What Plays per drive is

Plays per drive: offensive plays divided by drives. Long, sustained possessions show up here before they show up on the scoreboard.

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

In 2023 the Cowboys led at 6.42; the league average was 5.63.

League snapshot — 2023

League leader

DAL · 6.42

League average

5.63

Best to worst

1.44

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	DAL	6.42	17
2	PHI	6.17	17
3	CAR	6.08	17
4	BUF	6.04	17
5	GB	5.98	17
6	DET	5.94	17
7	MIN	5.94	17
8	ARI	5.92	17
9	LAR	5.90	17
10	KC	5.89	17
11	CHI	5.89	17
12	LAC	5.74	17
13	JAX	5.65	17
14	NO	5.62	17
15	TB	5.62	17
16	HOU	5.59	17
17	MIA	5.57	17
18	LV	5.57	17
19	SF	5.56	17
20	IND	5.52	17
21	ATL	5.50	17
22	SEA	5.50	17
23	CIN	5.49	17
24	TEN	5.44	17
25	BAL	5.37	17
26	WAS	5.33	17
27	DEN	5.27	17
28	CLE	5.27	17
29	NYG	5.25	17
30	PIT	5.20	17
31	NYJ	5.00	17
32	NE	4.98	17

At a glance — 2023

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DAL · 6.42

League laggard

NE · 4.98

League average

5.63

Spread (max − min)

1.44

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DAL	6.42	0.79	100%
2	PHI	6.17	0.54	96.8%
3	CAR	6.08	0.45	93.5%
4	BUF	6.04	0.41	90.3%
5	GB	5.98	0.35	87.1%
6	DET	5.94	0.31	83.9%
7	MIN	5.94	0.31	80.6%
8	ARI	5.92	0.29	77.4%
9	LAR	5.90	0.27	74.2%
10	KC	5.89	0.26	71%
11	CHI	5.89	0.26	67.7%
12	LAC	5.74	0.11	64.5%
13	JAX	5.65	0.02	61.3%
14	NO	5.62	-0.01	58.1%
15	TB	5.62	-0.01	54.8%
16	HOU	5.59	-0.05	51.6%
17	MIA	5.57	-0.06	48.4%
18	LV	5.57	-0.06	45.2%
19	SF	5.56	-0.07	41.9%
20	IND	5.52	-0.11	38.7%
21	ATL	5.50	-0.13	35.5%
22	SEA	5.50	-0.13	32.3%
23	CIN	5.49	-0.14	29%
24	TEN	5.44	-0.19	25.8%
25	BAL	5.37	-0.26	22.6%
26	WAS	5.33	-0.30	19.4%
27	DEN	5.27	-0.36	16.1%
28	CLE	5.27	-0.36	12.9%
29	NYG	5.25	-0.39	9.7%
30	PIT	5.20	-0.43	6.5%
31	NYJ	5.00	-0.64	3.2%
32	NE	4.98	-0.65	0%

Does Plays per drive matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 815–763–37 ATS (51.6%) across 2020–2025, #196 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2022 (152–112, 57.6%); its worst 2021 (131–139, 48.5%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	128–126–2	50.4%
2021	272	131–139–2	48.5%
2022	271	152–112–7	57.6%
2023	272	134–124–14	51.9%
2024	272	128–135–9	48.7%
2025	272	142–127–3	52.8%

Plays per drive in 2023 vs 2022

Cowboys lead at 6.42 — they ranked #18 last year. Patriots are last at 4.98 — #29 last year.

The league average is 5.63, down 0.06 from 5.69 last year.

