What Yds/drive (allowed) is

Yards allowed per drive: total yards allowed divided by opponent drives. Defensive efficiency measured on the possession rather than the play.

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

In 2018 the Bills led at 24.12; the league average was 30.74.

League snapshot — 2018

League leader

BUF · 24.12

League average

30.74

Best to worst

12.65

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	BUF	24.12	16
2	CHI	25.37	16
3	BAL	25.61	16
4	MIN	25.94	16
5	JAX	26.37	16
6	PIT	27.85	16
7	HOU	29.05	16
8	NYJ	29.54	16
9	SF	29.82	16
10	ARI	30.06	16
11	DET	30.11	16
12	TEN	30.48	16
13	IND	30.51	16
14	LAC	30.51	16
15	GB	30.65	16
16	NE	30.73	16
17	DEN	30.75	16
18	CLE	30.82	16
19	DAL	30.99	16
20	SEA	31.06	16
21	LAR	31.87	16
22	WAS	32.13	16
23	NYG	32.29	16
24	TB	32.80	16
25	CAR	32.85	16
26	PHI	32.92	16
27	NO	33.44	16
28	MIA	33.64	16
29	LV	33.90	16
30	ATL	34.76	16
31	KC	36.04	16
32	CIN	36.77	16

At a glance — 2018

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

BUF · 24.12

League laggard

CIN · 36.77

League average

30.74

Spread (max − min)

12.65

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	BUF	24.12	-6.62	100%
2	CHI	25.37	-5.37	96.8%
3	BAL	25.61	-5.13	93.5%
4	MIN	25.94	-4.80	90.3%
5	JAX	26.37	-4.38	87.1%
6	PIT	27.85	-2.90	83.9%
7	HOU	29.05	-1.69	80.6%
8	NYJ	29.54	-1.20	77.4%
9	SF	29.82	-0.92	74.2%
10	ARI	30.06	-0.68	71%
11	DET	30.11	-0.63	67.7%
12	TEN	30.48	-0.26	64.5%
13	IND	30.51	-0.23	61.3%
14	LAC	30.51	-0.23	58.1%
15	GB	30.65	-0.09	54.8%
16	NE	30.73	-0.01	51.6%
17	DEN	30.75	0.01	48.4%
18	CLE	30.82	0.08	45.2%
19	DAL	30.99	0.25	41.9%
20	SEA	31.06	0.32	38.7%
21	LAR	31.87	1.13	35.5%
22	WAS	32.13	1.38	32.3%
23	NYG	32.29	1.55	29%
24	TB	32.80	2.06	25.8%
25	CAR	32.85	2.11	22.6%
26	PHI	32.92	2.17	19.4%
27	NO	33.44	2.70	16.1%
28	MIA	33.64	2.90	12.9%
29	LV	33.90	3.16	9.7%
30	ATL	34.76	4.02	6.5%
31	KC	36.04	5.30	3.2%
32	CIN	36.77	6.02	0%

Does Yds/drive (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 796–782–37 ATS (50.4%) across 2020–2025, #236 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (144–110, 56.7%); its worst 2024 (125–138, 47.5%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	144–110–2	56.7%
2021	272	134–136–2	49.6%
2022	271	128–136–7	48.5%
2023	272	123–135–14	47.7%
2024	272	125–138–9	47.5%
2025	272	142–127–3	52.8%

