What Pass sacked (allowed) is

Sacks by this defense: opposing quarterbacks tackled behind the line on pass plays. The pass rush's finish count — pressures that got home.

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

In 2021 the Steelers led at 3.24; the league average was 2.26.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

PIT · 3.24

League average

2.26

Best to worst

2.24

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	PIT	3.24	17
2	MIN	3	17
3	LAR	2.94	17
4	CHI	2.88	17
5	SF	2.82	17
6	MIA	2.76	17
7	TB	2.76	17
8	NO	2.71	17
9	CLE	2.53	17
10	TEN	2.47	17
11	BUF	2.41	17
12	CIN	2.41	17
13	DAL	2.41	17
14	ARI	2.35	17
15	CAR	2.29	17
16	GB	2.24	17
17	WAS	2.18	17
18	DEN	2.12	17
19	NE	2.12	17
20	LAC	2.06	17
21	LV	2.06	17
22	NYG	2	17
23	BAL	1.94	17
24	IND	1.94	17
25	SEA	1.94	17
26	HOU	1.88	17
27	JAX	1.88	17
28	KC	1.82	17
29	NYJ	1.82	17
30	DET	1.76	17
31	PHI	1.71	17
32	ATL	1	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

PIT · 3.24

League laggard

ATL · 1

League average

2.26

Spread (max − min)

2.24

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	PIT	3.24	0.97	100%
2	MIN	3	0.74	96.8%
3	LAR	2.94	0.68	93.5%
4	CHI	2.88	0.62	90.3%
5	SF	2.82	0.56	87.1%
6	MIA	2.76	0.50	83.9%
7	TB	2.76	0.50	80.6%
8	NO	2.71	0.44	77.4%
9	CLE	2.53	0.26	74.2%
10	TEN	2.47	0.21	71%
11	BUF	2.41	0.15	67.7%
12	CIN	2.41	0.15	64.5%
13	DAL	2.41	0.15	61.3%
14	ARI	2.35	0.09	58.1%
15	CAR	2.29	0.03	54.8%
16	GB	2.24	-0.03	51.6%
17	WAS	2.18	-0.09	48.4%
18	DEN	2.12	-0.15	45.2%
19	NE	2.12	-0.15	41.9%
20	LAC	2.06	-0.21	38.7%
21	LV	2.06	-0.21	35.5%
22	NYG	2	-0.26	32.3%
23	BAL	1.94	-0.32	29%
24	IND	1.94	-0.32	25.8%
25	SEA	1.94	-0.32	22.6%
26	HOU	1.88	-0.38	19.4%
27	JAX	1.88	-0.38	16.1%
28	KC	1.82	-0.44	12.9%
29	NYJ	1.82	-0.44	9.7%
30	DET	1.76	-0.50	6.5%
31	PHI	1.71	-0.56	3.2%
32	ATL	1	-1.26	0%

Does Pass sacked (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 836–742–37 ATS (53.0%) across 2020–2025, #135 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2024 (149–114, 56.7%); its worst 2021 (133–137, 49.3%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	137–117–2	53.9%
2021	272	133–137–2	49.3%
2022	271	142–122–7	53.8%
2023	272	142–116–14	55.0%
2024	272	149–114–9	56.7%
2025	272	133–136–3	49.4%

Pass sacked (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Steelers lead at 3.24 — they ranked #1 last year. Falcons are last at 1 — #23 last year.

The league average is 2.26, up 0.05 from 2.21 last year.

Biggest riser: Vikings, #28 → #2. Biggest faller: Eagles, #3 → #31.

Spread between first and last: 2.24; 22 teams are within 0.46 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

MIN · +1.56

Biggest faller

PHI · −1.36

Most consistent

BUF · +0.04

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▲ 0.05

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	MIN	3	1.44	+1.56
2	CIN	2.41	1.06	+1.35
3	TEN	2.47	1.19	+1.28
4	SF	2.82	1.88	+0.95
5	JAX	1.88	1.13	+0.76
6	LV	2.06	1.31	+0.75
7	CHI	2.88	2.19	+0.69
8	NE	2.12	1.50	+0.62
9	CAR	2.29	1.81	+0.48
10	DAL	2.41	1.94	+0.47
11	LAC	2.06	1.69	+0.37
12	DET	1.76	1.50	+0.26
13	MIA	2.76	2.56	+0.20
14	CLE	2.53	2.38	+0.15
15	BUF	2.41	2.38	+0.04
16	NO	2.71	2.75	−0.04
17	NYJ	1.82	1.94	−0.11
18	KC	1.82	2	−0.18
19	HOU	1.88	2.06	−0.18
20	TB	2.76	3	−0.24
21	PIT	3.24	3.50	−0.26
22	GB	2.24	2.56	−0.33
23	LAR	2.94	3.31	−0.37
24	BAL	1.94	2.44	−0.50
25	NYG	2	2.50	−0.50
26	DEN	2.12	2.63	−0.51
27	IND	1.94	2.50	−0.56
28	ARI	2.35	3	−0.65
29	WAS	2.18	2.88	−0.70
30	ATL	1	1.81	−0.81
31	SEA	1.94	2.88	−0.93
32	PHI	1.71	3.06	−1.36

