What Start avg (Off − Def) is

The offense's average starting field position minus the opponents' — both in yards from the goal line being attacked. Lower is better: it means this team started closer to scoring than its opponents did. The field-position battle in one number.

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

In 2021 the Texans led at -103.74; the league average was 0.00.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

HOU · -103.74

League average

0.00

Best to worst

182.83

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	HOU	-103.74	17
2	DET	-99.89	17
3	ATL	-81.00	17
4	JAX	-78.29	17
5	NYJ	-67.06	17
6	SEA	-49.25	17
7	CHI	-35.74	17
8	LV	-32.75	17
9	CLE	-24.66	17
10	NO	-22.96	17
11	WAS	-19.20	17
12	MIA	-18.33	17
13	DEN	-14.37	17
14	IND	-9.29	17
15	MIN	-4.55	17
16	NYG	-2.55	17
17	DAL	2.04	17
18	TEN	14.79	17
19	PIT	15.24	17
20	PHI	23.07	17
21	LAC	26.72	17
22	GB	27.40	17
23	KC	33.83	17
24	CIN	37.06	17
25	CAR	37.10	17
26	BAL	48.68	17
27	TB	49.34	17
28	NE	51.39	17
29	ARI	69.92	17
30	LAR	70.87	17
31	BUF	77.09	17
32	SF	79.09	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

HOU · -103.74

League laggard

SF · 79.09

League average

0.00

Spread (max − min)

182.83

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	HOU	-103.74	-103.74	100%
2	DET	-99.89	-99.89	96.8%
3	ATL	-81.00	-81.00	93.5%
4	JAX	-78.29	-78.29	90.3%
5	NYJ	-67.06	-67.06	87.1%
6	SEA	-49.25	-49.25	83.9%
7	CHI	-35.74	-35.74	80.6%
8	LV	-32.75	-32.75	77.4%
9	CLE	-24.66	-24.66	74.2%
10	NO	-22.96	-22.96	71%
11	WAS	-19.20	-19.20	67.7%
12	MIA	-18.33	-18.33	64.5%
13	DEN	-14.37	-14.37	61.3%
14	IND	-9.29	-9.29	58.1%
15	MIN	-4.55	-4.55	54.8%
16	NYG	-2.55	-2.55	51.6%
17	DAL	2.04	2.04	48.4%
18	TEN	14.79	14.79	45.2%
19	PIT	15.24	15.24	41.9%
20	PHI	23.07	23.07	38.7%
21	LAC	26.72	26.72	35.5%
22	GB	27.40	27.40	32.3%
23	KC	33.83	33.83	29%
24	CIN	37.06	37.06	25.8%
25	CAR	37.10	37.10	22.6%
26	BAL	48.68	48.68	19.4%
27	TB	49.34	49.34	16.1%
28	NE	51.39	51.39	12.9%
29	ARI	69.92	69.92	9.7%
30	LAR	70.87	70.87	6.5%
31	BUF	77.09	77.09	3.2%
32	SF	79.09	79.09	0%

Does Start avg (Off − Def) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 858–720–37 ATS (54.4%) across 2020–2025, #85 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2025 (162–107, 60.2%); its worst 2023 (123–135, 47.7%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	136–118–2	53.5%
2021	272	147–123–2	54.4%
2022	271	149–115–7	56.4%
2023	272	123–135–14	47.7%
2024	272	141–122–9	53.6%
2025	272	162–107–3	60.2%

Start avg (Off − Def) in 2021 vs 2020

Texans lead at -103.74 — they ranked #8 last year. 49ers are last at 79.09 — #19 last year.

The league average is 0.00, the same as last year.

Biggest riser: Falcons, #24 → #3. Biggest faller: Patriots, #1 → #28.