Biggest riser: Panthers, #32 → #3. Biggest faller: Steelers, #3 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 1.44; 21 teams are within 0.34 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2023 vs 2022

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

CAR · +1.02

Biggest faller

PIT · −0.89

Most consistent

SF · +0.03

League trend 2023 vs 2022

▼ -0.06

Rank	Team	2023	2022	Δ
1	CAR	6.08	5.06	+1.02
2	DAL	6.42	5.65	+0.77
3	HOU	5.59	5.11	+0.48
4	CHI	5.89	5.44	+0.44
5	MIN	5.94	5.51	+0.42
6	LAR	5.90	5.58	+0.32
7	TEN	5.44	5.13	+0.31
8	PHI	6.17	5.94	+0.23
9	NO	5.62	5.40	+0.22
10	GB	5.98	5.79	+0.20
11	BUF	6.04	5.88	+0.16
12	MIA	5.57	5.53	+0.04
13	SF	5.56	5.54	+0.03
14	SEA	5.50	5.52	−0.03
15	DEN	5.27	5.32	−0.05
16	IND	5.52	5.61	−0.09
17	KC	5.89	5.99	−0.10
18	NE	4.98	5.14	−0.16
19	DET	5.94	6.11	−0.17
20	ARI	5.92	6.11	−0.19
21	JAX	5.65	5.89	−0.24
22	LAC	5.74	5.98	−0.25
23	TB	5.62	5.88	−0.26
24	BAL	5.37	5.69	−0.32
25	CIN	5.49	5.84	−0.35
26	ATL	5.50	5.88	−0.38
27	WAS	5.33	5.76	−0.43
28	NYJ	5.00	5.45	−0.46
29	LV	5.57	6.06	−0.49
30	NYG	5.25	6.02	−0.77
31	CLE	5.27	6.07	−0.80
32	PIT	5.20	6.08	−0.89

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

KC · 6.13

Multi-year laggard

SEA · 5.28

Biggest improver

NO · +0.13/yr

Biggest decliner

CLE · −0.19/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	KC	6.13	−0.09	6.32	6.56	5.99	5.89	6.29	6.16	5.66
2	DAL	6.10	+0.09	6.10	5.92	5.65	6.42	5.70	6.23	6.67
3	ARI	6.05	−0.01	5.97	6.18	6.11	5.92	6.10	6.21	5.88
4	DET	5.93	+0.03	5.71	5.90	6.11	5.94	6.04	5.61	6.23
5	CHI	5.92	+0.10	5.78	5.96	5.44	5.89	5.79	5.89	6.67
6	LAC	5.87	−0.17	6.35	6.34	5.98	5.74	5.45	6.14	5.12
7	BUF	5.86	−0.03	5.79	5.95	5.88	6.04	5.81	6.09	5.43
8	LAR	5.84	+0.06	5.82	5.67	5.58	5.90	6.01	5.83	6.09
9	PHI	5.83	−0.06	5.66	6.10	5.94	6.17	5.97	5.56	5.42
10	CIN	5.79	+0.09	5.72	5.46	5.84	5.49	5.87	5.83	6.29
11	NYG	5.77	+0.09	5.62	5.48	6.02	5.25	5.65	6.27	6.09
12	ATL	5.76	−0.06	6.11	5.58	5.88	5.50	6.24	5.63	5.39
13	GB	5.76	−0.09	5.87	6.01	5.79	5.98	5.62	5.95	5.09
14	JAX	5.73	+0.00	5.75	5.69	5.89	5.65	5.60	5.68	5.88
15	WAS	5.73	−0.02	5.69	5.89	5.76	5.33	6.16	5.86	5.41
16	NO	5.70	+0.13	5.69	5.25	5.40	5.62	5.61	6.05	6.30
17	TB	5.70	+0.01	5.45	5.75	5.88	5.62	5.92	5.82	5.47
18	CAR	5.69	+0.00	6.02	5.64	5.06	6.08	5.28	5.96	5.76
19	IND	5.68	−0.01	5.84	5.80	5.61	5.52	5.33	5.84	5.82
20	SF	5.67	+0.03	5.68	5.52	5.54	5.56	5.73	6.23	5.43
21	NE	5.65	−0.01	6.13	5.93	5.14	4.98	5.70	5.77	5.91
22	MIA	5.64	+0.01	5.54	5.77	5.53	5.57	5.91	5.32	5.83
23	LV	5.61	−0.11	5.95	5.64	6.06	5.57	5.52	5.18	5.37
24	BAL	5.59	−0.07	5.63	6.01	5.69	5.37	5.65	5.37	5.43
25	TEN	5.58	−0.09	6.10	6.05	5.13	5.44	5.34	5.44	5.59
26	CLE	5.55	−0.19	6.05	5.79	6.07	5.27	5.58	5.27	4.82
27	DEN	5.53	−0.03	5.43	6.14	5.32	5.27	5.46	5.68	5.40
28	PIT	5.50	−0.03	5.41	5.45	6.08	5.20	5.61	5.48	5.30
29	MIN	5.50	−0.08	5.79	5.43	5.51	5.94	5.36	5.13	5.32
30	HOU	5.47	+0.03	5.68	5.27	5.11	5.59	5.42	5.59	5.65
31	NYJ	5.43	+0.03	5.28	5.51	5.45	5.00	5.79	5.48	5.47
32	SEA	5.28	−0.07	5.56	4.98	5.52	5.50	5.36	5.33	4.74

