What Start avg is

Average starting field position, in yards from the opponent's goal line — so a lower number means the offense started closer to scoring. It is mostly a product of the defense and special teams, which hand the offense its starting point.

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

In 2018 the Bengals led at 772.67; the league average was 849.77.

League snapshot — 2018

League leader

CIN · 772.67

League average

849.77

Best to worst

127.65

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CIN	772.67	16
2	MIA	797.90	16
3	KC	801.19	16
4	LAR	807.33	16
5	NO	816.80	16
6	NYJ	826.00	16
7	LV	828.93	16
8	MIN	829.71	16
9	ATL	836.28	16
10	NYG	838.05	16
11	PHI	847.64	16
12	CLE	847.74	16
13	WAS	849.97	16
14	HOU	850.42	16
15	ARI	850.75	16
16	TB	853.70	16
17	IND	855.88	16
18	CAR	857.01	16
19	DAL	857.87	16
20	BUF	859.28	16
21	GB	861.45	16
22	CHI	865.05	16
23	LAC	866.00	16
24	SEA	870.28	16
25	NE	871.32	16
26	BAL	873.12	16
27	SF	873.43	16
28	PIT	874.88	16
29	DEN	875.66	16
30	DET	885.00	16
31	JAX	891.09	16
32	TEN	900.32	16

At a glance — 2018

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CIN · 772.67

League laggard

TEN · 900.32

League average

849.77

Spread (max − min)

127.65

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CIN	772.67	-77.10	100%
2	MIA	797.90	-51.87	96.8%
3	KC	801.19	-48.58	93.5%
4	LAR	807.33	-42.44	90.3%
5	NO	816.80	-32.97	87.1%
6	NYJ	826.00	-23.77	83.9%
7	LV	828.93	-20.84	80.6%
8	MIN	829.71	-20.06	77.4%
9	ATL	836.28	-13.49	74.2%
10	NYG	838.05	-11.72	71%
11	PHI	847.64	-2.13	67.7%
12	CLE	847.74	-2.03	64.5%
13	WAS	849.97	0.20	61.3%
14	HOU	850.42	0.65	58.1%
15	ARI	850.75	0.98	54.8%
16	TB	853.70	3.93	51.6%
17	IND	855.88	6.11	48.4%
18	CAR	857.01	7.24	45.2%
19	DAL	857.87	8.10	41.9%
20	BUF	859.28	9.51	38.7%
21	GB	861.45	11.68	35.5%
22	CHI	865.05	15.28	32.3%
23	LAC	866.00	16.23	29%
24	SEA	870.28	20.51	25.8%
25	NE	871.32	21.55	22.6%
26	BAL	873.12	23.35	19.4%
27	SF	873.43	23.66	16.1%
28	PIT	874.88	25.11	12.9%
29	DEN	875.66	25.89	9.7%
30	DET	885.00	35.23	6.5%
31	JAX	891.09	41.32	3.2%
32	TEN	900.32	50.55	0%

Does Start avg matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 822–756–37 ATS (52.1%) across 2020–2025, #165 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2025 (155–114, 57.6%); its worst 2024 (130–133, 49.4%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	133–121–2	52.4%
2021	272	135–135–2	50.0%
2022	271	140–124–7	53.0%
2023	272	129–129–14	50.0%
2024	272	130–133–9	49.4%
2025	272	155–114–3	57.6%

