What Pass defended (allowed) is

Passes defended: throws this defense broke up — the ball knocked away or deflected without an interception. Coverage that arrived.

Higher is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P.

In 2021 the Dolphins led at 5.35; the league average was 4.19.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

MIA · 5.35

League average

4.19

Best to worst

2.41

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	MIA	5.35	17
2	NE	5.24	17
3	TB	5	17
4	DAL	4.88	17
5	NYG	4.88	17
6	TEN	4.88	17
7	NO	4.76	17
8	BUF	4.71	17
9	PIT	4.71	17
10	SEA	4.71	17
11	CLE	4.65	17
12	ATL	4.53	17
13	GB	4.35	17
14	LV	4.35	17
15	ARI	4.29	17
16	DEN	4.29	17
17	BAL	4.24	17
18	LAR	4.24	17
19	IND	4.06	17
20	KC	4.06	17
21	DET	4	17
22	MIN	4	17
23	HOU	3.76	17
24	CIN	3.71	17
25	NYJ	3.59	17
26	WAS	3.59	17
27	CHI	3.29	17
28	LAC	3.29	17
29	PHI	3.29	17
30	SF	3.24	17
31	CAR	3.06	17
32	JAX	2.94	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

MIA · 5.35

League laggard

JAX · 2.94

League average

4.19

Spread (max − min)

2.41

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	MIA	5.35	1.17	100%
2	NE	5.24	1.05	96.8%
3	TB	5	0.81	93.5%
4	DAL	4.88	0.70	90.3%
5	NYG	4.88	0.70	87.1%
6	TEN	4.88	0.70	83.9%
7	NO	4.76	0.58	80.6%
8	BUF	4.71	0.52	77.4%
9	PIT	4.71	0.52	74.2%
10	SEA	4.71	0.52	71%
11	CLE	4.65	0.46	67.7%
12	ATL	4.53	0.34	64.5%
13	GB	4.35	0.17	61.3%
14	LV	4.35	0.17	58.1%
15	ARI	4.29	0.11	54.8%
16	DEN	4.29	0.11	51.6%
17	BAL	4.24	0.05	48.4%
18	LAR	4.24	0.05	45.2%
19	IND	4.06	-0.13	41.9%
20	KC	4.06	-0.13	38.7%
21	DET	4	-0.19	35.5%
22	MIN	4	-0.19	32.3%
23	HOU	3.76	-0.42	29%
24	CIN	3.71	-0.48	25.8%
25	NYJ	3.59	-0.60	22.6%
26	WAS	3.59	-0.60	19.4%
27	CHI	3.29	-0.89	16.1%
28	LAC	3.29	-0.89	12.9%
29	PHI	3.29	-0.89	9.7%
30	SF	3.24	-0.95	6.5%
31	CAR	3.06	-1.13	3.2%
32	JAX	2.94	-1.24	0%

Does Pass defended (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 844–734–37 ATS (53.5%) across 2020–2025, #117 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (151–103, 59.4%); its worst 2023 (128–130, 49.6%).

For picks, this is a modest signal. One stat is not a recipe — the algorithms combine many.

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	151–103–2	59.4%
2021	272	141–129–2	52.2%
2022	271	144–120–7	54.5%
2023	272	128–130–14	49.6%
2024	272	134–129–9	51.0%
2025	272	146–123–3	54.3%

Pass defended (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Dolphins lead at 5.35 — they ranked #8 last year. Jaguars are last at 2.94 — #22 last year.

The league average is 4.19, up 0.06 from 4.13 last year.

Biggest riser: Cowboys, #31 → #4. Biggest faller: Bengals, #4 → #24.

Spread between first and last: 2.41; 20 teams are within 0.65 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

DAL · +2.01

Biggest faller

CIN · −1.29

Most consistent

LAR · −0.01

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▲ 0.06

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	DAL	4.88	2.88	+2.01
2	NE	5.24	3.25	+1.99
3	ATL	4.53	3.19	+1.34
4	DET	4	3.19	+0.81
5	ARI	4.29	3.56	+0.73
6	HOU	3.76	3.13	+0.64
7	TB	5	4.38	+0.63
8	PHI	3.29	2.69	+0.61
9	MIA	5.35	4.75	+0.60
10	MIN	4	3.50	+0.50
11	DEN	4.29	4	+0.29
12	NYG	4.88	4.69	+0.19
13	KC	4.06	4	+0.06
14	BAL	4.24	4.19	+0.05
15	CLE	4.65	4.63	+0.02
16	LAR	4.24	4.25	−0.01
17	BUF	4.71	4.75	−0.04
18	LAC	3.29	3.38	−0.08
19	TEN	4.88	5.06	−0.18
20	GB	4.35	4.63	−0.27
21	LV	4.35	4.63	−0.27
22	SEA	4.71	5	−0.29
23	NO	4.76	5.25	−0.49
24	WAS	3.59	4.13	−0.54
25	PIT	4.71	5.25	−0.54
26	CAR	3.06	3.63	−0.57
27	NYJ	3.59	4.19	−0.60
28	SF	3.24	3.88	−0.64
29	JAX	2.94	3.75	−0.81
30	IND	4.06	4.88	−0.82
31	CHI	3.29	4.44	−1.14
32	CIN	3.71	5	−1.29

