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 2023 the Browns led at 19.97; the league average was 29.51.

League snapshot — 2023

League leader

CLE · 19.97

League average

29.51

Best to worst

14.23

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CLE	19.97	17
2	NYJ	23.00	17
3	NE	24.53	17
4	BAL	25.87	17
5	CAR	26.58	17
6	KC	26.92	17
7	ATL	27.71	17
8	MIA	28.04	17
9	NO	28.09	17
10	DAL	28.31	17
11	BUF	28.38	17
12	HOU	28.54	17
13	CHI	28.85	17
14	IND	28.87	17
15	SF	29.53	17
16	JAX	29.58	17
17	MIN	29.81	17
18	NYG	30.00	17
19	LAR	30.07	17
20	LV	30.08	17
21	DET	30.23	17
22	PIT	30.61	17
23	TB	31.63	17
24	TEN	31.65	17
25	LAC	32.14	17
26	GB	32.55	17
27	DEN	33.35	17
28	ARI	33.59	17
29	CIN	33.69	17
30	WAS	33.91	17
31	SEA	34.12	17
32	PHI	34.20	17

At a glance — 2023

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CLE · 19.97

League laggard

PHI · 34.20

League average

29.51

Spread (max − min)

14.23

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CLE	19.97	-9.54	100%
2	NYJ	23.00	-6.51	96.8%
3	NE	24.53	-4.98	93.5%
4	BAL	25.87	-3.64	90.3%
5	CAR	26.58	-2.93	87.1%
6	KC	26.92	-2.59	83.9%
7	ATL	27.71	-1.81	80.6%
8	MIA	28.04	-1.48	77.4%
9	NO	28.09	-1.42	74.2%
10	DAL	28.31	-1.21	71%
11	BUF	28.38	-1.13	67.7%
12	HOU	28.54	-0.97	64.5%
13	CHI	28.85	-0.66	61.3%
14	IND	28.87	-0.64	58.1%
15	SF	29.53	0.01	54.8%
16	JAX	29.58	0.07	51.6%
17	MIN	29.81	0.30	48.4%
18	NYG	30.00	0.48	45.2%
19	LAR	30.07	0.56	41.9%
20	LV	30.08	0.57	38.7%
21	DET	30.23	0.72	35.5%
22	PIT	30.61	1.10	32.3%
23	TB	31.63	2.12	29%
24	TEN	31.65	2.14	25.8%
25	LAC	32.14	2.62	22.6%
26	GB	32.55	3.04	19.4%
27	DEN	33.35	3.84	16.1%
28	ARI	33.59	4.08	12.9%
29	CIN	33.69	4.18	9.7%
30	WAS	33.91	4.39	6.5%
31	SEA	34.12	4.61	3.2%
32	PHI	34.20	4.69	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 2023 vs 2022

Browns lead at 19.97 — they ranked #12 last year. Eagles are last at 34.20 — #8 last year.

The league average is 29.51, down 1.12 from 30.64 last year.

Biggest riser: Falcons, #31 → #7. Biggest faller: Commanders, #1 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 14.23; 22 teams are within 3.25 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2023 vs 2022

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

WAS · +7.89

Biggest faller

CLE · −9.82

Most consistent

NO · −0.08

League trend 2023 vs 2022

▼ -1.12

Rank	Team	2023	2022	Δ
1	WAS	33.91	26.02	+7.89
2	DEN	33.35	26.80	+6.55
3	PHI	34.20	28.01	+6.20
4	CIN	33.69	29.84	+3.85
5	TB	31.63	27.84	+3.79
6	ARI	33.59	30.57	+3.02
7	SF	29.53	27.33	+2.20
8	SEA	34.12	32.36	+1.76
9	LAC	32.14	30.81	+1.32
10	IND	28.87	28.11	+0.76
11	TEN	31.65	31.14	+0.51
12	GB	32.55	32.14	+0.41
13	DAL	28.31	27.93	+0.38
14	NO	28.09	28.17	−0.08
15	PIT	30.61	31.38	−0.77
16	BUF	28.38	29.51	−1.13
17	MIA	28.04	30.55	−2.51
18	LAR	30.07	32.76	−2.68
19	KC	26.92	29.99	−3.08
20	NYG	30.00	33.09	−3.10
21	JAX	29.58	32.82	−3.24
22	HOU	28.54	31.78	−3.25
23	NE	24.53	27.79	−3.26
24	CAR	26.58	30.22	−3.64
25	LV	30.08	33.78	−3.70
26	MIN	29.81	33.54	−3.73
27	NYJ	23.00	26.98	−3.97
28	BAL	25.87	31.15	−5.27
29	CHI	28.85	35.11	−6.26
30	DET	30.23	37.06	−6.82
31	ATL	27.71	36.00	−8.29
32	CLE	19.97	29.79	−9.82

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
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
NE	35.38	28.56	27.79	24.53	32.75	28.68	27.43
BAL	30.67	31.20	31.15	25.87	29.31	33.12	29.60
CAR	35.13	26.01	30.22	26.58	36.39	32.72	30.98
KC	33.33	36.25	29.99	26.92	32.25	30.15	29.56
ATL	36.01	34.22	36.00	27.71	32.97	30.51	28.82
MIA	31.82	29.58	30.55	28.04	29.05	33.31	34.35
NO	27.48	27.19	28.17	28.09	34.54	27.70	31.67
DAL	33.24	28.83	27.93	28.31	30.35	36.01	39.54
BUF	33.18	24.53	29.51	28.38	33.37	28.15	35.98
HOU	39.22	34.39	31.78	28.54	27.60	24.94	28.93
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
SF	26.34	28.33	27.33	29.53	29.81	34.02	28.58
JAX	36.32	33.72	32.82	29.58	36.62	27.17	34.38
MIN	35.95	32.94	33.54	29.81	30.01	25.69	23.20
NYG	33.67	31.92	33.09	30.00	31.36	33.22	30.28
LAR	23.87	31.35	32.76	30.07	34.70	30.59	25.93
LV	36.62	30.65	33.78	30.08	29.81	29.85	32.50
DET	38.60	34.90	37.06	30.23	31.80	29.85	37.44
PIT	25.89	31.01	31.38	30.61	30.18	33.71	28.95
TB	28.92	29.05	27.84	31.63	31.41	31.16	26.73
TEN	37.26	29.51	31.14	31.65	27.56	31.04	31.90
LAC	30.87	33.27	30.81	32.14	30.30	26.79	25.13
GB	32.79	31.52	32.14	32.55	29.22	32.52	26.60
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
CIN	34.21	30.74	29.84	33.69	31.66	35.00	33.10
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
PHI	29.49	30.55	28.01	34.20	26.29	29.19	31.86

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), 2023 Browns (19.97).

Bills have led this stat 2 of 6 seasons.

The best season on record is Browns 2023 at 19.97; the worst Texans 2020 at 39.22.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2023.

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.