What Points (allowed) is

Points allowed, team total — every opponent touchdown, field goal, extra point, two-point conversion and safety. The defensive half of the number that decides games.

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 17; the league average was 22.98.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

BUF · 17

League average

22.98

Best to worst

12.65

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	BUF	17	17
2	NE	17.82	17
3	DEN	18.94	17
4	NO	19.71	17
5	TB	20.76	17
6	TEN	20.82	17
7	DAL	21.06	17
8	KC	21.41	17
9	IND	21.47	17
10	SF	21.47	17
11	ARI	21.53	17
12	SEA	21.53	17
13	CLE	21.82	17
14	GB	21.82	17
15	LAR	21.88	17
16	MIA	21.94	17
17	CIN	22.12	17
18	PHI	22.65	17
19	BAL	23.06	17
20	PIT	23.41	17
21	CAR	23.76	17
22	CHI	23.94	17
23	NYG	24.47	17
24	MIN	25.06	17
25	WAS	25.53	17
26	LV	25.82	17
27	HOU	26.59	17
28	JAX	26.88	17
29	ATL	27	17
30	LAC	27	17
31	DET	27.47	17
32	NYJ	29.65	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

BUF · 17

League laggard

NYJ · 29.65

League average

22.98

Spread (max − min)

12.65

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	BUF	17	-5.98	100%
2	NE	17.82	-5.16	96.8%
3	DEN	18.94	-4.04	93.5%
4	NO	19.71	-3.28	90.3%
5	TB	20.76	-2.22	87.1%
6	TEN	20.82	-2.16	83.9%
7	DAL	21.06	-1.92	80.6%
8	KC	21.41	-1.57	77.4%
9	IND	21.47	-1.51	74.2%
10	SF	21.47	-1.51	71%
11	ARI	21.53	-1.45	67.7%
12	SEA	21.53	-1.45	64.5%
13	CLE	21.82	-1.16	61.3%
14	GB	21.82	-1.16	58.1%
15	LAR	21.88	-1.10	54.8%
16	MIA	21.94	-1.04	51.6%
17	CIN	22.12	-0.86	48.4%
18	PHI	22.65	-0.33	45.2%
19	BAL	23.06	0.08	41.9%
20	PIT	23.41	0.43	38.7%
21	CAR	23.76	0.78	35.5%
22	CHI	23.94	0.96	32.3%
23	NYG	24.47	1.49	29%
24	MIN	25.06	2.08	25.8%
25	WAS	25.53	2.55	22.6%
26	LV	25.82	2.84	19.4%
27	HOU	26.59	3.61	16.1%
28	JAX	26.88	3.90	12.9%
29	ATL	27	4.02	9.7%
30	LAC	27	4.02	6.5%
31	DET	27.47	4.49	3.2%
32	NYJ	29.65	6.67	0%

Does Points (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 912–666–37 ATS (57.8%) across 2020–2025, #19 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (159–95, 62.6%); its worst 2021 (145–125, 53.7%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	159–95–2	62.6%
2021	272	145–125–2	53.7%
2022	271	159–105–7	60.2%
2023	272	148–110–14	57.4%
2024	272	155–108–9	58.9%
2025	272	146–123–3	54.3%

Points (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Bills lead at 17 — they ranked #16 last year. Jets are last at 29.65 — #26 last year.

The league average is 22.98, down 1.81 from 24.79 last year.

Biggest riser: Broncos, #25 → #3. Biggest faller: Commanders, #4 → #25.

Spread between first and last: 12.65; 22 teams are within 2.89 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

WAS · +4.97

Biggest faller

DEN · −8.93

Most consistent

LAC · +0.38

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -1.81

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	WAS	25.53	20.56	+4.97
2	BAL	23.06	18.94	+4.12
3	PIT	23.41	19.50	+3.91
4	LAR	21.88	18.50	+3.38
5	NYG	24.47	22.31	+2.16
6	ATL	27	25.88	+1.13
7	NYJ	29.65	28.56	+1.08
8	CHI	23.94	23.13	+0.82
9	MIA	21.94	21.13	+0.82
10	LAC	27	26.63	+0.38
11	IND	21.47	22.63	−1.15
12	KC	21.41	22.63	−1.21
13	GB	21.82	23.06	−1.24
14	NO	19.71	21.06	−1.36
15	CAR	23.76	25.13	−1.36
16	ARI	21.53	22.94	−1.41
17	TB	20.76	22.19	−1.42
18	SEA	21.53	23.19	−1.66
19	HOU	26.59	29	−2.41
20	SF	21.47	24.38	−2.90
21	PHI	22.65	26.13	−3.48
22	JAX	26.88	30.75	−3.87
23	LV	25.82	29.88	−4.05
24	NE	17.82	22.06	−4.24
25	CLE	21.82	26.19	−4.36
26	CIN	22.12	26.50	−4.38
27	MIN	25.06	29.69	−4.63
28	DET	27.47	32.44	−4.97
29	BUF	17	23.44	−6.44
30	TEN	20.82	27.44	−6.61
31	DAL	21.06	29.56	−8.50
32	DEN	18.94	27.88	−8.93