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

PIT · 5.13

Multi-year laggard

DAL · 3.51

Biggest improver

HOU · +0.41/yr

Biggest decliner

MIA · −0.44/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	PIT	5.13	+0.18	5.25	4.71	4.82	4.71	4.53	5.29	6.60
2	SEA	4.80	+0.01	5	4.71	4.76	4.53	4.35	5.65	4.60
3	NYG	4.66	+0.06	4.69	4.88	4.41	4.76	3.53	4.53	5.80
4	JAX	4.65	+0.29	3.75	2.94	5.59	4.94	4.41	6.29	4.60
5	NO	4.64	−0.24	5.25	4.76	3.94	5.82	5.47	4.65	2.60
6	BUF	4.56	−0.12	4.75	4.71	5.63	4.65	3.53	3.65	5
7	CIN	4.55	+0.05	5	3.71	4.69	4.35	4.65	4.47	5
8	LAR	4.50	+0.26	4.25	4.24	3.41	4.47	4.29	4.82	6
9	BAL	4.41	−0.07	4.19	4.24	4.53	5.41	4.82	4.29	3.40
10	PHI	4.41	+0.40	2.69	3.29	5	4.29	5.29	5.29	5
11	CLE	4.41	−0.20	4.63	4.65	5	5.41	3.53	3.82	3.80
12	HOU	4.40	+0.41	3.13	3.76	3.82	4.12	5.29	5.29	5.40
13	KC	4.39	+0.12	4	4.06	5	4.24	4.18	3.53	5.75
14	MIN	4.37	+0.14	3.50	4	5.12	3.94	5.59	3.24	5.20
15	DET	4.36	+0.32	3.19	4	3.65	4.65	4.76	5.47	4.80
16	DEN	4.34	+0.20	4	4.29	3.94	3.65	4	5.53	5
17	ATL	4.29	+0.27	3.19	4.53	4.06	3.88	3.88	5.12	5.40
18	LAC	4.25	+0.28	3.38	3.29	3.76	4.88	5.12	4.94	4.40
19	TB	4.22	+0.03	4.38	5	3.47	3.76	3.65	4.06	5.20
20	IND	4.21	+0.02	4.88	4.06	3.65	4.06	3.35	4.65	4.80
21	ARI	4.13	+0.07	3.56	4.29	4.53	3.88	3.71	4.76	4.20
22	NE	4.09	−0.00	3.25	5.24	4.06	3.88	4.29	3.94	4
23	WAS	4.08	+0.07	4.13	3.59	4	4.59	3.53	4.12	4.60
24	NYJ	4.07	−0.05	4.19	3.59	4.29	5.29	3.35	3.94	3.80
25	MIA	4.06	−0.44	4.75	5.35	4.18	4.76	4.06	3.12	2.20
26	SF	4.00	−0.02	3.88	3.24	4.59	4.94	4.24	3.29	3.80
27	GB	3.95	−0.12	4.63	4.35	3.71	4	3.29	3.47	4.20
28	LV	3.93	−0.08	4.63	4.35	3.24	3.29	4.76	3.06	4.20
29	CHI	3.86	−0.02	4.44	3.29	2.94	4.88	3.88	4.41	3.20
30	TEN	3.86	−0.42	5.06	4.88	4.59	3.24	3.12	3.71	2.40
31	CAR	3.84	+0.21	3.63	3.06	3.65	3.76	4	3.76	5
32	DAL	3.51	−0.20	2.88	4.88	3.47	4.35	4.12	2.47	2.40

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
MIA	4.75	5.35	4.18	4.76	4.06	3.12	2.20
NE	3.25	5.24	4.06	3.88	4.29	3.94	4
TB	4.38	5	3.47	3.76	3.65	4.06	5.20
DAL	2.88	4.88	3.47	4.35	4.12	2.47	2.40
NYG	4.69	4.88	4.41	4.76	3.53	4.53	5.80
TEN	5.06	4.88	4.59	3.24	3.12	3.71	2.40
NO	5.25	4.76	3.94	5.82	5.47	4.65	2.60
BUF	4.75	4.71	5.63	4.65	3.53	3.65	5
PIT	5.25	4.71	4.82	4.71	4.53	5.29	6.60
SEA	5	4.71	4.76	4.53	4.35	5.65	4.60
CLE	4.63	4.65	5	5.41	3.53	3.82	3.80
ATL	3.19	4.53	4.06	3.88	3.88	5.12	5.40
GB	4.63	4.35	3.71	4	3.29	3.47	4.20
LV	4.63	4.35	3.24	3.29	4.76	3.06	4.20
ARI	3.56	4.29	4.53	3.88	3.71	4.76	4.20
DEN	4	4.29	3.94	3.65	4	5.53	5
BAL	4.19	4.24	4.53	5.41	4.82	4.29	3.40
LAR	4.25	4.24	3.41	4.47	4.29	4.82	6
IND	4.88	4.06	3.65	4.06	3.35	4.65	4.80
KC	4	4.06	5	4.24	4.18	3.53	5.75
DET	3.19	4	3.65	4.65	4.76	5.47	4.80
MIN	3.50	4	5.12	3.94	5.59	3.24	5.20
HOU	3.13	3.76	3.82	4.12	5.29	5.29	5.40
CIN	5	3.71	4.69	4.35	4.65	4.47	5
NYJ	4.19	3.59	4.29	5.29	3.35	3.94	3.80
WAS	4.13	3.59	4	4.59	3.53	4.12	4.60
CHI	4.44	3.29	2.94	4.88	3.88	4.41	3.20
LAC	3.38	3.29	3.76	4.88	5.12	4.94	4.40
PHI	2.69	3.29	5	4.29	5.29	5.29	5
SF	3.88	3.24	4.59	4.94	4.24	3.29	3.80
CAR	3.63	3.06	3.65	3.76	4	3.76	5
JAX	3.75	2.94	5.59	4.94	4.41	6.29	4.60

Pass defended (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (6.13), 2019 Buccaneers (6), 2020 Saints (5.25), 2021 Dolphins (5.35).

The best season on record is Bears 2018 at 6.13; the worst 49ers 2018 at 2.44.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_passing_pass_defended
Side: defensive
Family: Passing
Data source: P only
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.