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CLE · 27.61

Multi-year laggard

DET · 34.27

Biggest improver

SEA · −2.17/yr

Biggest decliner

DAL · +1.27/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CLE	27.61	−1.00	34.34	28.94	29.79	19.97	27.18	23.75	29.30
2	SF	29.13	+0.74	26.34	28.33	27.33	29.53	29.81	34.02	28.58
3	NO	29.26	+0.71	27.48	27.19	28.17	28.09	34.54	27.70	31.67
4	NE	29.30	−0.67	35.38	28.56	27.79	24.53	32.75	28.68	27.43
5	DEN	29.31	−0.56	30.98	31.86	26.80	33.35	27.23	24.51	30.47
6	TB	29.53	+0.04	28.92	29.05	27.84	31.63	31.41	31.16	26.73
7	SEA	29.77	−2.17	34.21	33.39	32.36	34.12	28.42	24.92	20.93
8	LAR	29.90	+0.24	23.87	31.35	32.76	30.07	34.70	30.59	25.93
9	LAC	29.90	−1.10	30.87	33.27	30.81	32.14	30.30	26.79	25.13
10	PHI	29.94	+0.09	29.49	30.55	28.01	34.20	26.29	29.19	31.86
11	NYJ	29.96	−0.84	34.45	35.39	26.98	23.00	29.97	32.33	27.62
12	BAL	30.13	−0.04	30.67	31.20	31.15	25.87	29.31	33.12	29.60
13	MIN	30.16	−2.01	35.95	32.94	33.54	29.81	30.01	25.69	23.20
14	PIT	30.25	+0.48	25.89	31.01	31.38	30.61	30.18	33.71	28.95
15	BUF	30.44	+0.70	33.18	24.53	29.51	28.38	33.37	28.15	35.98
16	HOU	30.77	−1.93	39.22	34.39	31.78	28.54	27.60	24.94	28.93
17	MIA	30.96	+0.48	31.82	29.58	30.55	28.04	29.05	33.31	34.35
18	IND	31.04	+0.62	30.54	31.54	28.11	28.87	30.55	33.41	34.30
19	GB	31.05	−0.70	32.79	31.52	32.14	32.55	29.22	32.52	26.60
20	CAR	31.15	+0.26	35.13	26.01	30.22	26.58	36.39	32.72	30.98
21	WAS	31.16	+0.98	25.51	33.38	26.02	33.91	31.40	38.18	29.69
22	KC	31.21	−0.76	33.33	36.25	29.99	26.92	32.25	30.15	29.56
23	CHI	31.25	+0.13	30.16	29.42	35.11	28.85	32.20	33.06	29.94
24	TEN	31.44	−0.59	37.26	29.51	31.14	31.65	27.56	31.04	31.90
25	LV	31.90	−0.64	36.62	30.65	33.78	30.08	29.81	29.85	32.50
26	NYG	31.93	−0.33	33.67	31.92	33.09	30.00	31.36	33.22	30.28
27	DAL	32.03	+1.27	33.24	28.83	27.93	28.31	30.35	36.01	39.54
28	ATL	32.32	−1.14	36.01	34.22	36.00	27.71	32.97	30.51	28.82
29	ARI	32.50	+0.52	31.63	30.75	30.57	33.59	34.05	33.23	33.65
30	CIN	32.61	+0.25	34.21	30.74	29.84	33.69	31.66	35.00	33.10
31	JAX	32.94	−0.54	36.32	33.72	32.82	29.58	36.62	27.17	34.38
32	DET	34.27	−0.67	38.60	34.90	37.06	30.23	31.80	29.85	37.44

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	34.21	33.39	32.36	34.12	28.42	24.92	20.93
MIN	35.95	32.94	33.54	29.81	30.01	25.69	23.20
LAC	30.87	33.27	30.81	32.14	30.30	26.79	25.13
LAR	23.87	31.35	32.76	30.07	34.70	30.59	25.93
GB	32.79	31.52	32.14	32.55	29.22	32.52	26.60
TB	28.92	29.05	27.84	31.63	31.41	31.16	26.73
NE	35.38	28.56	27.79	24.53	32.75	28.68	27.43
NYJ	34.45	35.39	26.98	23.00	29.97	32.33	27.62
SF	26.34	28.33	27.33	29.53	29.81	34.02	28.58
ATL	36.01	34.22	36.00	27.71	32.97	30.51	28.82
HOU	39.22	34.39	31.78	28.54	27.60	24.94	28.93
PIT	25.89	31.01	31.38	30.61	30.18	33.71	28.95
CLE	34.34	28.94	29.79	19.97	27.18	23.75	29.30
KC	33.33	36.25	29.99	26.92	32.25	30.15	29.56
BAL	30.67	31.20	31.15	25.87	29.31	33.12	29.60
WAS	25.51	33.38	26.02	33.91	31.40	38.18	29.69
CHI	30.16	29.42	35.11	28.85	32.20	33.06	29.94
NYG	33.67	31.92	33.09	30.00	31.36	33.22	30.28
DEN	30.98	31.86	26.80	33.35	27.23	24.51	30.47
CAR	35.13	26.01	30.22	26.58	36.39	32.72	30.98
NO	27.48	27.19	28.17	28.09	34.54	27.70	31.67
PHI	29.49	30.55	28.01	34.20	26.29	29.19	31.86
TEN	37.26	29.51	31.14	31.65	27.56	31.04	31.90
LV	36.62	30.65	33.78	30.08	29.81	29.85	32.50
CIN	34.21	30.74	29.84	33.69	31.66	35.00	33.10
ARI	31.63	30.75	30.57	33.59	34.05	33.23	33.65
IND	30.54	31.54	28.11	28.87	30.55	33.41	34.30
MIA	31.82	29.58	30.55	28.04	29.05	33.31	34.35
JAX	36.32	33.72	32.82	29.58	36.62	27.17	34.38
BUF	33.18	24.53	29.51	28.38	33.37	28.15	35.98
DET	38.60	34.90	37.06	30.23	31.80	29.85	37.44
DAL	33.24	28.83	27.93	28.31	30.35	36.01	39.54

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2018.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_drives_yds_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.