What Pass rating (allowed) is

Passer rating allowed: the NFL's traditional quarterback formula, computed on what opposing quarterbacks did against this defense. Completion-weighted, like the offensive version.

Lower is better. It is a rate, so a team's number does not grow with games played. Source: P.

In 2020 the Steelers led at 76.70; the league average was 93.56.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

PIT · 76.70

League average

93.56

Best to worst

35.70

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	PIT	76.70	16
2	LAR	80.40	16
3	WAS	81.40	16
4	NO	83.30	16
5	BUF	86.90	16
6	MIA	87.00	16
7	BAL	87.20	16
8	SF	88.60	16
9	NE	89.30	16
10	KC	89.40	16
11	SEA	90.20	16
12	IND	90.50	16
13	GB	91.10	16
14	LAC	91.40	16
15	ARI	91.50	16
16	DEN	92.10	16
17	NYG	93.20	16
18	TB	94.30	16
19	CLE	94.80	16
20	CHI	94.90	16
21	LV	95.30	16
22	CIN	96.10	16
23	MIN	97.00	16
24	TEN	97.50	16
25	CAR	98.40	16
26	DAL	100.40	16
27	ATL	101.70	16
28	PHI	102.40	16
29	NYJ	103.20	16
30	JAX	105.60	16
31	HOU	109.60	16
32	DET	112.40	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

PIT · 76.70

League laggard

DET · 112.40

League average

93.56

Spread (max − min)

35.70

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	PIT	76.70	-16.86	100%
2	LAR	80.40	-13.16	96.8%
3	WAS	81.40	-12.16	93.5%
4	NO	83.30	-10.26	90.3%
5	BUF	86.90	-6.66	87.1%
6	MIA	87.00	-6.56	83.9%
7	BAL	87.20	-6.36	80.6%
8	SF	88.60	-4.96	77.4%
9	NE	89.30	-4.26	74.2%
10	KC	89.40	-4.16	71%
11	SEA	90.20	-3.36	67.7%
12	IND	90.50	-3.06	64.5%
13	GB	91.10	-2.46	61.3%
14	LAC	91.40	-2.16	58.1%
15	ARI	91.50	-2.06	54.8%
16	DEN	92.10	-1.46	51.6%
17	NYG	93.20	-0.36	48.4%
18	TB	94.30	0.74	45.2%
19	CLE	94.80	1.24	41.9%
20	CHI	94.90	1.34	38.7%
21	LV	95.30	1.74	35.5%
22	CIN	96.10	2.54	32.3%
23	MIN	97.00	3.44	29%
24	TEN	97.50	3.94	25.8%
25	CAR	98.40	4.84	22.6%
26	DAL	100.40	6.84	19.4%
27	ATL	101.70	8.14	16.1%
28	PHI	102.40	8.84	12.9%
29	NYJ	103.20	9.64	9.7%
30	JAX	105.60	12.04	6.5%
31	HOU	109.60	16.04	3.2%
32	DET	112.40	18.84	0%

Does Pass rating (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 867–711–37 ATS (54.9%) across 2020–2025, #74 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (163–91, 64.2%); its worst 2023 (125–133, 48.4%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	163–91–2	64.2%
2021	272	144–126–2	53.3%
2022	271	143–121–7	54.2%
2023	272	125–133–14	48.4%
2024	272	142–121–9	54.0%
2025	272	150–119–3	55.8%

Pass rating (allowed) in 2020 vs 2019

Steelers lead at 76.70 — they ranked #4 last year. Lions are last at 112.40 — #27 last year.

The league average is 93.56, up 3.21 from 90.35 last year.