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

KC · 20.11

Multi-year laggard

DET · 26.04

Biggest improver

MIN · −2.40/yr

Biggest decliner

ARI · +1.38/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	KC	20.11	−0.60	22.63	21.41	21.71	17.29	19.18	19.29	19.25
2	NE	20.57	−0.13	22.06	17.82	20.41	21.53	24.53	18.82	18.80
3	BAL	20.78	+0.64	18.94	23.06	18.53	16.47	21.24	23.41	23.80
4	SF	20.82	−0.26	24.38	21.47	16.29	17.53	25.65	21.82	18.60
5	PIT	21.04	+0.20	19.50	23.41	20.35	19.06	20.41	22.76	21.80
6	BUF	21.13	+0.96	23.44	17	17.88	18.29	21.65	21.47	28.20
7	GB	21.54	−0.19	23.06	21.82	21.82	20.59	19.88	21.18	22.40
8	DEN	21.57	−0.76	27.88	18.94	21.12	24.29	18.29	18.29	22.20
9	SEA	21.68	−0.61	23.19	21.53	23.59	23.65	21.65	17.18	21
10	LAR	21.74	+0.48	18.50	21.88	22.59	22.18	22.71	20.35	24
11	TB	21.76	+0.32	22.19	20.76	21.06	19.12	22.65	24.18	22.40
12	MIN	21.87	−2.40	29.69	25.06	25.12	21.29	19.53	19.59	12.80
13	PHI	21.93	−0.74	26.13	22.65	20.24	25.18	17.82	19.12	22.40
14	NO	22.35	+1.29	21.06	19.71	20.29	19.24	23.41	22.53	30.20
15	JAX	22.77	−2.12	30.75	26.88	20.59	21.82	25.59	19.76	14
16	CHI	23.14	−0.58	23.13	23.94	27.24	22.29	21.76	24.41	19.20
17	CLE	23.14	−0.26	26.19	21.82	22.41	21.29	25.59	22.29	22.40
18	MIA	23.18	+0.71	21.13	21.94	23.47	23	21.41	24.94	26.40
19	HOU	23.24	−1.47	29	26.59	24.71	20.76	21.88	17.35	22.40
20	LAC	23.30	−0.76	26.63	27	22.59	23.41	17.71	20	25.80
21	NYG	23.43	+0.07	22.31	24.47	21.82	23.94	24.41	25.82	21.20
22	CIN	23.94	+0.18	26.50	22.12	20.13	22.59	25.53	28.94	21.80
23	TEN	23.99	+0.13	27.44	20.82	21.12	21.59	27.06	28.12	21.80
24	NYJ	24.32	−0.82	28.56	29.65	18.59	20.88	23.76	29.59	19.20
25	ATL	24.34	−0.32	25.88	27	22.71	21.94	24.88	23.59	24.40
26	IND	24.37	+0.73	22.63	21.47	25.12	24.41	25.12	24.24	27.60
27	DAL	24.87	+0.65	29.56	21.06	20.12	18.53	27.53	30.06	27.20
28	WAS	25.15	+1.16	20.56	25.53	20.18	30.47	23	26.53	29.80
29	CAR	25.20	+0.46	25.13	23.76	22	24.47	31.41	22.35	27.25
30	LV	25.21	−0.43	29.88	25.82	24.59	19.47	25.53	25.41	25.80
31	ARI	25.86	+1.38	22.94	21.53	26.41	26.76	22.29	28.71	32.40
32	DET	26.04	−0.71	32.44	27.47	25.12	23.24	20.12	24.29	29.60

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
BUF	23.44	17	17.88	18.29	21.65	21.47	28.20
NE	22.06	17.82	20.41	21.53	24.53	18.82	18.80
DEN	27.88	18.94	21.12	24.29	18.29	18.29	22.20
NO	21.06	19.71	20.29	19.24	23.41	22.53	30.20
TB	22.19	20.76	21.06	19.12	22.65	24.18	22.40
TEN	27.44	20.82	21.12	21.59	27.06	28.12	21.80
DAL	29.56	21.06	20.12	18.53	27.53	30.06	27.20
KC	22.63	21.41	21.71	17.29	19.18	19.29	19.25
IND	22.63	21.47	25.12	24.41	25.12	24.24	27.60
SF	24.38	21.47	16.29	17.53	25.65	21.82	18.60
ARI	22.94	21.53	26.41	26.76	22.29	28.71	32.40
SEA	23.19	21.53	23.59	23.65	21.65	17.18	21
CLE	26.19	21.82	22.41	21.29	25.59	22.29	22.40
GB	23.06	21.82	21.82	20.59	19.88	21.18	22.40
LAR	18.50	21.88	22.59	22.18	22.71	20.35	24
MIA	21.13	21.94	23.47	23	21.41	24.94	26.40
CIN	26.50	22.12	20.13	22.59	25.53	28.94	21.80
PHI	26.13	22.65	20.24	25.18	17.82	19.12	22.40
BAL	18.94	23.06	18.53	16.47	21.24	23.41	23.80
PIT	19.50	23.41	20.35	19.06	20.41	22.76	21.80
CAR	25.13	23.76	22	24.47	31.41	22.35	27.25
CHI	23.13	23.94	27.24	22.29	21.76	24.41	19.20
NYG	22.31	24.47	21.82	23.94	24.41	25.82	21.20
MIN	29.69	25.06	25.12	21.29	19.53	19.59	12.80
WAS	20.56	25.53	20.18	30.47	23	26.53	29.80
LV	29.88	25.82	24.59	19.47	25.53	25.41	25.80
HOU	29	26.59	24.71	20.76	21.88	17.35	22.40
JAX	30.75	26.88	20.59	21.82	25.59	19.76	14
ATL	25.88	27	22.71	21.94	24.88	23.59	24.40
LAC	26.63	27	22.59	23.41	17.71	20	25.80
DET	32.44	27.47	25.12	23.24	20.12	24.29	29.60
NYJ	28.56	29.65	18.59	20.88	23.76	29.59	19.20

Points (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (17.69), 2019 Patriots (14.06), 2020 Rams (18.50), 2021 Bills (17).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 14.06; the worst Lions 2020 at 32.44.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

Related stats

About this stat

Stat ID: def_team_stats_points
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.