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 2019 the Patriots led at 22.29; the league average was 30.36.

League snapshot — 2019

League leader

NE · 22.29

League average

30.36

Best to worst

13.62

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NE	22.29	16
2	SF	24.77	16
3	PIT	25.48	16
4	BUF	25.52	16
5	NYJ	26.24	16
6	TB	26.84	16
7	PHI	27.79	16
8	CHI	28.03	16
9	BAL	28.46	16
10	LAR	28.60	16
11	CAR	29.66	16
12	DAL	29.73	16
13	LAC	29.99	16
14	TEN	30.12	16
15	NO	30.45	16
16	DEN	30.81	16
17	MIN	30.88	16
18	NYG	31.12	16
19	CLE	31.44	16
20	GB	31.52	16
21	IND	31.71	16
22	ATL	31.80	16
23	SEA	32.48	16
24	JAX	32.83	16
25	CIN	32.98	16
26	KC	33.10	16
27	MIA	33.49	16
28	LV	33.59	16
29	DET	33.72	16
30	WAS	34.42	16
31	ARI	35.73	16
32	HOU	35.91	16

At a glance — 2019

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NE · 22.29

League laggard

HOU · 35.91

League average

30.36

Spread (max − min)

13.62

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NE	22.29	-8.07	100%
2	SF	24.77	-5.58	96.8%
3	PIT	25.48	-4.88	93.5%
4	BUF	25.52	-4.84	90.3%
5	NYJ	26.24	-4.12	87.1%
6	TB	26.84	-3.52	83.9%
7	PHI	27.79	-2.57	80.6%
8	CHI	28.03	-2.33	77.4%
9	BAL	28.46	-1.90	74.2%
10	LAR	28.60	-1.76	71%
11	CAR	29.66	-0.70	67.7%
12	DAL	29.73	-0.63	64.5%
13	LAC	29.99	-0.37	61.3%
14	TEN	30.12	-0.24	58.1%
15	NO	30.45	0.09	54.8%
16	DEN	30.81	0.45	51.6%
17	MIN	30.88	0.52	48.4%
18	NYG	31.12	0.76	45.2%
19	CLE	31.44	1.08	41.9%
20	GB	31.52	1.16	38.7%
21	IND	31.71	1.35	35.5%
22	ATL	31.80	1.44	32.3%
23	SEA	32.48	2.12	29%
24	JAX	32.83	2.47	25.8%
25	CIN	32.98	2.62	22.6%
26	KC	33.10	2.74	19.4%
27	MIA	33.49	3.14	16.1%
28	LV	33.59	3.23	12.9%
29	DET	33.72	3.36	9.7%
30	WAS	34.42	4.06	6.5%
31	ARI	35.73	5.37	3.2%
32	HOU	35.91	5.55	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%

Yds/drive (allowed) in 2019 vs 2018

Patriots lead at 22.29 — they ranked #16 last year. Texans are last at 35.91 — #7 last year.

The league average is 30.36, down 0.38 from 30.74 last year.

Biggest riser: Eagles, #26 → #7. Biggest faller: Texans, #7 → #32.

Spread between first and last: 13.62; 21 teams are within 3.23 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2019 vs 2018

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

HOU · +6.87

Biggest faller

NE · −8.43

Most consistent

DEN · +0.06

League trend 2019 vs 2018

▼ -0.38

Rank	Team	2019	2018	Δ
1	HOU	35.91	29.05	+6.87
2	JAX	32.83	26.37	+6.46
3	ARI	35.73	30.06	+5.68
4	MIN	30.88	25.94	+4.93
5	DET	33.72	30.11	+3.60
6	BAL	28.46	25.61	+2.84
7	CHI	28.03	25.37	+2.66
8	WAS	34.42	32.13	+2.30
9	SEA	32.48	31.06	+1.42
10	BUF	25.52	24.12	+1.40
11	IND	31.71	30.51	+1.20
12	GB	31.52	30.65	+0.87
13	CLE	31.44	30.82	+0.62
14	DEN	30.81	30.75	+0.06
15	MIA	33.49	33.64	−0.15
16	LV	33.59	33.90	−0.31
17	TEN	30.12	30.48	−0.36
18	LAC	29.99	30.51	−0.52
19	NYG	31.12	32.29	−1.17
20	DAL	29.73	30.99	−1.26
21	PIT	25.48	27.85	−2.37
22	KC	33.10	36.04	−2.94
23	ATL	31.80	34.76	−2.95
24	NO	30.45	33.44	−2.99
25	CAR	29.66	32.85	−3.19
26	LAR	28.60	31.87	−3.27
27	NYJ	26.24	29.54	−3.30
28	CIN	32.98	36.77	−3.79
29	SF	24.77	29.82	−5.04
30	PHI	27.79	32.92	−5.13
31	TB	26.84	32.80	−5.96
32	NE	22.29	30.73	−8.43

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

Yds/drive (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (24.12), 2019 Patriots (22.29).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 22.29; the worst Bengals 2018 at 36.77.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2019.

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.