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

DET · 766.70

Multi-year laggard

LAR · 812.10

Biggest improver

WAS · −73.06/yr

Biggest decliner

DET · −51.32/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	DET	766.70	−51.32	770.16	833.01	859.55	869.67	915.14	874.30	245.10
2	CIN	769.72	−64.55	818.79	888.17	842.05	890.05	856.49	866.71	225.81
3	CHI	775.60	−53.48	800.29	859.44	844.98	884.11	894.25	865.24	280.89
4	LV	777.64	−52.93	759.23	875.87	896.71	878.60	876.16	902.85	254.05
5	CAR	777.75	−72.24	793.73	909.59	940.85	927.60	815.07	868.77	188.62
6	IND	779.54	−58.36	807.79	867.17	884.44	866.10	908.72	868.35	254.20
7	DAL	780.07	−65.29	815.21	879.89	914.60	889.45	875.91	840.14	245.26
8	ATL	780.24	−57.30	848.66	833.60	851.61	900.52	866.56	888.19	272.53
9	NYJ	783.24	−61.39	817.55	837.31	947.46	887.32	889.04	845.25	258.77
10	TEN	784.05	−59.87	791.63	872.88	935.92	882.61	896.83	842.07	266.42
11	JAX	784.47	−53.01	790.75	872.70	874.60	893.28	890.54	890.67	278.73
12	ARI	785.53	−68.72	849.22	896.61	885.20	890.88	906.80	814.96	255.02
13	NYG	786.40	−62.42	810.65	907.12	895.77	890.86	873.47	860.12	266.84
14	NO	789.38	−63.97	814.29	899.09	930.73	889.82	856.50	881.62	253.60
15	WAS	789.56	−73.06	863.77	886.51	966.72	862.15	861.00	835.99	250.79
16	GB	790.01	−57.57	826.06	894.00	864.37	864.27	906.56	912.47	262.32
17	BUF	792.51	−61.36	829.58	906.42	871.25	912.84	854.19	919.44	253.87
18	KC	794.82	−65.23	847.44	870.42	885.96	938.09	906.49	909.88	205.48
19	NE	797.95	−53.19	801.05	876.43	885.73	954.29	872.40	907.19	288.56
20	HOU	798.65	−53.58	806.83	852.21	904.53	942.68	895.07	933.35	255.85
21	MIN	800.48	−52.15	802.16	889.77	865.17	927.43	931.82	902.06	284.98
22	MIA	800.62	−64.78	858.11	893.42	910.67	884.87	910.83	892.23	254.24
23	LAC	801.97	−52.00	830.69	835.64	875.99	942.43	953.14	897.44	278.45
24	SEA	802.84	−52.86	807.37	912.82	878.43	873.32	929.56	938.52	279.87
25	PHI	803.34	−58.51	840.86	869.42	940.03	868.45	907.75	935.26	261.60
26	SF	803.40	−66.96	839.96	943.87	911.80	895.32	881.29	891.49	260.05
27	TB	804.77	−63.49	823.51	896.10	959.22	914.72	895.58	884.04	260.22
28	PIT	805.18	−66.85	851.91	890.76	931.64	947.85	889.77	865.60	258.74
29	BAL	806.61	−68.17	841.08	939.15	917.49	901.18	939.11	853.76	254.53
30	DEN	807.67	−58.46	819.42	916.14	941.51	851.75	914.76	950.13	260.01
31	CLE	810.44	−56.04	821.50	895.97	883.00	963.39	918.47	920.41	270.32
32	LAR	812.10	−67.24	904.23	908.70	895.77	904.36	876.73	918.32	276.61

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	793.73	909.59	940.85	927.60	815.07	868.77	188.62
KC	847.44	870.42	885.96	938.09	906.49	909.88	205.48
CIN	818.79	888.17	842.05	890.05	856.49	866.71	225.81
DET	770.16	833.01	859.55	869.67	915.14	874.30	245.10
DAL	815.21	879.89	914.60	889.45	875.91	840.14	245.26
WAS	863.77	886.51	966.72	862.15	861.00	835.99	250.79
NO	814.29	899.09	930.73	889.82	856.50	881.62	253.60
BUF	829.58	906.42	871.25	912.84	854.19	919.44	253.87
LV	759.23	875.87	896.71	878.60	876.16	902.85	254.05
IND	807.79	867.17	884.44	866.10	908.72	868.35	254.20
MIA	858.11	893.42	910.67	884.87	910.83	892.23	254.24
BAL	841.08	939.15	917.49	901.18	939.11	853.76	254.53
ARI	849.22	896.61	885.20	890.88	906.80	814.96	255.02
HOU	806.83	852.21	904.53	942.68	895.07	933.35	255.85
PIT	851.91	890.76	931.64	947.85	889.77	865.60	258.74
NYJ	817.55	837.31	947.46	887.32	889.04	845.25	258.77
DEN	819.42	916.14	941.51	851.75	914.76	950.13	260.01
SF	839.96	943.87	911.80	895.32	881.29	891.49	260.05
TB	823.51	896.10	959.22	914.72	895.58	884.04	260.22
PHI	840.86	869.42	940.03	868.45	907.75	935.26	261.60
GB	826.06	894.00	864.37	864.27	906.56	912.47	262.32
TEN	791.63	872.88	935.92	882.61	896.83	842.07	266.42
NYG	810.65	907.12	895.77	890.86	873.47	860.12	266.84
CLE	821.50	895.97	883.00	963.39	918.47	920.41	270.32
ATL	848.66	833.60	851.61	900.52	866.56	888.19	272.53
LAR	904.23	908.70	895.77	904.36	876.73	918.32	276.61
LAC	830.69	835.64	875.99	942.43	953.14	897.44	278.45
JAX	790.75	872.70	874.60	893.28	890.54	890.67	278.73
SEA	807.37	912.82	878.43	873.32	929.56	938.52	279.87
CHI	800.29	859.44	844.98	884.11	894.25	865.24	280.89
MIN	802.16	889.77	865.17	927.43	931.82	902.06	284.98
NE	801.05	876.43	885.73	954.29	872.40	907.19	288.56

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2018.

About this stat

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