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 2023 the Panthers led at 57.71; the league average was 62.42.

League snapshot — 2023

League leader

CAR · 57.71

League average

62.42

Best to worst

9.06

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CAR	57.71	17
2	CLE	58.29	17
3	DAL	59	17
4	BUF	59.24	17
5	CHI	60.53	17
6	DET	60.65	17
7	KC	60.76	17
8	SF	60.82	17
9	MIA	61.24	17
10	NO	61.29	17
11	ARI	61.59	17
12	CIN	61.71	17
13	GB	61.88	17
14	JAX	62.41	17
15	LAR	62.53	17
16	PIT	62.65	17
17	NE	62.76	17
18	ATL	63.06	17
19	DEN	63.06	17
20	LV	63.06	17
21	NYJ	63.12	17
22	TB	63.29	17
23	MIN	63.47	17
24	HOU	63.53	17
25	NYG	63.65	17
26	TEN	64.06	17
27	LAC	64.35	17
28	PHI	64.76	17
29	BAL	64.94	17
30	WAS	65.24	17
31	IND	66.06	17
32	SEA	66.76	17

At a glance — 2023

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CAR · 57.71

League laggard

SEA · 66.76

League average

62.42

Spread (max − min)

9.06

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CAR	57.71	-4.72	100%
2	CLE	58.29	-4.13	96.8%
3	DAL	59	-3.42	93.5%
4	BUF	59.24	-3.19	90.3%
5	CHI	60.53	-1.89	87.1%
6	DET	60.65	-1.77	83.9%
7	KC	60.76	-1.66	80.6%
8	SF	60.82	-1.60	77.4%
9	MIA	61.24	-1.19	74.2%
10	NO	61.29	-1.13	71%
11	ARI	61.59	-0.83	67.7%
12	CIN	61.71	-0.72	64.5%
13	GB	61.88	-0.54	61.3%
14	JAX	62.41	-0.01	58.1%
15	LAR	62.53	0.11	54.8%
16	PIT	62.65	0.23	51.6%
17	NE	62.76	0.34	48.4%
18	ATL	63.06	0.64	45.2%
19	DEN	63.06	0.64	41.9%
20	LV	63.06	0.64	38.7%
21	NYJ	63.12	0.70	35.5%
22	TB	63.29	0.87	32.3%
23	MIN	63.47	1.05	29%
24	HOU	63.53	1.11	25.8%
25	NYG	63.65	1.23	22.6%
26	TEN	64.06	1.64	19.4%
27	LAC	64.35	1.93	16.1%
28	PHI	64.76	2.34	12.9%
29	BAL	64.94	2.52	9.7%
30	WAS	65.24	2.81	6.5%
31	IND	66.06	3.64	3.2%
32	SEA	66.76	4.34	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 2023 vs 2022

Panthers lead at 57.71 — they ranked #26 last year. Seahawks are last at 66.76 — #30 last year.

The league average is 62.42, up 0.12 from 62.30 last year.

Biggest riser: Panthers, #26 → #1. Biggest faller: Commanders, #2 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 9.06; 23 teams are within 2.11 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2023 vs 2022

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

WAS · +7.41

Biggest faller

CAR · −6.41

Most consistent

CIN · +0.02

League trend 2023 vs 2022

▲ 0.12

Rank	Team	2023	2022	Δ
1	WAS	65.24	57.82	+7.41
2	LAC	64.35	58.47	+5.88
3	GB	61.88	57.53	+4.35
4	BAL	64.94	61.12	+3.82
5	PIT	62.65	59.29	+3.35
6	IND	66.06	63.59	+2.47
7	PHI	64.76	62.47	+2.29
8	SEA	66.76	64.82	+1.94
9	LAR	62.53	61.06	+1.47
10	NYG	63.65	62.59	+1.06
11	SF	60.82	59.82	+1
12	TB	63.29	62.47	+0.82
13	LV	63.06	62.65	+0.41
14	DEN	63.06	62.71	+0.35
15	CHI	60.53	60.18	+0.35
16	CIN	61.71	61.69	+0.02
17	ATL	63.06	63.24	−0.18
18	TEN	64.06	64.24	−0.18
19	NYJ	63.12	63.41	−0.29
20	NE	62.76	63.41	−0.65
21	ARI	61.59	62.35	−0.76
22	MIA	61.24	62.76	−1.53
23	NO	61.29	62.94	−1.65
24	CLE	58.29	60.29	−2
25	HOU	63.53	65.53	−2
26	MIN	63.47	65.47	−2
27	DET	60.65	62.82	−2.18
28	JAX	62.41	64.76	−2.35
29	BUF	59.24	62.13	−2.89
30	KC	60.76	63.76	−3
31	DAL	59	64.24	−5.24
32	CAR	57.71	64.12	−6.41

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
CAR	62.63	59.47	64.12	57.71	66.82	58.71	66.75
CLE	64.25	61.59	60.29	58.29	59.47	58.47	63.80
DAL	65.38	63.24	64.24	59	60.53	60.41	60.60
BUF	64.13	59.29	62.13	59.24	61.47	55.88	70
CHI	62.63	58.29	60.18	60.53	60.06	60.12	50
DET	65.56	63	62.82	60.65	59.59	61.18	71
KC	63.25	61.94	63.76	60.76	59.94	57.47	63
SF	61.06	60.35	59.82	60.82	59.88	59.94	63.40
MIA	61.44	62.47	62.76	61.24	58.82	59.76	58
NO	61.63	62.18	62.94	61.29	64.94	60.53	61.80
ARI	65.44	60.29	62.35	61.59	60.71	61.94	59
CIN	62.94	62.88	61.69	61.71	63.24	60.88	60
GB	60.75	60.59	57.53	61.88	60.41	62.12	64.80
JAX	65.06	62.06	64.76	62.41	65.24	60.59	59
LAR	61.25	65.35	61.06	62.53	61.71	62.82	59.40
PIT	61.94	65.18	59.29	62.65	60.65	64.94	58.60
NE	60.44	60.35	63.41	62.76	62.35	56.82	57
ATL	63.75	65.12	63.24	63.06	61.88	61.59	64.80
DEN	64.44	60.29	62.71	63.06	63.76	62.06	64.60
LV	64.31	64.35	62.65	63.06	60.65	62	61
NYJ	66.06	66.24	63.41	63.12	62.12	61.94	62.40
TB	63.44	64.18	62.47	63.29	61.94	58.24	55.60
MIN	63.81	67.47	65.47	63.47	63.18	59.82	56
HOU	65.75	63.94	65.53	63.53	61.53	57.76	62.40
NYG	64.88	66.24	62.59	63.65	60.76	60.71	57.60
TEN	67.19	61.06	64.24	64.06	58.71	58.29	61.80
LAC	61.75	64.47	58.47	64.35	60.41	56.18	60.20
PHI	64.81	62.35	62.47	64.76	58.71	62.71	66
BAL	63.44	60.18	61.12	64.94	62.24	63.29	62.40
WAS	61.81	62.06	57.82	65.24	60.41	63.06	63.20
IND	61.38	61.71	63.59	66.06	64.65	64.76	60.40
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), 2022 Packers (57.53), 2023 Panthers (57.71).

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

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2023.

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.