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 2022 the Commanders led at 26.02; the league average was 30.64.

League snapshot — 2022

League leader

WAS · 26.02

League average

30.64

Best to worst

11.04

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	WAS	26.02	17
2	DEN	26.80	17
3	NYJ	26.98	17
4	SF	27.33	17
5	NE	27.79	17
6	TB	27.84	17
7	DAL	27.93	17
8	PHI	28.01	17
9	IND	28.11	17
10	NO	28.17	17
11	BUF	29.51	16
12	CLE	29.79	17
13	CIN	29.84	16
14	KC	29.99	17
15	CAR	30.22	17
16	MIA	30.55	17
17	ARI	30.57	17
18	LAC	30.81	17
19	TEN	31.14	17
20	BAL	31.15	17
21	PIT	31.38	17
22	HOU	31.78	17
23	GB	32.14	17
24	SEA	32.36	17
25	LAR	32.76	17
26	JAX	32.82	17
27	NYG	33.09	17
28	MIN	33.54	17
29	LV	33.78	17
30	CHI	35.11	17
31	ATL	36.00	17
32	DET	37.06	17

At a glance — 2022

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

WAS · 26.02

League laggard

DET · 37.06

League average

30.64

Spread (max − min)

11.04

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	WAS	26.02	-4.62	100%
2	DEN	26.80	-3.84	96.8%
3	NYJ	26.98	-3.66	93.5%
4	SF	27.33	-3.31	90.3%
5	NE	27.79	-2.85	87.1%
6	TB	27.84	-2.79	83.9%
7	DAL	27.93	-2.71	80.6%
8	PHI	28.01	-2.63	77.4%
9	IND	28.11	-2.53	74.2%
10	NO	28.17	-2.47	71%
11	BUF	29.51	-1.12	67.7%
12	CLE	29.79	-0.84	64.5%
13	CIN	29.84	-0.80	61.3%
14	KC	29.99	-0.64	58.1%
15	CAR	30.22	-0.42	54.8%
16	MIA	30.55	-0.09	51.6%
17	ARI	30.57	-0.06	48.4%
18	LAC	30.81	0.18	45.2%
19	TEN	31.14	0.50	41.9%
20	BAL	31.15	0.51	38.7%
21	PIT	31.38	0.74	35.5%
22	HOU	31.78	1.15	32.3%
23	GB	32.14	1.50	29%
24	SEA	32.36	1.73	25.8%
25	LAR	32.76	2.12	22.6%
26	JAX	32.82	2.18	19.4%
27	NYG	33.09	2.46	16.1%
28	MIN	33.54	2.91	12.9%
29	LV	33.78	3.15	9.7%
30	CHI	35.11	4.47	6.5%
31	ATL	36.00	5.36	3.2%
32	DET	37.06	6.42	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 2022 vs 2021

Commanders lead at 26.02 — they ranked #25 last year. Lions are last at 37.06 — #30 last year.

The league average is 30.64, down 0.45 from 31.09 last year.

Biggest riser: Jets, #31 → #3. Biggest faller: Bears, #9 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 11.04; 21 teams are within 2.72 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2022 vs 2021

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

CHI · +5.69

Biggest faller

NYJ · −8.41

Most consistent

BAL · −0.06

League trend 2022 vs 2021

▼ -0.45

Rank	Team	2022	2021	Δ
1	CHI	35.11	29.42	+5.69
2	BUF	29.51	24.53	+4.98
3	CAR	30.22	26.01	+4.21
4	LV	33.78	30.65	+3.13
5	DET	37.06	34.90	+2.16
6	ATL	36.00	34.22	+1.78
7	TEN	31.14	29.51	+1.62
8	LAR	32.76	31.35	+1.40
9	NYG	33.09	31.92	+1.18
10	NO	28.17	27.19	+0.98
11	MIA	30.55	29.58	+0.97
12	CLE	29.79	28.94	+0.85
13	GB	32.14	31.52	+0.62
14	MIN	33.54	32.94	+0.60
15	PIT	31.38	31.01	+0.37
16	BAL	31.15	31.20	−0.06
17	ARI	30.57	30.75	−0.18
18	NE	27.79	28.56	−0.78
19	JAX	32.82	33.72	−0.90
20	DAL	27.93	28.83	−0.90
21	CIN	29.84	30.74	−0.90
22	SF	27.33	28.33	−1.01
23	SEA	32.36	33.39	−1.03
24	TB	27.84	29.05	−1.20
25	LAC	30.81	33.27	−2.46
26	PHI	28.01	30.55	−2.54
27	HOU	31.78	34.39	−2.61
28	IND	28.11	31.54	−3.43
29	DEN	26.80	31.86	−5.06
30	KC	29.99	36.25	−6.26
31	WAS	26.02	33.38	−7.36
32	NYJ	26.98	35.39	−8.41

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

Yds/drive (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (24.12), 2019 Patriots (22.29), 2020 Rams (23.87), 2021 Bills (24.53), 2022 Commanders (26.02).

Bills have led this stat 2 of 5 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 2022.

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.