Biggest riser: Commanders, #30 → #3. Biggest faller: Jets, #13 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 35.70; 22 teams are within 7.99 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NE · +26.50

Biggest faller

WAS · −21.10

Most consistent

CIN · +0.70

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▲ 3.21

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	NE	89.30	62.80	+26.50
2	NYJ	103.20	88.00	+15.20
3	DET	112.40	99.60	+12.80
4	HOU	109.60	97.60	+12.00
5	JAX	105.60	93.90	+11.70
6	PHI	102.40	90.80	+11.60
7	MIN	97.00	86.10	+10.90
8	CAR	98.40	88.00	+10.40
9	GB	91.10	81.10	+10.00
10	BAL	87.20	77.50	+9.70
11	CHI	94.90	85.20	+9.70
12	KC	89.40	80.80	+8.60
13	DAL	100.40	91.90	+8.50
14	BUF	86.90	78.80	+8.10
15	TEN	97.50	90.40	+7.10
16	CLE	94.80	89.00	+5.80
17	SF	88.60	83.00	+5.60
18	ATL	101.70	96.90	+4.80
19	SEA	90.20	85.60	+4.60
20	TB	94.30	90.00	+4.30
21	DEN	92.10	89.80	+2.30
22	CIN	96.10	95.40	+0.70
23	PIT	76.70	79.70	−3.00
24	NO	83.30	88.30	−5.00
25	LAC	91.40	96.70	−5.30
26	LAR	80.40	86.80	−6.40
27	IND	90.50	98.00	−7.50
28	NYG	93.20	101.40	−8.20
29	LV	95.30	103.80	−8.50
30	MIA	87.00	101.90	−14.90
31	ARI	91.50	109.90	−18.40
32	WAS	81.40	102.50	−21.10

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

BUF · 85.00

Multi-year laggard

ARI · 99.44

Biggest improver

MIN · −4.37/yr

Biggest decliner

DAL · +5.04/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	BUF	85.00	+3.45	86.90	65.30	82.10	81.90	93.30	79.80	105.70
2	DEN	86.07	−1.70	92.10	85.00	83.10	98.00	86.20	78.70	79.40
3	PIT	86.19	+1.35	76.70	88.70	86.80	84.70	87.50	92.20	86.70
4	LAR	86.29	+0.16	80.40	83.80	90.80	88.00	95.90	87.00	78.10
5	MIN	86.64	−4.37	97.00	91.40	91.60	95.20	82.40	86.00	62.90
6	SEA	86.86	−2.51	90.20	93.60	87.30	92.10	90.90	77.90	76.00
7	NO	87.40	+3.26	83.30	81.70	83.80	79.70	84.80	91.80	106.70
8	NE	87.63	+2.01	89.30	73.30	83.50	86.90	96.90	93.10	90.40
9	KC	88.23	−1.67	89.40	92.00	95.30	83.60	90.60	89.90	76.80
10	BAL	88.39	−0.52	87.20	99.40	88.70	74.60	91.10	89.60	88.10
11	GB	88.43	−1.11	91.10	86.90	88.30	94.70	88.50	92.70	76.80
12	LAC	88.83	−1.37	91.40	93.00	88.00	96.40	87.10	75.00	90.90
13	PHI	88.89	−3.01	102.40	95.40	81.60	97.60	82.50	75.40	87.30
14	CLE	88.96	−0.01	94.80	89.40	85.20	74.70	98.90	90.00	89.70
15	SF	89.11	+0.03	88.60	97.00	82.70	79.60	92.00	100.50	83.40
16	HOU	90.19	−2.82	109.60	94.10	82.70	90.10	83.70	76.20	94.90
17	CIN	91.29	−0.10	96.10	93.10	80.10	91.40	91.90	99.40	87.00
18	NYG	91.47	+0.15	93.20	89.00	89.90	84.10	103.10	94.30	86.70
19	TB	92.43	+0.35	94.30	85.60	92.70	92.00	96.60	97.50	88.30
20	JAX	92.79	−3.58	105.60	100.80	89.10	89.80	103.40	78.50	82.30
21	NYJ	93.19	−0.61	103.20	103.20	80.50	76.00	89.00	110.90	89.50
22	IND	93.23	+1.19	90.50	90.50	96.20	88.20	95.80	88.00	103.40
23	CAR	93.36	−1.61	98.40	95.00	93.70	88.80	105.40	88.20	84.00
24	CHI	94.37	−0.68	94.90	103.30	94.40	88.00	90.90	91.40	97.70
25	ATL	95.03	−1.58	101.70	97.40	95.70	90.30	100.20	88.40	91.50
26	MIA	95.67	+4.19	87.00	85.40	95.30	93.00	88.70	105.30	115.00
27	DAL	96.01	+5.04	100.40	76.60	84.70	80.80	99.50	109.60	120.50
28	LV	96.04	+0.38	95.30	96.40	98.80	89.30	96.50	96.40	99.60
29	TEN	96.97	+2.13	97.50	86.40	93.00	96.40	95.10	108.30	102.10
30	DET	97.13	−1.70	112.40	101.00	94.20	91.50	82.00	92.50	106.30
31	WAS	97.13	+2.77	81.40	100.80	90.20	105.70	93.90	104.00	103.90
32	ARI	99.44	+2.95	91.50	93.50	98.20	102.90	95.10	97.60	117.30

