Bendability

Think of Bendability as a way to quantify the phenomenon of the “bend but don’t break defense” and measure how well teams play in “situational football.” Tthe Bendability Index is not merely a defensive indicator! It is a team-wide measurement of ability to keep opponents off the scoreboard. It takes into account a variety of factors, including proficiency of offense and special teams, field position, red zone defense, and turnover differential, and then spits it all out in an easy-to-understand number. Teams that rank highly in Bendability are typically smart, efficient, well-coached teams.

Bendability = Yards allowed/Points Allowed = Yards Per Point Allowed (YPPA). The higher the number, the more “bendable” the defense.

Rank	Team	Defensive Yds.	Pts. Allowed	Defensive Yds. per Pt. Allowed
1 1	Jacksonville Jaguars	2,319	111	20.89
2 1	Minnesota Vikings	1,901	93	20.44
3 1	Denver Broncos	2,842	165	17.22
4 1	Kansas City Chiefs	2,234	131	17.05
5 4	Pittsburgh Steelers	2,445	144	16.98
6 1	Cincinnati Bengals	2,520	158	15.95
7 1	Tennessee Titans	3,059	199	15.37
8 1	Green Bay Packers	2,519	164	15.36
9 1	New England Patriots	2,479	162	15.30
10 =	Chicago Bears	2,446	160	15.29
11 8	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2,287	151	15.15
12 =	San Francisco 49ers	2,095	139	15.07
13 2	Cleveland Browns	2,588	173	14.96
14 1	Philadelphia Eagles	2,938	202	14.54
15 1	Detroit Lions	2,612	180	14.51
16 1	Dallas Cowboys	3,083	213	14.47
17 1	Atlanta Falcons	2,733	189	14.46
18 6	Los Angeles Rams	2,409	168	14.34
19 2	Houston Texans	2,394	170	14.08
20 1	Buffalo Bills	2,465	181	13.62
21 1	New York Giants	2,191	161	13.61
22 8	New York Jets	2,541	188	13.52
23 1	New Orleans Saints	2,609	194	13.45
24 1	Las Vegas Raiders	3,055	230	13.28
25 6	Washington Commanders	2,395	182	13.16
26 3	Baltimore Ravens	2,648	203	13.04
27 =	Los Angeles Chargers	2,261	175	12.92
27 2	Miami Dolphins	2,339	181	12.92
28 2	Carolina Panthers	2,447	193	12.68
29 1	Seattle Seahawks	2,000	159	12.58
30 4	Indianapolis Colts	2,748	222	12.38
31 1	Arizona Cardinals	2,742	238	11.52