What Pass yds per att (allowed) is

Yards per attempt allowed: opponent passing yards divided by opponent attempts — how much each throw against this defense gained, on average. The quickest read of pass defense, with the same blind spot as the offensive version: sacks are not attempts, so they are not credited here.

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

In 2019 the 49ers led at 5.19; the league average was 6.71.

League snapshot — 2019

League leader

SF · 5.19

League average

6.71

Best to worst

2.63

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	SF	5.19	16
2	NE	5.38	16
3	BUF	5.61	16
4	PIT	6.03	16
5	BAL	6.04	16
6	KC	6.05	16
7	MIN	6.18	16
8	CHI	6.18	16
9	DAL	6.25	16
10	NO	6.37	16
11	NYJ	6.41	16
12	LAR	6.44	16
13	TB	6.44	16
14	DEN	6.67	16
15	CAR	6.73	16
16	PHI	6.73	16
17	CLE	6.76	16
18	TEN	6.77	16
19	GB	6.79	16
20	LAC	6.89	16
21	SEA	6.99	16
22	IND	7.06	16
23	WAS	7.07	16
24	HOU	7.27	16
25	JAX	7.28	16
26	ATL	7.28	16
27	DET	7.42	16
28	ARI	7.49	16
29	NYG	7.60	16
30	MIA	7.66	16
31	LV	7.81	16
32	CIN	7.82	16

At a glance — 2019

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

SF · 5.19

League laggard

CIN · 7.82

League average

6.71

Spread (max − min)

2.63

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	SF	5.19	-1.52	100%
2	NE	5.38	-1.32	96.8%
3	BUF	5.61	-1.10	93.5%
4	PIT	6.03	-0.68	90.3%
5	BAL	6.04	-0.67	87.1%
6	KC	6.05	-0.66	83.9%
7	MIN	6.18	-0.53	80.6%
8	CHI	6.18	-0.53	77.4%
9	DAL	6.25	-0.46	74.2%
10	NO	6.37	-0.34	71%
11	NYJ	6.41	-0.30	67.7%
12	LAR	6.44	-0.27	64.5%
13	TB	6.44	-0.27	61.3%
14	DEN	6.67	-0.04	58.1%
15	CAR	6.73	0.02	54.8%
16	PHI	6.73	0.03	51.6%
17	CLE	6.76	0.06	48.4%
18	TEN	6.77	0.06	45.2%
19	GB	6.79	0.08	41.9%
20	LAC	6.89	0.18	38.7%
21	SEA	6.99	0.28	35.5%
22	IND	7.06	0.35	32.3%
23	WAS	7.07	0.36	29%
24	HOU	7.27	0.56	25.8%
25	JAX	7.28	0.57	22.6%
26	ATL	7.28	0.57	19.4%
27	DET	7.42	0.72	16.1%
28	ARI	7.49	0.78	12.9%
29	NYG	7.60	0.89	9.7%
30	MIA	7.66	0.95	6.5%
31	LV	7.81	1.10	3.2%
32	CIN	7.82	1.11	0%

Does Pass yds per att (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 819–759–37 ATS (51.9%) across 2020–2025, #175 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (154–100, 60.6%); its worst 2023 (120–138, 46.5%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	154–100–2	60.6%
2021	272	134–136–2	49.6%
2022	271	133–131–7	50.4%
2023	272	120–138–14	46.5%
2024	272	128–135–9	48.7%
2025	272	150–119–3	55.8%

Pass yds per att (allowed) in 2019 vs 2018

49ers lead at 5.19 — they ranked #13 last year. Bengals are last at 7.82 — #29 last year.

The league average is 6.71, down 0.14 from 6.85 last year.

Biggest riser: Saints, #28 → #10. Biggest faller: Cardinals, #6 → #28.

