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 2021 the Bills led at 24.53; the league average was 31.09.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

BUF · 24.53

League average

31.09

Best to worst

11.72

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	BUF	24.53	17
2	CAR	26.01	17
3	NO	27.19	17
4	SF	28.33	17
5	NE	28.56	17
6	DAL	28.83	17
7	CLE	28.94	17
8	TB	29.05	17
9	CHI	29.42	17
10	TEN	29.51	17
11	MIA	29.58	17
12	PHI	30.55	17
13	LV	30.65	17
14	CIN	30.74	17
15	ARI	30.75	17
16	PIT	31.01	17
17	BAL	31.20	17
18	LAR	31.35	17
19	GB	31.52	17
20	IND	31.54	17
21	DEN	31.86	17
22	NYG	31.92	17
23	MIN	32.94	17
24	LAC	33.27	17
25	WAS	33.38	17
26	SEA	33.39	17
27	JAX	33.72	17
28	ATL	34.22	17
29	HOU	34.39	17
30	DET	34.90	17
31	NYJ	35.39	17
32	KC	36.25	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

BUF · 24.53

League laggard

KC · 36.25

League average

31.09

Spread (max − min)

11.72

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	BUF	24.53	-6.56	100%
2	CAR	26.01	-5.09	96.8%
3	NO	27.19	-3.90	93.5%
4	SF	28.33	-2.76	90.3%
5	NE	28.56	-2.53	87.1%
6	DAL	28.83	-2.26	83.9%
7	CLE	28.94	-2.15	80.6%
8	TB	29.05	-2.04	77.4%
9	CHI	29.42	-1.67	74.2%
10	TEN	29.51	-1.58	71%
11	MIA	29.58	-1.51	67.7%
12	PHI	30.55	-0.54	64.5%
13	LV	30.65	-0.44	61.3%
14	CIN	30.74	-0.35	58.1%
15	ARI	30.75	-0.34	54.8%
16	PIT	31.01	-0.09	51.6%
17	BAL	31.20	0.11	48.4%
18	LAR	31.35	0.26	45.2%
19	GB	31.52	0.43	41.9%
20	IND	31.54	0.44	38.7%
21	DEN	31.86	0.77	35.5%
22	NYG	31.92	0.83	32.3%
23	MIN	32.94	1.85	29%
24	LAC	33.27	2.18	25.8%
25	WAS	33.38	2.29	22.6%
26	SEA	33.39	2.30	19.4%
27	JAX	33.72	2.63	16.1%
28	ATL	34.22	3.13	12.9%
29	HOU	34.39	3.30	9.7%
30	DET	34.90	3.81	6.5%
31	NYJ	35.39	4.30	3.2%
32	KC	36.25	5.16	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 2021 vs 2020

Bills lead at 24.53 — they ranked #16 last year. Chiefs are last at 36.25 — #18 last year.

The league average is 31.09, down 1.35 from 32.44 last year.

Biggest riser: Panthers, #24 → #2. Biggest faller: Commanders, #2 → #25.

Spread between first and last: 11.72; 23 teams are within 2.67 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

WAS · +7.86

Biggest faller

CAR · −9.12

Most consistent

TB · +0.13

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -1.35

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	WAS	33.38	25.51	+7.86
2	LAR	31.35	23.87	+7.49
3	PIT	31.01	25.89	+5.12
4	KC	36.25	33.33	+2.92
5	LAC	33.27	30.87	+2.40
6	SF	28.33	26.34	+2.00
7	PHI	30.55	29.49	+1.05
8	IND	31.54	30.54	+0.99
9	NYJ	35.39	34.45	+0.94
10	DEN	31.86	30.98	+0.88
11	BAL	31.20	30.67	+0.53
12	TB	29.05	28.92	+0.13
13	NO	27.19	27.48	−0.29
14	CHI	29.42	30.16	−0.74
15	SEA	33.39	34.21	−0.81
16	ARI	30.75	31.63	−0.88
17	GB	31.52	32.79	−1.27
18	NYG	31.92	33.67	−1.75
19	ATL	34.22	36.01	−1.79
20	MIA	29.58	31.82	−2.24
21	JAX	33.72	36.32	−2.60
22	MIN	32.94	35.95	−3.01
23	CIN	30.74	34.21	−3.47
24	DET	34.90	38.60	−3.70
25	DAL	28.83	33.24	−4.42
26	HOU	34.39	39.22	−4.83
27	CLE	28.94	34.34	−5.40
28	LV	30.65	36.62	−5.97
29	NE	28.56	35.38	−6.81
30	TEN	29.51	37.26	−7.75
31	BUF	24.53	33.18	−8.64
32	CAR	26.01	35.13	−9.12

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
BUF	33.18	24.53	29.51	28.38	33.37	28.15	35.98
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
SF	26.34	28.33	27.33	29.53	29.81	34.02	28.58
NE	35.38	28.56	27.79	24.53	32.75	28.68	27.43
DAL	33.24	28.83	27.93	28.31	30.35	36.01	39.54
CLE	34.34	28.94	29.79	19.97	27.18	23.75	29.30
TB	28.92	29.05	27.84	31.63	31.41	31.16	26.73
CHI	30.16	29.42	35.11	28.85	32.20	33.06	29.94
TEN	37.26	29.51	31.14	31.65	27.56	31.04	31.90
MIA	31.82	29.58	30.55	28.04	29.05	33.31	34.35
PHI	29.49	30.55	28.01	34.20	26.29	29.19	31.86
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
PIT	25.89	31.01	31.38	30.61	30.18	33.71	28.95
BAL	30.67	31.20	31.15	25.87	29.31	33.12	29.60
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
IND	30.54	31.54	28.11	28.87	30.55	33.41	34.30
DEN	30.98	31.86	26.80	33.35	27.23	24.51	30.47
NYG	33.67	31.92	33.09	30.00	31.36	33.22	30.28
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
WAS	25.51	33.38	26.02	33.91	31.40	38.18	29.69
SEA	34.21	33.39	32.36	34.12	28.42	24.92	20.93
JAX	36.32	33.72	32.82	29.58	36.62	27.17	34.38
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
DET	38.60	34.90	37.06	30.23	31.80	29.85	37.44
NYJ	34.45	35.39	26.98	23.00	29.97	32.33	27.62
KC	33.33	36.25	29.99	26.92	32.25	30.15	29.56

Yds/drive (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (24.12), 2019 Patriots (22.29), 2020 Rams (23.87), 2021 Bills (24.53).

Bills have led this stat 2 of 4 seasons.

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

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

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.