Run Funnels and Pass Funnels: Mapping NFL Defenses for Week 10

PPR fantasy points allowed per game is a simple way to see how much production a defense gives up to a position. Plot wide receivers on one axis and running backs on the other, and the 32 defenses sort themselves into four groups around the league averages: 31.5 points per game allowed to wide receivers and 21.7 to running backs.

The interesting part is that defenses are rarely equally good or bad at everything. Some take away the run and leave the passing game open. Others do the reverse. A few are open both ways, and a few are tough on everyone.

The bottom-right quadrant holds eight defenses that give up more than average to wide receivers while holding running backs below average. Tennessee allows the most to wide receivers of any defense, 40.2, while giving up 21.6 to running backs, just under the average. New England (38.4 and 18.5) and Philadelphia (37.9 and 19.9) are close behind. Jacksonville is the clearest split: 33.5 points to wide receivers but only 17.7 to running backs, the 2nd-fewest in the league. Detroit (34.7 and 17.8) follows the same pattern, and Washington, Baltimore and Arizona also sit in this corner.

The top-left quadrant is the mirror image: six defenses that keep wide receivers below average but give up big numbers to running backs, whether as runners or as pass catchers. New Orleans allows 28.1 points per game to running backs, the most in the league, while giving up 31.2 to wide receivers, just under the average. Carolina (27.5, 2nd-most) is next. Miami is the cleanest example of the type, at 25.6 to wide receivers (3rd-fewest in the league) and 24.0 to running backs (tied for the 9th-most). Indianapolis (25.3 to running backs, 5th-most), Denver and the Jets round out the group.

The top-right quadrant is the one nobody wants to be in: above-average points allowed to both wide receivers and running backs. Dallas allows the most combined, 34.6 to wide receivers (9th-most) and 25.8 to running backs (4th-most). Houston gives up 38.5 to wide receivers, the 2nd-most in the league, and just clears the running back average at 21.8. Green Bay, Las Vegas, Buffalo, the Chargers and Atlanta are also in this corner; Las Vegas allows the 3rd-most to running backs (26.4).

The bottom-left quadrant is below average against both positions, and it is the largest group this week. Seattle allows the fewest points in the league to wide receivers (22.9) and Kansas City the 2nd-fewest (23.0), with the Chiefs also holding running backs to 19.4 (9th-fewest). Tampa Bay allows the fewest points in the league to running backs, 15.6, while giving up 29.8 to wide receivers. Minnesota, the Rams, San Francisco, the Giants, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cleveland and Cincinnati round out the group.

Receivers against pass funnels. Seven of the eight pass funnels play this week: Washington, New England, Detroit, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Arizona and Baltimore. The wide receivers on the other side of those games (the Giants, Detroit, New England, Tennessee, Jacksonville, the Rams and the Chargers, respectively) face defenses that have allowed above-average production to wideouts while holding running backs down. Philadelphia is on bye. Some games pit similar defenses against each other: New England at Detroit (two pass funnels), Miami at Indianapolis (two run funnels), Carolina at New Orleans (two run funnels), Jacksonville at Tennessee (two pass funnels) and Pittsburgh at Cincinnati (two stout defenses). The Patriots and Lions meet in Munich.

Backs against run funnels. Miami, Indianapolis, Carolina, New Orleans and the Jets are the run funnels in action, which puts the running backs for Indianapolis, Miami, New Orleans, Carolina and Buffalo (respectively) against defenses that have been generous to the position. New Orleans, the most generous of all, hosts Carolina, the 2nd-most generous. Denver is on bye.

Two-way funnels and stout defenses. Atlanta, Houston, Green Bay, Buffalo, Las Vegas, Dallas and the Chargers are the two-way funnels in action, against Kansas City, Cleveland, Minnesota, the Jets, Seattle, San Francisco and Baltimore (respectively). The stout defenses playing are the Giants, Kansas City, Cleveland, Minnesota, the Rams, Seattle, San Francisco, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati. Chicago and Tampa Bay are on bye.

Treat the map as a starting point rather than a verdict. Injuries, game script and personnel all change how a matchup plays out, and a defense's position on the map reflects what it has allowed through Week 9.