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 2021 the Seahawks led at 962.07; the league average was 884.69.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

SEA · 962.07

League average

884.69

Best to worst

153.15

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	SEA	962.07	17
2	HOU	955.95	17
3	JAX	950.99	17
4	DET	932.90	17
5	DEN	930.51	17
6	NO	922.05	17
7	CLE	920.63	17
8	ATL	914.60	17
9	MIA	911.75	17
10	NYG	909.67	17
11	LV	908.62	17
12	WAS	905.71	17
13	NYJ	904.37	17
14	CHI	895.18	17
15	MIN	894.32	17
16	BAL	890.47	17
17	DAL	877.85	17
18	IND	876.46	17
19	PIT	875.52	17
20	CAR	872.49	17
21	GB	866.60	17
22	SF	864.78	17
23	TEN	858.09	17
24	CIN	851.11	17
25	TB	846.76	17
26	PHI	846.35	17
27	LAR	837.83	17
28	KC	836.59	17
29	BUF	829.33	17
30	ARI	826.69	17
31	NE	825.04	17
32	LAC	808.92	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

SEA · 962.07

League laggard

LAC · 808.92

League average

884.69

Spread (max − min)

153.15

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	SEA	962.07	77.38	100%
2	HOU	955.95	71.26	96.8%
3	JAX	950.99	66.30	93.5%
4	DET	932.90	48.21	90.3%
5	DEN	930.51	45.82	87.1%
6	NO	922.05	37.36	83.9%
7	CLE	920.63	35.94	80.6%
8	ATL	914.60	29.91	77.4%
9	MIA	911.75	27.06	74.2%
10	NYG	909.67	24.98	71%
11	LV	908.62	23.93	67.7%
12	WAS	905.71	21.02	64.5%
13	NYJ	904.37	19.68	61.3%
14	CHI	895.18	10.49	58.1%
15	MIN	894.32	9.63	54.8%
16	BAL	890.47	5.78	51.6%
17	DAL	877.85	-6.84	48.4%
18	IND	876.46	-8.23	45.2%
19	PIT	875.52	-9.17	41.9%
20	CAR	872.49	-12.20	38.7%
21	GB	866.60	-18.09	35.5%
22	SF	864.78	-19.91	32.3%
23	TEN	858.09	-26.60	29%
24	CIN	851.11	-33.58	25.8%
25	TB	846.76	-37.93	22.6%
26	PHI	846.35	-38.34	19.4%
27	LAR	837.83	-46.86	16.1%
28	KC	836.59	-48.10	12.9%
29	BUF	829.33	-55.36	9.7%
30	ARI	826.69	-58.00	6.5%
31	NE	825.04	-59.65	3.2%
32	LAC	808.92	-75.77	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 2021 vs 2020

Seahawks lead at 962.07 — they ranked #8 last year. Chargers are last at 808.92 — #28 last year.

The league average is 884.69, up 62.71 from 821.98 last year.

Biggest riser: Raiders, #30 → #11. Biggest faller: Patriots, #1 → #31.

Spread between first and last: 153.15; 21 teams are within 40.51 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

LV · +143.27

Biggest faller

NE · −57.06

Most consistent

CIN · −2.77

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▲ 62.71

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	LV	908.62	765.35	+143.27
2	MIN	894.32	761.67	+132.65
3	CLE	920.63	801.97	+118.66
4	HOU	955.95	841.76	+114.19
5	GB	866.60	753.29	+113.31
6	SEA	962.07	851.53	+110.54
7	NO	922.05	812.59	+109.46
8	DEN	930.51	831.50	+99.01
9	ATL	914.60	818.38	+96.22
10	JAX	950.99	854.94	+96.05
11	DAL	877.85	782.28	+95.57
12	DET	932.90	850.71	+82.19
13	MIA	911.75	835.98	+75.77
14	BAL	890.47	815.73	+74.74
15	CAR	872.49	799.60	+72.89
16	CHI	895.18	823.59	+71.59
17	IND	876.46	807.17	+69.29
18	TB	846.76	789.60	+57.16
19	BUF	829.33	772.65	+56.68
20	NYG	909.67	854.93	+54.74
21	TEN	858.09	803.97	+54.12
22	WAS	905.71	866.72	+38.99
23	SF	864.78	830.11	+34.67
24	PIT	875.52	843.52	+32.00
25	NYJ	904.37	873.86	+30.51
26	LAC	808.92	780.22	+28.70
27	KC	836.59	817.50	+19.09
28	ARI	826.69	814.34	+12.35
29	CIN	851.11	853.88	−2.77
30	LAR	837.83	840.89	−3.06
31	PHI	846.35	871.15	−24.80
32	NE	825.04	882.10	−57.06

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

Start avg (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Cardinals (926.48), 2019 Lions (902.40), 2020 Patriots (882.10), 2021 Seahawks (962.07).

The best season on record is Seahawks 2021 at 962.07; the worst Ravens 2019 at 748.16.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

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.