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Defensive: Passing · Pass Yds (allowed)

DEF · PassingP + N
About this stat ↓

Showing the 2021 season. The most recent season with data for this stat is 2026.

What Pass Yds (allowed) is

Passing yards allowed: total yards opponents gained on completed passes against this defense. The headline number, and a volume number — a defense that plays with a lead sees more throws.

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

In 2021 the Bills led at 163; the league average was 228.3.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader
BUF · 163
League average
228.3
Best to worst
115.9

All 32 teams, lower is better.

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader
BUF · 163
League laggard
BAL · 278.9
League average
228.3
Spread (max − min)
115.9

Does Pass Yds (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 783–795–37 ATS (49.6%) across 2020–2025, #259 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (145–109, 57.1%); its worst 2024 (116–147, 44.1%).

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

SeasonGamesATS recordATS %
2020256145–109–257.1%
2021272128–142–247.4%
2022271132–132–750.0%
2023272123–135–1447.7%
2024272116–147–944.1%
2025272139–130–351.7%

Pass Yds (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Bills lead at 163 — they ranked #13 last year. Ravens are last at 278.9 — #6 last year.

The league average is 228.3, down 11.84 from 240.2 last year.

Biggest riser: Browns, #22 → #5. Biggest faller: Commanders, #2 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 115.9; 22 teams are within 24.31 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser
WAS · +63.13
Biggest faller
BUF · −69.88
Most consistent
SF · −1.47
League trend 2021 vs 2020
▼ -11.84

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader
CLE · 201.0
Multi-year laggard
DET · 254.5
Biggest improver
SEA · −19.47/yr
Biggest decliner
WAS · +5.83/yr

Multi-year heatmap

32 teams across 7 seasons. Cells colored by quintile within each season; click a column header to jump to that year.

Team2020202120222023202420252026
BUF232.9163214.6196.6226.1156.9280.4
NE222.3187.1216.5208.4211.5193.5205.4
CHI231.6191.6218.6237.8217.9227.2215.4
CAR239.1192.1227.5171.5224.7203.9230.8
CLE247.6202.3196.2164.7212.4167.2216.6
SF207.9206.5222.9214.2192.8232.4199.6
ARI226.4214.4230.3212.5216.1230.8236.8
DEN237.9214.8210.2233.6220.7187.2202.2
PIT194.4215.1222.3227.1228243.9220.8
GB221.2219.1197206.8215.2194.1181
PHI237.4220.9179.8252.7174.2189.8238.8
LAC223.6221.2200.4249.8206.9179.9193
LV263.3222.9242.9212.4216.2201236.4
NO217224.8184.4207.3238.5179.2212.2
NYG237.9225.8214229.3210.6214.2199.4
MIA251.5227.7234.8221.2210.7216.4219.2
JAX264.4227.9238.5239.8257.4218.1266.2
ATL293.6232.5231.9202.9224.5200.4248.4
IND241.6234.1209.9226229.4247.9254
DAL227.6238.2200.9187.4218.1251.5227
TB246.6238.9203.6248.9243.9238.2226.6
LAR190.7241.7226231.1223.1216.7156.8
HOU256.5242.2209.3234.1201183.5234
DET284.9244.7245.8247.4244217.4297.4
TEN277.4245.2274.8227.4177.3230.5217.8
CIN241.2248.4229.1248.4223.5233.8221.2
KC236.2251.4220.9176.5218.8195.8225
MIN258.8252.9265.6234.5242158.5173.2
WAS191.8254.9191.3262.2189.5242.5255
NYJ275.6259.4189.4168.3192.6216.1174.8
SEA285265.5211.5233211.9193.9150.8
BAL221278.9232.2191.9244.1247.9223.6

Pass Yds (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bills (179.2), 2019 49ers (169.2), 2020 Rams (190.7), 2021 Bills (163).

Bills have led this stat 2 of 4 seasons.

The best season on record is Bills 2021 at 163; the worst Falcons 2020 at 293.6.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat
Stat ID
def_passing_pass_yds
Side
defensive
Family
Passing
Data source
P + N
Polarity
lower is better
Display grain
count
Algorithm eligibility
Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.