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 2020 the Rams led at 23.87; the league average was 32.44.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

LAR · 23.87

League average

32.44

Best to worst

15.36

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	LAR	23.87	16
2	WAS	25.51	16
3	PIT	25.89	16
4	SF	26.34	16
5	NO	27.48	16
6	TB	28.92	16
7	PHI	29.49	16
8	CHI	30.16	16
9	IND	30.54	16
10	BAL	30.67	16
11	LAC	30.87	16
12	DEN	30.98	16
13	ARI	31.63	16
14	MIA	31.82	16
15	GB	32.79	16
16	BUF	33.18	16
17	DAL	33.24	16
18	KC	33.33	16
19	NYG	33.67	16
20	SEA	34.21	16
21	CIN	34.21	16
22	CLE	34.34	16
23	NYJ	34.45	16
24	CAR	35.13	16
25	NE	35.38	16
26	MIN	35.95	16
27	ATL	36.01	16
28	JAX	36.32	16
29	LV	36.62	16
30	TEN	37.26	16
31	DET	38.60	16
32	HOU	39.22	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

LAR · 23.87

League laggard

HOU · 39.22

League average

32.44

Spread (max − min)

15.36

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	LAR	23.87	-8.57	100%
2	WAS	25.51	-6.93	96.8%
3	PIT	25.89	-6.55	93.5%
4	SF	26.34	-6.11	90.3%
5	NO	27.48	-4.96	87.1%
6	TB	28.92	-3.52	83.9%
7	PHI	29.49	-2.95	80.6%
8	CHI	30.16	-2.28	77.4%
9	IND	30.54	-1.90	74.2%
10	BAL	30.67	-1.77	71%
11	LAC	30.87	-1.57	67.7%
12	DEN	30.98	-1.46	64.5%
13	ARI	31.63	-0.81	61.3%
14	MIA	31.82	-0.62	58.1%
15	GB	32.79	0.35	54.8%
16	BUF	33.18	0.74	51.6%
17	DAL	33.24	0.80	48.4%
18	KC	33.33	0.89	45.2%
19	NYG	33.67	1.23	41.9%
20	SEA	34.21	1.77	38.7%
21	CIN	34.21	1.77	35.5%
22	CLE	34.34	1.90	32.3%
23	NYJ	34.45	2.01	29%
24	CAR	35.13	2.69	25.8%
25	NE	35.38	2.93	22.6%
26	MIN	35.95	3.51	19.4%
27	ATL	36.01	3.57	16.1%
28	JAX	36.32	3.88	12.9%
29	LV	36.62	4.18	9.7%
30	TEN	37.26	4.82	6.5%
31	DET	38.60	6.16	3.2%
32	HOU	39.22	6.78	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 2020 vs 2019

Rams lead at 23.87 — they ranked #10 last year. Texans are last at 39.22 — #32 last year.

The league average is 32.44, up 2.08 from 30.36 last year.

Biggest riser: Commanders, #30 → #2. Biggest faller: Patriots, #1 → #25.

Spread between first and last: 15.36; 22 teams are within 3.80 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NE · +13.08

Biggest faller

WAS · −8.91

Most consistent

DEN · +0.17

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▲ 2.08

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	NE	35.38	22.29	+13.08
2	NYJ	34.45	26.24	+8.21
3	BUF	33.18	25.52	+7.66
4	TEN	37.26	30.12	+7.15
5	CAR	35.13	29.66	+5.46
6	MIN	35.95	30.88	+5.08
7	DET	38.60	33.72	+4.88
8	ATL	36.01	31.80	+4.21
9	DAL	33.24	29.73	+3.51
10	JAX	36.32	32.83	+3.50
11	HOU	39.22	35.91	+3.31
12	LV	36.62	33.59	+3.03
13	CLE	34.34	31.44	+2.90
14	NYG	33.67	31.12	+2.55
15	BAL	30.67	28.46	+2.22
16	CHI	30.16	28.03	+2.13
17	TB	28.92	26.84	+2.07
18	SEA	34.21	32.48	+1.73
19	PHI	29.49	27.79	+1.71
20	SF	26.34	24.77	+1.56
21	GB	32.79	31.52	+1.27
22	CIN	34.21	32.98	+1.24
23	LAC	30.87	29.99	+0.88
24	PIT	25.89	25.48	+0.41
25	KC	33.33	33.10	+0.23
26	DEN	30.98	30.81	+0.17
27	IND	30.54	31.71	−1.17
28	MIA	31.82	33.49	−1.68
29	NO	27.48	30.45	−2.97
30	ARI	31.63	35.73	−4.10
31	LAR	23.87	28.60	−4.73
32	WAS	25.51	34.42	−8.91

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

Yds/drive (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (24.12), 2019 Patriots (22.29), 2020 Rams (23.87).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 22.29; the worst Texans 2020 at 39.22.

The league average has risen from 30.74 in 2018 to 32.44 in 2020.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

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.