What Plays offense (allowed) is

Plays faced: the number of offensive plays opponents ran against this defense. A high count means long opponent drives or a fast opposing tempo; it is pace, not quality.

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 Bears led at 58.29; the league average was 62.76.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

CHI · 58.29

League average

62.76

Best to worst

11.71

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CHI	58.29	17
2	BUF	59.29	17
3	CAR	59.47	17
4	BAL	60.18	17
5	ARI	60.29	17
6	DEN	60.29	17
7	NE	60.35	17
8	SF	60.35	17
9	GB	60.59	17
10	TEN	61.06	17
11	CLE	61.59	17
12	IND	61.71	17
13	KC	61.94	17
14	JAX	62.06	17
15	WAS	62.06	17
16	NO	62.18	17
17	PHI	62.35	17
18	MIA	62.47	17
19	CIN	62.88	17
20	DET	63	17
21	DAL	63.24	17
22	HOU	63.94	17
23	TB	64.18	17
24	LV	64.35	17
25	LAC	64.47	17
26	ATL	65.12	17
27	PIT	65.18	17
28	LAR	65.35	17
29	NYG	66.24	17
30	NYJ	66.24	17
31	MIN	67.47	17
32	SEA	70	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CHI · 58.29

League laggard

SEA · 70

League average

62.76

Spread (max − min)

11.71

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CHI	58.29	-4.46	100%
2	BUF	59.29	-3.46	96.8%
3	CAR	59.47	-3.28	93.5%
4	BAL	60.18	-2.58	90.3%
5	ARI	60.29	-2.46	87.1%
6	DEN	60.29	-2.46	83.9%
7	NE	60.35	-2.40	80.6%
8	SF	60.35	-2.40	77.4%
9	GB	60.59	-2.17	74.2%
10	TEN	61.06	-1.70	71%
11	CLE	61.59	-1.17	67.7%
12	IND	61.71	-1.05	64.5%
13	KC	61.94	-0.81	61.3%
14	JAX	62.06	-0.70	58.1%
15	WAS	62.06	-0.70	54.8%
16	NO	62.18	-0.58	51.6%
17	PHI	62.35	-0.40	48.4%
18	MIA	62.47	-0.28	45.2%
19	CIN	62.88	0.13	41.9%
20	DET	63	0.24	38.7%
21	DAL	63.24	0.48	35.5%
22	HOU	63.94	1.19	32.3%
23	TB	64.18	1.42	29%
24	LV	64.35	1.60	25.8%
25	LAC	64.47	1.72	22.6%
26	ATL	65.12	2.36	19.4%
27	PIT	65.18	2.42	16.1%
28	LAR	65.35	2.60	12.9%
29	NYG	66.24	3.48	9.7%
30	NYJ	66.24	3.48	6.5%
31	MIN	67.47	4.72	3.2%
32	SEA	70	7.24	0%

Does Plays offense (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 812–766–37 ATS (51.5%) across 2020–2025, #205 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (147–107, 57.9%); its worst 2024 (116–147, 44.1%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	147–107–2	57.9%
2021	272	129–141–2	47.8%
2022	271	149–115–7	56.4%
2023	272	137–121–14	53.1%
2024	272	116–147–9	44.1%
2025	272	134–135–3	49.8%

Plays offense (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Bears lead at 58.29 — they ranked #12 last year. Seahawks are last at 70 — #32 last year.

The league average is 62.76, down 0.86 from 63.62 last year.

Biggest riser: Cardinals, #27 → #5. Biggest faller: Rams, #4 → #28.

Spread between first and last: 11.71; 23 teams are within 2.57 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

LAR · +4.10

Biggest faller

TEN · −6.13

Most consistent

LV · +0.04

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -0.86

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	LAR	65.35	61.25	+4.10
2	MIN	67.47	63.81	+3.66
3	PIT	65.18	61.94	+3.24
4	LAC	64.47	61.75	+2.72
5	ATL	65.12	63.75	+1.37
6	NYG	66.24	64.88	+1.36
7	MIA	62.47	61.44	+1.03
8	SEA	70	69.19	+0.81
9	TB	64.18	63.44	+0.74
10	NO	62.18	61.63	+0.55
11	IND	61.71	61.38	+0.33
12	WAS	62.06	61.81	+0.25
13	NYJ	66.24	66.06	+0.17
14	LV	64.35	64.31	+0.04
15	CIN	62.88	62.94	−0.06
16	NE	60.35	60.44	−0.08
17	GB	60.59	60.75	−0.16
18	SF	60.35	61.06	−0.71
19	KC	61.94	63.25	−1.31
20	HOU	63.94	65.75	−1.81
21	DAL	63.24	65.38	−2.14
22	PHI	62.35	64.81	−2.46
23	DET	63	65.56	−2.56
24	CLE	61.59	64.25	−2.66
25	JAX	62.06	65.06	−3.00
26	CAR	59.47	62.63	−3.15
27	BAL	60.18	63.44	−3.26
28	DEN	60.29	64.44	−4.14
29	CHI	58.29	62.63	−4.33
30	BUF	59.29	64.13	−4.83
31	ARI	60.29	65.44	−5.14
32	TEN	61.06	67.19	−6.13

