	SEA	851.53	858.12	−6.59
14	ARI	814.34	828.36	−14.02
15	NO	812.59	828.17	−15.58
16	WAS	866.72	882.98	−16.26
17	HOU	841.76	858.23	−16.47
18	DAL	782.28	798.86	−16.58
19	IND	807.17	825.68	−18.51
20	MIA	835.98	866.08	−30.10
21	DEN	831.50	871.73	−40.23
22	LAC	780.22	821.15	−40.93
23	CIN	853.88	896.43	−42.55
24	DET	850.71	902.40	−51.69
25	CLE	801.97	855.26	−53.29
26	MIN	761.67	820.51	−58.84
27	CAR	799.60	871.97	−72.37
28	CHI	823.59	898.25	−74.66
29	TEN	803.97	895.45	−91.48
30	GB	753.29	862.21	−108.92
31	BUF	772.65	883.27	−110.62
32	LV	765.35	900.16	−134.81

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

NYJ · 827.66

Multi-year laggard

BUF · 748.09

Biggest improver

GB · −49.66/yr

Biggest decliner

SEA · −71.84/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	NYJ	827.66	−62.08	873.86	904.37	943.47	941.59	902.45	950.54	277.34
2	HOU	825.72	−65.05	841.76	955.95	946.03	907.53	958.42	907.78	262.58
3	NYG	822.92	−60.83	854.93	909.67	902.35	970.11	941.59	903.85	277.95
4	DEN	821.92	−60.12	831.50	930.51	946.29	911.44	930.72	921.17	281.78
5	JAX	819.90	−66.21	854.94	950.99	910.26	915.46	953.24	893.45	260.98
6	TEN	814.66	−52.14	803.97	858.09	963.80	944.97	923.46	916.56	291.78
7	NO	811.66	−63.52	812.59	922.05	951.11	909.12	961.63	882.52	242.61
8	CLE	811.62	−55.33	801.97	920.63	913.24	892.84	963.60	919.80	269.28
9	PIT	807.45	−60.94	843.52	875.52	928.93	936.02	894.45	911.42	262.26
10	WAS	803.25	−67.63	866.72	905.71	940.76	891.25	832.75	930.80	254.77
11	SEA	802.48	−71.84	851.53	962.07	875.91	922.42	923.46	826.42	255.57
12	NE	802.19	−62.24	882.10	825.04	912.45	940.80	916.17	866.41	272.37
13	CHI	797.31	−59.52	823.59	895.18	905.62	856.24	956.95	887.55	256.03
14	LV	794.75	−52.17	765.35	908.62	870.70	956.41	872.48	918.25	271.46
15	CAR	792.63	−62.42	799.60	872.49	927.35	931.59	910.05	908.81	198.55
16	MIA	790.23	−60.96	835.98	911.75	883.54	850.85	857.19	926.01	266.32
17	ATL	789.56	−64.24	818.38	914.60	888.10	914.96	852.36	894.23	244.31
18	DET	789.00	−69.16	850.71	932.90	877.39	892.11	837.35	875.98	256.53
19	MIN	782.37	−56.01	761.67	894.32	909.07	894.56	881.23	873.98	261.78
20	TB	780.95	−57.79	789.60	846.76	935.03	930.53	805.98	902.99	255.77
21	CIN	780.82	−60.15	853.88	851.11	826.03	922.12	871.67	888.73	252.21
22	GB	777.75	−49.66	753.29	866.60	901.14	884.25	871.98	869.17	297.85
23	ARI	776.37	−53.59	814.34	826.69	887.13	857.72	879.68	903.71	265.31
24	LAR	775.98	−61.50	840.89	837.83	878.09	861.64	918.50	848.92	245.99
25	BAL	775.48	−62.67	815.73	890.47	894.55	856.59	847.57	849.90	273.54
26	PHI	774.90	−59.42	871.15	846.35	836.09	855.05	836.01	896.31	283.32
27	LAC	774.80	−54.19	780.22	808.92	926.54	897.21	900.71	863.00	246.98
28	IND	774.53	−66.38	807.17	876.46	909.61	889.79	888.79	813.14	236.75
29	SF	769.98	−66.10	830.11	864.78	889.57	874.97	848.83	835.13	246.48
30	KC	766.95	−60.35	817.50	836.59	859.35	872.24	881.08	891.48	210.42
31	DAL	759.36	−59.26	782.28	877.85	853.65	827.57	892.51	840.57	241.10
32	BUF	748.09	−52.88	772.65	829.33	800.60	880.31	853.14	858.24	242.36

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
NE	882.10	825.04	912.45	940.80	916.17	866.41	272.37
NYJ	873.86	904.37	943.47	941.59	902.45	950.54	277.34
PHI	871.15	846.35	836.09	855.05	836.01	896.31	283.32
WAS	866.72	905.71	940.76	891.25	832.75	930.80	254.77
JAX	854.94	950.99	910.26	915.46	953.24	893.45	260.98
NYG	854.93	909.67	902.35	970.11	941.59	903.85	277.95
CIN	853.88	851.11	826.03	922.12	871.67	888.73	252.21
SEA	851.53	962.07	875.91	922.42	923.46	826.42	255.57
DET	850.71	932.90	877.39	892.11	837.35	875.98	256.53
PIT	843.52	875.52	928.93	936.02	894.45	911.42	262.26
HOU	841.76	955.95	946.03	907.53	958.42	907.78	262.58
LAR	840.89	837.83	878.09	861.64	918.50	848.92	245.99
MIA	835.98	911.75	883.54	850.85	857.19	926.01	266.32
DEN	831.50	930.51	946.29	911.44	930.72	921.17	281.78
SF	830.11	864.78	889.57	874.97	848.83	835.13	246.48
CHI	823.59	895.18	905.62	856.24	956.95	887.55	256.03
ATL	818.38	914.60	888.10	914.96	852.36	894.23	244.31
KC	817.50	836.59	859.35	872.24	881.08	891.48	210.42
BAL	815.73	890.47	894.55	856.59	847.57	849.90	273.54
ARI	814.34	826.69	887.13	857.72	879.68	903.71	265.31
NO	812.59	922.05	951.11	909.12	961.63	882.52	242.61
IND	807.17	876.46	909.61	889.79	888.79	813.14	236.75
TEN	803.97	858.09	963.80	944.97	923.46	916.56	291.78
CLE	801.97	920.63	913.24	892.84	963.60	919.80	269.28
CAR	799.60	872.49	927.35	931.59	910.05	908.81	198.55
TB	789.60	846.76	935.03	930.53	805.98	902.99	255.77
DAL	782.28	877.85	853.65	827.57	892.51	840.57	241.10
LAC	780.22	808.92	926.54	897.21	900.71	863.00	246.98
BUF	772.65	829.33	800.60	880.31	853.14	858.24	242.36
LV	765.35	908.62	870.70	956.41	872.48	918.25	271.46
MIN	761.67	894.32	909.07	894.56	881.23	873.98	261.78
GB	753.29	866.60	901.14	884.25	871.98	869.17	297.85

Start avg (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Cardinals (926.48), 2019 Lions (902.40), 2020 Patriots (882.10).

The best season on record is Cardinals 2018 at 926.48; the worst Ravens 2019 at 748.16.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

About this stat

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