Spread between first and last: 182.83; 22 teams are within 50.24 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NE · +132.44

Biggest faller

ATL · −111.28

Most consistent

DEN · −2.29

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ 0.00

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	NE	51.39	-81.05	+132.44
2	CIN	37.06	-35.09	+72.15
3	SF	79.09	9.85	+69.24
4	PHI	23.07	-30.29	+53.36
5	CAR	37.10	-5.87	+42.97
6	NYG	-2.55	-44.28	+41.73
7	ARI	69.92	34.88	+35.04
8	TEN	14.79	-12.34	+27.13
9	BAL	48.68	25.35	+23.33
10	BUF	77.09	56.93	+20.16
11	TB	49.34	33.91	+15.43
12	LAR	70.87	63.34	+7.53
13	PIT	15.24	8.39	+6.85
14	KC	33.83	29.94	+3.89
15	DEN	-14.37	-12.08	−2.29
16	SEA	-49.25	-44.16	−5.09
17	IND	-9.29	0.62	−9.91
18	NYJ	-67.06	-56.31	−10.75
19	CHI	-35.74	-23.30	−12.44
20	JAX	-78.29	-64.19	−14.10
21	WAS	-19.20	-2.95	−16.25
22	DET	-99.89	-80.55	−19.34
23	LAC	26.72	50.47	−23.75
24	NO	-22.96	1.70	−24.66
25	LV	-32.75	-6.12	−26.63
26	DAL	2.04	32.93	−30.89
27	MIA	-18.33	22.13	−40.46
28	CLE	-24.66	19.53	−44.19
29	MIN	-4.55	40.49	−45.04
30	GB	27.40	72.77	−45.37
31	HOU	-103.74	-34.93	−68.81
32	ATL	-81.00	30.28	−111.28

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

NYJ · -44.42

Multi-year laggard

BUF · 44.42

Biggest improver

ARI · −15.14/yr

Biggest decliner

SEA · +18.99/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	NYJ	-44.42	+0.69	-56.31	-67.06	3.99	-54.27	-13.41	-105.29	-18.57
2	NYG	-36.52	−1.59	-44.28	-2.55	-6.58	-79.25	-68.12	-43.73	-11.11
3	JAX	-35.44	+13.21	-64.19	-78.29	-35.66	-22.18	-62.70	-2.78	17.75
4	TEN	-30.61	−7.73	-12.34	14.79	-27.88	-62.36	-26.63	-74.49	-25.36
5	HOU	-27.08	+11.48	-34.93	-103.74	-41.50	35.15	-63.35	25.57	-6.73
6	DET	-22.29	+17.84	-80.55	-99.89	-17.84	-22.44	77.79	-1.68	-11.43
7	NO	-22.28	−0.46	1.70	-22.96	-20.38	-19.30	-105.13	-0.90	10.99
8	CHI	-21.71	+6.05	-23.30	-35.74	-60.64	27.87	-62.70	-22.31	24.86
9	LV	-17.11	−0.77	-6.12	-32.75	26.01	-77.81	3.68	-15.40	-17.41
10	CAR	-14.89	−9.82	-5.87	37.10	13.50	-3.99	-94.98	-40.04	-9.93
11	DEN	-14.24	+1.66	-12.08	-14.37	-4.78	-59.69	-15.96	28.96	-21.77
12	WAS	-13.69	−5.43	-2.95	-19.20	25.96	-29.10	28.25	-94.81	-3.98
13	CIN	-11.10	−4.40	-35.09	37.06	16.02	-32.07	-15.18	-22.02	-26.40
14	ATL	-9.32	+6.94	30.28	-81.00	-36.49	-14.44	14.20	-6.04	28.22
15	NE	-4.24	+9.05	-81.05	51.39	-26.72	13.49	-43.77	40.78	16.19
16	PIT	-2.26	−5.90	8.39	15.24	2.71	11.83	-4.68	-45.82	-3.52
17	CLE	-1.19	−0.71	19.53	-24.66	-30.24	70.55	-45.13	0.61	1.04
18	SEA	0.36	+18.99	-44.16	-49.25	2.52	-49.10	6.10	112.10	24.30
19	IND	5.01	+8.02	0.62	-9.29	-25.17	-23.69	19.93	55.21	17.45
20	ARI	9.16	−15.14	34.88	69.92	-1.93	33.16	27.12	-88.75	-10.29
21	MIA	10.39	−3.82	22.13	-18.33	27.13	34.02	53.64	-33.78	-12.08
22	GB	12.25	−7.92	72.77	27.40	-36.77	-19.98	34.58	43.30	-35.53
23	MIN	18.11	+3.85	40.49	-4.55	-43.90	32.87	50.59	28.08	23.20
24	DAL	20.70	−6.03	32.93	2.04	60.95	61.88	-16.60	-0.43	4.16
25	TB	23.82	−5.70	33.91	49.34	24.19	-15.81	89.60	-18.95	4.45
26	LAC	27.17	+2.19	50.47	26.72	-50.55	45.22	52.43	34.44	31.47
27	KC	27.87	−4.88	29.94	33.83	26.61	65.85	25.41	18.40	-4.94
28	PHI	28.44	+0.90	-30.29	23.07	103.94	13.40	71.74	38.95	-21.72
29	BAL	31.14	−5.50	25.35	48.68	22.94	44.59	91.54	3.86	-19.01
30	SF	33.42	−0.86	9.85	79.09	22.23	20.35	32.46	56.36	13.57
31	LAR	36.12	−5.73	63.34	70.87	17.68	42.72	-41.77	69.40	30.62
32	BUF	44.42	−8.49	56.93	77.09	70.65	32.53	1.05	61.20	11.51

