Run Funnels and Pass Funnels: Mapping NFL Defenses for Week 9

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: 31.4 points per game allowed to wide receivers and 22.0 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 nine defenses that give up more than average to wide receivers while holding running backs below average. Jacksonville is the clearest case, allowing 36.9 points per game to wide receivers (6th-most in the league) and just 16.8 to running backs (fewest in the league). Detroit (37.0 and 18.2) follows the same pattern. Tennessee allows the most to wide receivers of any defense, 40.2. Philadelphia, New England, Baltimore, Washington, Cincinnati and Arizona also sit in this corner.

The top-left quadrant is the mirror image: nine 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 30.2 points per game to running backs, the most in the league, while giving up 29.9 to wide receivers, below the average. Miami is the cleanest example of the type, at 25.4 to wide receivers (3rd-fewest in the league) and 25.0 to running backs (tied for the 7th-most). Seattle allows the fewest points in the league to wide receivers (23.5) but 22.2 to running backs.

The top-right quadrant is the one nobody wants to be in: above-average points allowed to both wide receivers and running backs. Buffalo is the most generous overall, allowing 37.1 to wide receivers (4th-most) and 26.2 to running backs (4th-most). Houston, Dallas, Las Vegas and Green Bay are also in this corner; Houston just clears the running back average.

The bottom-left quadrant is below average against both positions. Kansas City is the toughest overall, allowing 24.2 points per game to wide receivers (2nd-fewest in the league) and 19.7 to running backs (11th-fewest). Tampa Bay, Minnesota, the Rams, Chicago, Pittsburgh, the Jets, Cleveland and the Giants round out the group.

Receivers against pass funnels. Eight of the nine pass funnels play this week: Baltimore, Jacksonville, Cincinnati, Washington, Detroit, Philadelphia, New England and Arizona. The wide receivers on the other side of those games (Jacksonville, Baltimore, Atlanta, the Rams, Miami, the Giants, Green Bay and Seattle, respectively) face defenses that have allowed above-average production to wideouts while holding running backs down. Some games pit similar defenses against each other: Jacksonville at Baltimore (two pass funnels), the Jets at Kansas City and Tampa Bay at Chicago (two stout defenses) and Denver at Carolina (two run funnels).

Backs against run funnels. Atlanta, Indianapolis, New Orleans, Miami, Denver, Carolina, the Chargers, San Francisco and Seattle are the run funnels in action, which puts the running backs for Cincinnati, Dallas, Cleveland, Detroit, Carolina, Denver, Houston, Las Vegas and Arizona (respectively) against defenses that have been generous to the position. New Orleans, the most generous of all, hosts Cleveland.

Two-way funnels and stout defenses. Dallas, Houston, Las Vegas, Green Bay and Buffalo are the two-way funnels in action, against Indianapolis, the Chargers, San Francisco, New England and Minnesota (respectively). The stout defenses playing are the Rams, Cleveland, Kansas City, the Jets, the Giants, Tampa Bay, Chicago and Minnesota. Pittsburgh and Tennessee 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 8.