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CHI · 58.83

Multi-year laggard

SEA · 65.05

Biggest improver

SEA · −1.62/yr

Biggest decliner

GB · +0.65/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CHI	58.83	−1.23	62.63	58.29	60.18	60.53	60.06	60.12	50
2	NE	60.45	−0.66	60.44	60.35	63.41	62.76	62.35	56.82	57
3	MIA	60.64	−0.70	61.44	62.47	62.76	61.24	58.82	59.76	58
4	SF	60.76	+0.22	61.06	60.35	59.82	60.82	59.88	59.94	63.40
5	LAC	60.83	−0.69	61.75	64.47	58.47	64.35	60.41	56.18	60.20
6	CLE	60.88	−0.30	64.25	61.59	60.29	58.29	59.47	58.47	63.80
7	GB	61.15	+0.65	60.75	60.59	57.53	61.88	60.41	62.12	64.80
8	TB	61.31	−1.28	63.44	64.18	62.47	63.29	61.94	58.24	55.60
9	KC	61.45	−0.48	63.25	61.94	63.76	60.76	59.94	57.47	63
10	ARI	61.62	−0.63	65.44	60.29	62.35	61.59	60.71	61.94	59
11	BUF	61.73	+0.36	64.13	59.29	62.13	59.24	61.47	55.88	70
12	PIT	61.89	−0.33	61.94	65.18	59.29	62.65	60.65	64.94	58.60
13	CIN	61.90	−0.40	62.94	62.88	61.69	61.71	63.24	60.88	60
14	DAL	61.91	−0.85	65.38	63.24	64.24	59	60.53	60.41	60.60
15	WAS	61.94	+0.31	61.81	62.06	57.82	65.24	60.41	63.06	63.20
16	LAR	62.02	−0.36	61.25	65.35	61.06	62.53	61.71	62.82	59.40
17	NO	62.19	−0.03	61.63	62.18	62.94	61.29	64.94	60.53	61.80
18	TEN	62.19	−0.97	67.19	61.06	64.24	64.06	58.71	58.29	61.80
19	CAR	62.31	+0.48	62.63	59.47	64.12	57.71	66.82	58.71	66.75
20	NYG	62.35	−1.24	64.88	66.24	62.59	63.65	60.76	60.71	57.60
21	BAL	62.51	+0.15	63.44	60.18	61.12	64.94	62.24	63.29	62.40
22	LV	62.57	−0.59	64.31	64.35	62.65	63.06	60.65	62	61
23	JAX	62.73	−0.74	65.06	62.06	64.76	62.41	65.24	60.59	59
24	MIN	62.75	−1.47	63.81	67.47	65.47	63.47	63.18	59.82	56
25	HOU	62.92	−0.94	65.75	63.94	65.53	63.53	61.53	57.76	62.40
26	DEN	62.99	+0.18	64.44	60.29	62.71	63.06	63.76	62.06	64.60
27	PHI	63.12	+0.02	64.81	62.35	62.47	64.76	58.71	62.71	66
28	IND	63.22	+0.15	61.38	61.71	63.59	66.06	64.65	64.76	60.40
29	ATL	63.35	−0.19	63.75	65.12	63.24	63.06	61.88	61.59	64.80
30	DET	63.40	+0.34	65.56	63	62.82	60.65	59.59	61.18	71
31	NYJ	63.61	−0.75	66.06	66.24	63.41	63.12	62.12	61.94	62.40
32	SEA	65.05	−1.62	69.19	70	64.82	66.76	62.12	62.47	60

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
CHI	62.63	58.29	60.18	60.53	60.06	60.12	50
BUF	64.13	59.29	62.13	59.24	61.47	55.88	70
CAR	62.63	59.47	64.12	57.71	66.82	58.71	66.75
BAL	63.44	60.18	61.12	64.94	62.24	63.29	62.40
ARI	65.44	60.29	62.35	61.59	60.71	61.94	59
DEN	64.44	60.29	62.71	63.06	63.76	62.06	64.60
NE	60.44	60.35	63.41	62.76	62.35	56.82	57
SF	61.06	60.35	59.82	60.82	59.88	59.94	63.40
GB	60.75	60.59	57.53	61.88	60.41	62.12	64.80
TEN	67.19	61.06	64.24	64.06	58.71	58.29	61.80
CLE	64.25	61.59	60.29	58.29	59.47	58.47	63.80
IND	61.38	61.71	63.59	66.06	64.65	64.76	60.40
KC	63.25	61.94	63.76	60.76	59.94	57.47	63
JAX	65.06	62.06	64.76	62.41	65.24	60.59	59
WAS	61.81	62.06	57.82	65.24	60.41	63.06	63.20
NO	61.63	62.18	62.94	61.29	64.94	60.53	61.80
PHI	64.81	62.35	62.47	64.76	58.71	62.71	66
MIA	61.44	62.47	62.76	61.24	58.82	59.76	58
CIN	62.94	62.88	61.69	61.71	63.24	60.88	60
DET	65.56	63	62.82	60.65	59.59	61.18	71
DAL	65.38	63.24	64.24	59	60.53	60.41	60.60
HOU	65.75	63.94	65.53	63.53	61.53	57.76	62.40
TB	63.44	64.18	62.47	63.29	61.94	58.24	55.60
LV	64.31	64.35	62.65	63.06	60.65	62	61
LAC	61.75	64.47	58.47	64.35	60.41	56.18	60.20
ATL	63.75	65.12	63.24	63.06	61.88	61.59	64.80
PIT	61.94	65.18	59.29	62.65	60.65	64.94	58.60
LAR	61.25	65.35	61.06	62.53	61.71	62.82	59.40
NYG	64.88	66.24	62.59	63.65	60.76	60.71	57.60
NYJ	66.06	66.24	63.41	63.12	62.12	61.94	62.40
MIN	63.81	67.47	65.47	63.47	63.18	59.82	56
SEA	69.19	70	64.82	66.76	62.12	62.47	60

Plays offense (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Lions (58.31), 2019 Chargers (57.06), 2020 Patriots (60.44), 2021 Bears (58.29).

The best season on record is Chargers 2019 at 57.06; the worst Seahawks 2021 at 70.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

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