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
HOU	-34.93	-103.74	-41.50	35.15	-63.35	25.57	-6.73
DET	-80.55	-99.89	-17.84	-22.44	77.79	-1.68	-11.43
ATL	30.28	-81.00	-36.49	-14.44	14.20	-6.04	28.22
JAX	-64.19	-78.29	-35.66	-22.18	-62.70	-2.78	17.75
NYJ	-56.31	-67.06	3.99	-54.27	-13.41	-105.29	-18.57
SEA	-44.16	-49.25	2.52	-49.10	6.10	112.10	24.30
CHI	-23.30	-35.74	-60.64	27.87	-62.70	-22.31	24.86
LV	-6.12	-32.75	26.01	-77.81	3.68	-15.40	-17.41
CLE	19.53	-24.66	-30.24	70.55	-45.13	0.61	1.04
NO	1.70	-22.96	-20.38	-19.30	-105.13	-0.90	10.99
WAS	-2.95	-19.20	25.96	-29.10	28.25	-94.81	-3.98
MIA	22.13	-18.33	27.13	34.02	53.64	-33.78	-12.08
DEN	-12.08	-14.37	-4.78	-59.69	-15.96	28.96	-21.77
IND	0.62	-9.29	-25.17	-23.69	19.93	55.21	17.45
MIN	40.49	-4.55	-43.90	32.87	50.59	28.08	23.20
NYG	-44.28	-2.55	-6.58	-79.25	-68.12	-43.73	-11.11
DAL	32.93	2.04	60.95	61.88	-16.60	-0.43	4.16
TEN	-12.34	14.79	-27.88	-62.36	-26.63	-74.49	-25.36
PIT	8.39	15.24	2.71	11.83	-4.68	-45.82	-3.52
PHI	-30.29	23.07	103.94	13.40	71.74	38.95	-21.72
LAC	50.47	26.72	-50.55	45.22	52.43	34.44	31.47
GB	72.77	27.40	-36.77	-19.98	34.58	43.30	-35.53
KC	29.94	33.83	26.61	65.85	25.41	18.40	-4.94
CIN	-35.09	37.06	16.02	-32.07	-15.18	-22.02	-26.40
CAR	-5.87	37.10	13.50	-3.99	-94.98	-40.04	-9.93
BAL	25.35	48.68	22.94	44.59	91.54	3.86	-19.01
TB	33.91	49.34	24.19	-15.81	89.60	-18.95	4.45
NE	-81.05	51.39	-26.72	13.49	-43.77	40.78	16.19
ARI	34.88	69.92	-1.93	33.16	27.12	-88.75	-10.29
LAR	63.34	70.87	17.68	42.72	-41.77	69.40	30.62
BUF	56.93	77.09	70.65	32.53	1.05	61.20	11.51
SF	9.85	79.09	22.23	20.35	32.46	56.36	13.57

Start avg (Off − Def) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Dolphins (-88.76), 2019 Dolphins (-80.77), 2020 Patriots (-81.05), 2021 Texans (-103.74).

Dolphins have led this stat 2 of 4 seasons.

The best season on record is Texans 2021 at -103.74; the worst Cowboys 2019 at 99.14.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

Stat ID: net_start_avg
Side: net
Family: NET (Off − Def)
Data source: P + N
Polarity: lower is better
Display grain: rate
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.