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 2022 the Bills led at 5.63; the league average was 4.23.

League snapshot — 2022

League leader

BUF · 5.63

League average

4.23

Best to worst

2.68

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	BUF	5.63	16
2	JAX	5.59	17
3	MIN	5.12	17
4	CLE	5	17
5	KC	5	17
6	PHI	5	17
7	PIT	4.82	17
8	SEA	4.76	17
9	CIN	4.69	16
10	SF	4.59	17
11	TEN	4.59	17
12	ARI	4.53	17
13	BAL	4.53	17
14	NYG	4.41	17
15	NYJ	4.29	17
16	MIA	4.18	17
17	ATL	4.06	17
18	NE	4.06	17
19	WAS	4	17
20	DEN	3.94	17
21	NO	3.94	17
22	HOU	3.82	17
23	LAC	3.76	17
24	GB	3.71	17
25	CAR	3.65	17
26	DET	3.65	17
27	IND	3.65	17
28	DAL	3.47	17
29	TB	3.47	17
30	LAR	3.41	17
31	LV	3.24	17
32	CHI	2.94	17

At a glance — 2022

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

BUF · 5.63

League laggard

CHI · 2.94

League average

4.23

Spread (max − min)

2.68

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	BUF	5.63	1.39	100%
2	JAX	5.59	1.35	96.8%
3	MIN	5.12	0.88	93.5%
4	CLE	5	0.77	90.3%
5	KC	5	0.77	87.1%
6	PHI	5	0.77	83.9%
7	PIT	4.82	0.59	80.6%
8	SEA	4.76	0.53	77.4%
9	CIN	4.69	0.45	74.2%
10	SF	4.59	0.35	71%
11	TEN	4.59	0.35	67.7%
12	ARI	4.53	0.30	64.5%
13	BAL	4.53	0.30	61.3%
14	NYG	4.41	0.18	58.1%
15	NYJ	4.29	0.06	54.8%
16	MIA	4.18	-0.06	51.6%
17	ATL	4.06	-0.18	48.4%
18	NE	4.06	-0.18	45.2%
19	WAS	4	-0.23	41.9%
20	DEN	3.94	-0.29	38.7%
21	NO	3.94	-0.29	35.5%
22	HOU	3.82	-0.41	32.3%
23	LAC	3.76	-0.47	29%
24	GB	3.71	-0.53	25.8%
25	CAR	3.65	-0.59	22.6%
26	DET	3.65	-0.59	19.4%
27	IND	3.65	-0.59	16.1%
28	DAL	3.47	-0.76	12.9%
29	TB	3.47	-0.76	9.7%
30	LAR	3.41	-0.82	6.5%
31	LV	3.24	-1.00	3.2%
32	CHI	2.94	-1.29	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 2022 vs 2021

Bills lead at 5.63 — they ranked #8 last year. Bears are last at 2.94 — #27 last year.

The league average is 4.23, up 0.05 from 4.19 last year.

Biggest riser: Jaguars, #32 → #2. Biggest faller: Buccaneers, #3 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 2.68; 21 teams are within 0.66 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2022 vs 2021

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

JAX · +2.65

Biggest faller

TB · −1.53

Most consistent

SEA · +0.06

League trend 2022 vs 2021

▲ 0.05

Rank	Team	2022	2021	Δ
1	JAX	5.59	2.94	+2.65
2	PHI	5	3.29	+1.71
3	SF	4.59	3.24	+1.35
4	MIN	5.12	4	+1.12
5	CIN	4.69	3.71	+0.98
6	KC	5	4.06	+0.94
7	BUF	5.63	4.71	+0.92
8	NYJ	4.29	3.59	+0.71
9	CAR	3.65	3.06	+0.59
10	LAC	3.76	3.29	+0.47
11	WAS	4	3.59	+0.41
12	CLE	5	4.65	+0.35
13	BAL	4.53	4.24	+0.29
14	ARI	4.53	4.29	+0.24
15	PIT	4.82	4.71	+0.12
16	HOU	3.82	3.76	+0.06
17	SEA	4.76	4.71	+0.06
18	TEN	4.59	4.88	−0.29
19	CHI	2.94	3.29	−0.35
20	DEN	3.94	4.29	−0.35
21	DET	3.65	4	−0.35
22	IND	3.65	4.06	−0.41
23	ATL	4.06	4.53	−0.47
24	NYG	4.41	4.88	−0.47
25	GB	3.71	4.35	−0.65
26	NO	3.94	4.76	−0.82
27	LAR	3.41	4.24	−0.82
28	LV	3.24	4.35	−1.12
29	MIA	4.18	5.35	−1.18
30	NE	4.06	5.24	−1.18
31	DAL	3.47	4.88	−1.41
32	TB	3.47	5	−1.53

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

Pass defended (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (6.13), 2019 Buccaneers (6), 2020 Saints (5.25), 2021 Dolphins (5.35), 2022 Bills (5.63).

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 2022.

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.