Spread between first and last: 2.63; 22 teams are within 0.67 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2019 vs 2018

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

ARI · +1.11

Biggest faller

SF · −1.66

Most consistent

SEA · +0.01

League trend 2019 vs 2018

▼ -0.14

Rank	Team	2019	2018	Δ
1	ARI	7.49	6.38	+1.11
2	JAX	7.28	6.21	+1.07
3	CHI	6.18	5.64	+0.54
4	NYG	7.60	7.17	+0.43
5	LAC	6.89	6.55	+0.34
6	CIN	7.82	7.51	+0.31
7	HOU	7.27	6.97	+0.30
8	BAL	6.04	5.78	+0.26
9	TEN	6.77	6.51	+0.25
10	ATL	7.28	7.04	+0.24
11	DET	7.42	7.18	+0.24
12	CLE	6.76	6.56	+0.21
13	WAS	7.07	7.03	+0.04
14	IND	7.06	7.02	+0.04
15	SEA	6.99	6.99	+0.01
16	MIN	6.18	6.19	−0.02
17	MIA	7.66	7.71	−0.05
18	PHI	6.73	6.85	−0.12
19	BUF	5.61	5.78	−0.17
20	LV	7.81	7.99	−0.19
21	GB	6.79	7.07	−0.28
22	PIT	6.03	6.49	−0.45
23	DEN	6.67	7.14	−0.47
24	CAR	6.73	7.23	−0.50
25	NYJ	6.41	6.95	−0.54
26	LAR	6.44	7.07	−0.63
27	DAL	6.25	6.92	−0.66
28	KC	6.05	6.83	−0.79
29	NO	6.37	7.43	−1.06
30	NE	5.38	6.51	−1.12
31	TB	6.44	7.76	−1.32
32	SF	5.19	6.85	−1.66

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

BUF · 6.12

Multi-year laggard

DET · 7.21

Biggest improver

MIN · −0.30/yr

Biggest decliner

ARI · +0.26/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	BUF	6.12	+0.11	6.44	5.19	5.99	6.01	6.60	5.69	6.91
2	CLE	6.18	−0.05	6.73	5.91	6.40	5.20	7.05	5.81	6.15
3	PHI	6.21	−0.08	7.15	6.33	5.46	6.55	5.40	5.91	6.67
4	SEA	6.22	−0.30	6.72	6.83	6.55	6.76	6.31	5.46	4.90
5	SF	6.22	−0.03	6.17	6.39	6.37	5.82	6.30	6.73	5.74
6	DEN	6.23	−0.13	6.69	6.46	5.89	6.91	6.16	5.35	6.13
7	LAR	6.27	−0.05	5.57	6.54	6.90	6.44	6.97	6.21	5.26
8	KC	6.32	−0.09	6.74	6.96	6.05	5.40	6.53	6.50	6.04
9	GB	6.36	−0.13	6.58	6.13	6.99	6.70	6.44	5.98	5.69
10	NO	6.36	+0.09	6.18	6.44	5.81	6.26	6.80	6.19	6.85
11	NE	6.36	−0.05	7.19	5.89	6.15	6.11	6.71	6.21	6.30
12	NYJ	6.40	−0.20	7.28	7.46	5.78	5.46	6.23	7.11	5.46
13	BAL	6.42	−0.00	5.90	7.56	6.63	5.09	6.57	6.69	6.46
14	TB	6.52	+0.14	6.36	5.96	6.02	6.86	6.57	7.08	6.78
15	NYG	6.54	+0.00	6.58	6.27	6.39	6.70	7.09	6.57	6.15
16	CAR	6.54	+0.04	6.51	6.26	6.63	6.04	7.17	6.84	6.32
17	LAC	6.58	−0.03	6.54	6.67	6.72	7.09	6.19	6.03	6.84
18	MIN	6.60	−0.30	7.58	6.80	7.25	6.58	6.40	6.01	5.55
19	PIT	6.61	+0.12	5.88	6.47	6.95	6.70	6.58	6.71	6.99
20	ATL	6.62	−0.21	7.48	6.78	7.00	6.26	6.58	6.38	5.89
21	LV	6.72	+0.02	7.20	6.21	6.94	6.39	6.51	6.46	7.34
22	HOU	6.75	−0.25	7.52	7.50	6.80	6.97	6.13	5.75	6.57
23	WAS	6.77	+0.13	5.78	7.20	6.31	7.42	6.39	7.61	6.71
24	MIA	6.80	+0.07	7.38	6.36	6.37	6.60	6.24	7.11	7.56
25	IND	6.89	+0.10	6.88	6.62	6.56	6.76	7.11	6.69	7.60
26	CIN	6.91	−0.01	7.09	6.69	6.53	7.58	6.61	7.39	6.51
27	ARI	6.94	+0.26	6.35	6.45	6.58	7.11	6.80	6.85	8.46
28	TEN	6.95	+0.10	6.98	6.59	6.91	6.75	6.35	7.59	7.46
29	DAL	6.98	+0.23	7.02	6.56	6.16	6.20	7.20	7.62	8.11
30	JAX	7.00	−0.12	7.92	7.12	6.68	6.58	7.49	5.79	7.44
31	CHI	7.21	+0.17	6.76	6.79	7.66	6.51	7.32	7.18	8.22
32	DET	7.21	−0.23	8.14	7.59	7.38	7.12	6.76	6.59	6.88

