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 2023 the Giants led at 970.11; the league average was 899.70.

League snapshot — 2023

League leader

NYG · 970.11

League average

899.70

Best to worst

142.54

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NYG	970.11	17
2	LV	956.41	17
3	TEN	944.97	17
4	NYJ	941.59	17
5	NE	940.80	17
6	PIT	936.02	17
7	CAR	931.59	17
8	TB	930.53	17
9	SEA	922.42	17
10	CIN	922.12	17
11	JAX	915.46	17
12	ATL	914.96	17
13	DEN	911.44	17
14	NO	909.12	17
15	HOU	907.53	17
16	LAC	897.21	17
17	MIN	894.56	17
18	CLE	892.84	17
19	DET	892.11	17
20	WAS	891.25	17
21	IND	889.79	17
22	GB	884.25	17
23	BUF	880.31	17
24	SF	874.97	17
25	KC	872.24	17
26	LAR	861.64	17
27	ARI	857.72	17
28	BAL	856.59	17
29	CHI	856.24	17
30	PHI	855.05	17
31	MIA	850.85	17
32	DAL	827.57	17

At a glance — 2023

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NYG · 970.11

League laggard

DAL · 827.57

League average

899.70

Spread (max − min)

142.54

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NYG	970.11	70.41	100%
2	LV	956.41	56.71	96.8%
3	TEN	944.97	45.27	93.5%
4	NYJ	941.59	41.89	90.3%
5	NE	940.80	41.10	87.1%
6	PIT	936.02	36.32	83.9%
7	CAR	931.59	31.89	80.6%
8	TB	930.53	30.83	77.4%
9	SEA	922.42	22.72	74.2%
10	CIN	922.12	22.42	71%
11	JAX	915.46	15.76	67.7%
12	ATL	914.96	15.26	64.5%
13	DEN	911.44	11.74	61.3%
14	NO	909.12	9.42	58.1%
15	HOU	907.53	7.83	54.8%
16	LAC	897.21	-2.49	51.6%
17	MIN	894.56	-5.14	48.4%
18	CLE	892.84	-6.86	45.2%
19	DET	892.11	-7.59	41.9%
20	WAS	891.25	-8.45	38.7%
21	IND	889.79	-9.91	35.5%
22	GB	884.25	-15.45	32.3%
23	BUF	880.31	-19.39	29%
24	SF	874.97	-24.73	25.8%
25	KC	872.24	-27.46	22.6%
26	LAR	861.64	-38.06	19.4%
27	ARI	857.72	-41.98	16.1%
28	BAL	856.59	-43.11	12.9%
29	CHI	856.24	-43.46	9.7%
30	PHI	855.05	-44.65	6.5%
31	MIA	850.85	-48.85	3.2%
32	DAL	827.57	-72.13	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 2023 vs 2022

Giants lead at 970.11 — they ranked #17 last year. Cowboys are last at 827.57 — #29 last year.

The league average is 899.70, down 0.11 from 899.80 last year.

Biggest riser: Raiders, #27 → #2. Biggest faller: Commanders, #6 → #20.

Spread between first and last: 142.54; 19 teams are within 34.26 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2023 vs 2022

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

CIN · +96.09

Biggest faller

WAS · −49.51

Most consistent

NYJ · −1.88

League trend 2023 vs 2022

▼ -0.11

Rank	Team	2023	2022	Δ
1	CIN	922.12	826.03	+96.09
2	LV	956.41	870.70	+85.71
3	BUF	880.31	800.60	+79.71
4	NYG	970.11	902.35	+67.76
5	SEA	922.42	875.91	+46.51
6	NE	940.80	912.45	+28.35
7	ATL	914.96	888.10	+26.86
8	PHI	855.05	836.09	+18.96
9	DET	892.11	877.39	+14.72
10	KC	872.24	859.35	+12.89
11	PIT	936.02	928.93	+7.09
12	JAX	915.46	910.26	+5.20
13	CAR	931.59	927.35	+4.24
14	NYJ	941.59	943.47	−1.88
15	TB	930.53	935.03	−4.50
16	MIN	894.56	909.07	−14.51
17	SF	874.97	889.57	−14.60
18	LAR	861.64	878.09	−16.45
19	GB	884.25	901.14	−16.89
20	TEN	944.97	963.80	−18.83
21	IND	889.79	909.61	−19.82
22	CLE	892.84	913.24	−20.40
23	DAL	827.57	853.65	−26.08
24	LAC	897.21	926.54	−29.33
25	ARI	857.72	887.13	−29.41
26	MIA	850.85	883.54	−32.69
27	DEN	911.44	946.29	−34.85
28	BAL	856.59	894.55	−37.96
29	HOU	907.53	946.03	−38.50
30	NO	909.12	951.11	−41.99
31	CHI	856.24	905.62	−49.38
32	WAS	891.25	940.76	−49.51

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
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
TEN	803.97	858.09	963.80	944.97	923.46	916.56	291.78
NYJ	873.86	904.37	943.47	941.59	902.45	950.54	277.34
NE	882.10	825.04	912.45	940.80	916.17	866.41	272.37
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
TB	789.60	846.76	935.03	930.53	805.98	902.99	255.77
SEA	851.53	962.07	875.91	922.42	923.46	826.42	255.57
CIN	853.88	851.11	826.03	922.12	871.67	888.73	252.21
JAX	854.94	950.99	910.26	915.46	953.24	893.45	260.98
ATL	818.38	914.60	888.10	914.96	852.36	894.23	244.31
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
HOU	841.76	955.95	946.03	907.53	958.42	907.78	262.58
LAC	780.22	808.92	926.54	897.21	900.71	863.00	246.98
MIN	761.67	894.32	909.07	894.56	881.23	873.98	261.78
CLE	801.97	920.63	913.24	892.84	963.60	919.80	269.28
DET	850.71	932.90	877.39	892.11	837.35	875.98	256.53
WAS	866.72	905.71	940.76	891.25	832.75	930.80	254.77
IND	807.17	876.46	909.61	889.79	888.79	813.14	236.75
GB	753.29	866.60	901.14	884.25	871.98	869.17	297.85
BUF	772.65	829.33	800.60	880.31	853.14	858.24	242.36
SF	830.11	864.78	889.57	874.97	848.83	835.13	246.48
KC	817.50	836.59	859.35	872.24	881.08	891.48	210.42
LAR	840.89	837.83	878.09	861.64	918.50	848.92	245.99
ARI	814.34	826.69	887.13	857.72	879.68	903.71	265.31
BAL	815.73	890.47	894.55	856.59	847.57	849.90	273.54
CHI	823.59	895.18	905.62	856.24	956.95	887.55	256.03
PHI	871.15	846.35	836.09	855.05	836.01	896.31	283.32
MIA	835.98	911.75	883.54	850.85	857.19	926.01	266.32
DAL	782.28	877.85	853.65	827.57	892.51	840.57	241.10

Start avg (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Cardinals (926.48), 2019 Lions (902.40), 2020 Patriots (882.10), 2021 Seahawks (962.07), 2022 Titans (963.80), 2023 Giants (970.11).

The best season on record is Giants 2023 at 970.11; the worst Ravens 2019 at 748.16.

The league average has risen from 849.77 in 2018 to 899.70 in 2023.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2023.

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.