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
PIT	76.70	88.70	86.80	84.70	87.50	92.20	86.70
LAR	80.40	83.80	90.80	88.00	95.90	87.00	78.10
WAS	81.40	100.80	90.20	105.70	93.90	104.00	103.90
NO	83.30	81.70	83.80	79.70	84.80	91.80	106.70
BUF	86.90	65.30	82.10	81.90	93.30	79.80	105.70
MIA	87.00	85.40	95.30	93.00	88.70	105.30	115.00
BAL	87.20	99.40	88.70	74.60	91.10	89.60	88.10
SF	88.60	97.00	82.70	79.60	92.00	100.50	83.40
NE	89.30	73.30	83.50	86.90	96.90	93.10	90.40
KC	89.40	92.00	95.30	83.60	90.60	89.90	76.80
SEA	90.20	93.60	87.30	92.10	90.90	77.90	76.00
IND	90.50	90.50	96.20	88.20	95.80	88.00	103.40
GB	91.10	86.90	88.30	94.70	88.50	92.70	76.80
LAC	91.40	93.00	88.00	96.40	87.10	75.00	90.90
ARI	91.50	93.50	98.20	102.90	95.10	97.60	117.30
DEN	92.10	85.00	83.10	98.00	86.20	78.70	79.40
NYG	93.20	89.00	89.90	84.10	103.10	94.30	86.70
TB	94.30	85.60	92.70	92.00	96.60	97.50	88.30
CLE	94.80	89.40	85.20	74.70	98.90	90.00	89.70
CHI	94.90	103.30	94.40	88.00	90.90	91.40	97.70
LV	95.30	96.40	98.80	89.30	96.50	96.40	99.60
CIN	96.10	93.10	80.10	91.40	91.90	99.40	87.00
MIN	97.00	91.40	91.60	95.20	82.40	86.00	62.90
TEN	97.50	86.40	93.00	96.40	95.10	108.30	102.10
CAR	98.40	95.00	93.70	88.80	105.40	88.20	84.00
DAL	100.40	76.60	84.70	80.80	99.50	109.60	120.50
ATL	101.70	97.40	95.70	90.30	100.20	88.40	91.50
PHI	102.40	95.40	81.60	97.60	82.50	75.40	87.30
NYJ	103.20	103.20	80.50	76.00	89.00	110.90	89.50
JAX	105.60	100.80	89.10	89.80	103.40	78.50	82.30
HOU	109.60	94.10	82.70	90.10	83.70	76.20	94.90
DET	112.40	101.00	94.20	91.50	82.00	92.50	106.30

Pass rating (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (72.90), 2019 Patriots (62.80), 2020 Steelers (76.70).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 62.80; the worst Lions 2020 at 112.40.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_passing_pass_rating
Side: defensive
Family: Passing
Data source: P only
Polarity: lower is better
Display grain: rate
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.