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
DAL	6.10	5.92	5.65	6.42	5.70	6.23	6.67
PHI	5.66	6.10	5.94	6.17	5.97	5.56	5.42
CAR	6.02	5.64	5.06	6.08	5.28	5.96	5.76
BUF	5.79	5.95	5.88	6.04	5.81	6.09	5.43
GB	5.87	6.01	5.79	5.98	5.62	5.95	5.09
DET	5.71	5.90	6.11	5.94	6.04	5.61	6.23
MIN	5.79	5.43	5.51	5.94	5.36	5.13	5.32
ARI	5.97	6.18	6.11	5.92	6.10	6.21	5.88
LAR	5.82	5.67	5.58	5.90	6.01	5.83	6.09
KC	6.32	6.56	5.99	5.89	6.29	6.16	5.66
CHI	5.78	5.96	5.44	5.89	5.79	5.89	6.67
LAC	6.35	6.34	5.98	5.74	5.45	6.14	5.12
JAX	5.75	5.69	5.89	5.65	5.60	5.68	5.88
NO	5.69	5.25	5.40	5.62	5.61	6.05	6.30
TB	5.45	5.75	5.88	5.62	5.92	5.82	5.47
HOU	5.68	5.27	5.11	5.59	5.42	5.59	5.65
MIA	5.54	5.77	5.53	5.57	5.91	5.32	5.83
LV	5.95	5.64	6.06	5.57	5.52	5.18	5.37
SF	5.68	5.52	5.54	5.56	5.73	6.23	5.43
IND	5.84	5.80	5.61	5.52	5.33	5.84	5.82
ATL	6.11	5.58	5.88	5.50	6.24	5.63	5.39
SEA	5.56	4.98	5.52	5.50	5.36	5.33	4.74
CIN	5.72	5.46	5.84	5.49	5.87	5.83	6.29
TEN	6.10	6.05	5.13	5.44	5.34	5.44	5.59
BAL	5.63	6.01	5.69	5.37	5.65	5.37	5.43
WAS	5.69	5.89	5.76	5.33	6.16	5.86	5.41
DEN	5.43	6.14	5.32	5.27	5.46	5.68	5.40
CLE	6.05	5.79	6.07	5.27	5.58	5.27	4.82
NYG	5.62	5.48	6.02	5.25	5.65	6.27	6.09
PIT	5.41	5.45	6.08	5.20	5.61	5.48	5.30
NYJ	5.28	5.51	5.45	5.00	5.79	5.48	5.47
NE	6.13	5.93	5.14	4.98	5.70	5.77	5.91

Plays per drive since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Ravens (6.27), 2019 Ravens (6.20), 2020 Chargers (6.35), 2021 Chiefs (6.56), 2022 Lions (6.11), 2023 Cowboys (6.42).

Ravens have led this stat 2 of 6 seasons.

The best season on record is Chiefs 2021 at 6.56; the worst Dolphins 2018 at 4.71.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2023.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_drives_plays_per_drive
Side: offensive
Family: Drive Averages
Data source: P + N
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: rate
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.