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

DEN · 2.81

Multi-year laggard

CAR · 1.88

Biggest improver

DET · +0.34/yr

Biggest decliner

MIA · −0.23/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	DEN	2.81	+0.19	2.63	2.12	2.12	2.47	3.71	4	2.60
2	PIT	2.75	−0.17	3.50	3.24	2.35	2.76	2.35	2.82	2.20
3	CLE	2.64	+0.15	2.38	2.53	2	2.82	2.41	3.12	3.20
4	SEA	2.62	+0.05	2.88	1.94	2.59	2.76	2.59	2.76	2.80
5	MIN	2.62	+0.22	1.44	3	2.24	2.53	2.82	2.88	3.40
6	HOU	2.58	+0.25	2.06	1.88	2.29	2.59	2.88	2.76	3.60
7	LAR	2.50	−0.20	3.31	2.94	2.24	2.41	2.24	2.76	1.60
8	BAL	2.50	−0.05	2.44	1.94	2.82	3.41	3.12	1.76	2
9	PHI	2.49	−0.20	3.06	1.71	4.06	2.53	2.41	2.47	1.20
10	TB	2.46	−0.23	3	2.76	2.59	2.76	2.71	2.18	1.20
11	NO	2.45	−0.11	2.75	2.71	2.82	2	2.29	2.59	2
12	GB	2.43	+0.04	2.56	2.24	2	2.65	2.65	2.12	2.80
13	DET	2.42	+0.34	1.50	1.76	2.29	2.41	2.18	2.82	4
14	BUF	2.41	−0.05	2.38	2.41	2.50	3.12	2.18	2.12	2.20
15	WAS	2.37	−0.09	2.88	2.18	2.53	2.24	2.53	2.47	1.80
16	NYJ	2.35	+0.13	1.94	1.82	2.59	2.71	2.47	1.53	3.40
17	IND	2.35	−0.05	2.50	1.94	2.59	3	2.12	2.29	2
18	LAC	2.35	+0.11	1.69	2.06	2.35	2.82	2.65	2.65	2.20
19	DAL	2.31	−0.14	1.94	2.41	3.18	2.65	3	2	1
20	MIA	2.30	−0.23	2.56	2.76	2.35	3.29	2.06	2.29	0.80
21	ARI	2.26	−0.12	3	2.35	2.12	1.94	2.41	1.76	2.20
22	SF	2.23	−0.10	1.88	2.82	2.59	2.82	2.12	1.18	2.20
23	CIN	2.21	+0.23	1.06	2.41	1.88	2.59	2.12	2	3.40
24	KC	2.20	−0.16	2	1.82	3.24	3.35	2.29	1.94	0.75
25	NYG	2.19	−0.07	2.50	2	2.35	2	2.65	2.24	1.60
26	TEN	2.14	+0.07	1.19	2.47	2.29	2.65	1.88	2.47	2
27	CHI	2.12	+0.01	2.19	2.88	1.18	1.76	2.35	2.06	2.40
28	NE	2.10	+0.01	1.50	2.12	3.12	2.12	1.65	2	2.20
29	LV	2.08	+0.16	1.31	2.06	1.59	2.71	2.18	2.12	2.60
30	ATL	1.98	+0.23	1.81	1	1.24	2.47	1.82	3.35	2.20
31	JAX	1.90	+0.09	1.13	1.88	2.06	2.35	2	1.88	2
32	CAR	1.88	−0.05	1.81	2.29	2.06	1.59	1.88	1.76	1.75

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	3.50	3.24	2.35	2.76	2.35	2.82	2.20
MIN	1.44	3	2.24	2.53	2.82	2.88	3.40
LAR	3.31	2.94	2.24	2.41	2.24	2.76	1.60
CHI	2.19	2.88	1.18	1.76	2.35	2.06	2.40
SF	1.88	2.82	2.59	2.82	2.12	1.18	2.20
MIA	2.56	2.76	2.35	3.29	2.06	2.29	0.80
TB	3	2.76	2.59	2.76	2.71	2.18	1.20
NO	2.75	2.71	2.82	2	2.29	2.59	2
CLE	2.38	2.53	2	2.82	2.41	3.12	3.20
TEN	1.19	2.47	2.29	2.65	1.88	2.47	2
BUF	2.38	2.41	2.50	3.12	2.18	2.12	2.20
CIN	1.06	2.41	1.88	2.59	2.12	2	3.40
DAL	1.94	2.41	3.18	2.65	3	2	1
ARI	3	2.35	2.12	1.94	2.41	1.76	2.20
CAR	1.81	2.29	2.06	1.59	1.88	1.76	1.75
GB	2.56	2.24	2	2.65	2.65	2.12	2.80
WAS	2.88	2.18	2.53	2.24	2.53	2.47	1.80
DEN	2.63	2.12	2.12	2.47	3.71	4	2.60
NE	1.50	2.12	3.12	2.12	1.65	2	2.20
LV	1.31	2.06	1.59	2.71	2.18	2.12	2.60
LAC	1.69	2.06	2.35	2.82	2.65	2.65	2.20
NYG	2.50	2	2.35	2	2.65	2.24	1.60
BAL	2.44	1.94	2.82	3.41	3.12	1.76	2
IND	2.50	1.94	2.59	3	2.12	2.29	2
SEA	2.88	1.94	2.59	2.76	2.59	2.76	2.80
HOU	2.06	1.88	2.29	2.59	2.88	2.76	3.60
JAX	1.13	1.88	2.06	2.35	2	1.88	2
KC	2	1.82	3.24	3.35	2.29	1.94	0.75
NYJ	1.94	1.82	2.59	2.71	2.47	1.53	3.40
DET	1.50	1.76	2.29	2.41	2.18	2.82	4
PHI	3.06	1.71	4.06	2.53	2.41	2.47	1.20
ATL	1.81	1	1.24	2.47	1.82	3.35	2.20

Pass sacked (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Chiefs (3.25), 2019 Panthers (3.31), 2020 Steelers (3.50), 2021 Steelers (3.24).

Steelers have led this stat 2 of 4 seasons.

The best season on record is Steelers 2020 at 3.50; the worst Raiders 2018 at 0.81.

The league average has fallen from 2.48 in 2018 to 2.26 in 2021.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

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