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
SEA	6.72	6.83	6.55	6.76	6.31	5.46	4.90
LAR	5.57	6.54	6.90	6.44	6.97	6.21	5.26
NYJ	7.28	7.46	5.78	5.46	6.23	7.11	5.46
MIN	7.58	6.80	7.25	6.58	6.40	6.01	5.55
GB	6.58	6.13	6.99	6.70	6.44	5.98	5.69
SF	6.17	6.39	6.37	5.82	6.30	6.73	5.74
ATL	7.48	6.78	7.00	6.26	6.58	6.38	5.89
KC	6.74	6.96	6.05	5.40	6.53	6.50	6.04
DEN	6.69	6.46	5.89	6.91	6.16	5.35	6.13
CLE	6.73	5.91	6.40	5.20	7.05	5.81	6.15
NYG	6.58	6.27	6.39	6.70	7.09	6.57	6.15
NE	7.19	5.89	6.15	6.11	6.71	6.21	6.30
CAR	6.51	6.26	6.63	6.04	7.17	6.84	6.32
BAL	5.90	7.56	6.63	5.09	6.57	6.69	6.46
CIN	7.09	6.69	6.53	7.58	6.61	7.39	6.51
HOU	7.52	7.50	6.80	6.97	6.13	5.75	6.57
PHI	7.15	6.33	5.46	6.55	5.40	5.91	6.67
WAS	5.78	7.20	6.31	7.42	6.39	7.61	6.71
TB	6.36	5.96	6.02	6.86	6.57	7.08	6.78
LAC	6.54	6.67	6.72	7.09	6.19	6.03	6.84
NO	6.18	6.44	5.81	6.26	6.80	6.19	6.85
DET	8.14	7.59	7.38	7.12	6.76	6.59	6.88
BUF	6.44	5.19	5.99	6.01	6.60	5.69	6.91
PIT	5.88	6.47	6.95	6.70	6.58	6.71	6.99
LV	7.20	6.21	6.94	6.39	6.51	6.46	7.34
JAX	7.92	7.12	6.68	6.58	7.49	5.79	7.44
TEN	6.98	6.59	6.91	6.75	6.35	7.59	7.46
MIA	7.38	6.36	6.37	6.60	6.24	7.11	7.56
IND	6.88	6.62	6.56	6.76	7.11	6.69	7.60
DAL	7.02	6.56	6.16	6.20	7.20	7.62	8.11
CHI	6.76	6.79	7.66	6.51	7.32	7.18	8.22
ARI	6.35	6.45	6.58	7.11	6.80	6.85	8.46

Pass yds per att (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (5.64), 2019 49ers (5.19).

The best season on record is 49ers 2019 at 5.19; the worst Raiders 2018 at 7.99.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2019.

About this stat

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