See where slot and TE responsibility diverge.

Rank every defense by the gap between its direct slot-coverage results and its linebacker-based tight-end responsibility proxy, then inspect each funnel independently.

Research desk2025 measured defense · descriptive only

Slot vs TE responsibility onlyDirect slot coverageLB coverage TE proxy15 new DCs flagged

Find defense

Split leans

01 · split dependence

Where the two coverage legs break apart

Defenses ranked by the absolute difference between standardized slot and TE-proxy yards allowed per game.

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Rank	Defense	Score	Relative lean	Slot yds/g	TE proxy yds/g	Slot z	TE proxy z	Z gap	Games
1	Los Angeles Rams	100.0	slot funnel	64.41	47.12	1.24	-1.25	2.49	17
2	Green Bay PackersNew DC · Jonathan Gannon	96.8	TE proxy funnel	36.29	78.00	-1.41	0.98	2.39	17
3	Cincinnati Bengals	93.5	TE proxy funnel	58.00	101.94	0.64	2.71	2.08	17
4	New York GiantsNew DC · Dennard Wilson	90.3	slot funnel	58.88	45.71	0.72	-1.35	2.07	17
5	Denver Broncos	87.1	slot funnel	59.47	48.12	0.78	-1.18	1.95	17
6	Indianapolis Colts	83.9	slot funnel	76.94	72.35	2.42	0.57	1.85	17
7	Atlanta Falcons	80.6	slot funnel	57.53	49.18	0.59	-1.10	1.69	17
8	Miami DolphinsNew DC · Sean Duggan	77.4	TE proxy funnel	47.82	81.41	-0.32	1.23	1.55	17
9	Baltimore RavensNew DC · Anthony Weaver	74.2	slot funnel	55.24	51.29	0.38	-0.95	1.32	17
10	Las Vegas RaidersNew DC · Rob Leonard	71.0	TE proxy funnel	46.71	76.41	-0.43	0.87	1.30	17
11	Los Angeles ChargersNew DC · Chris O'Leary	67.7	TE proxy funnel	36.06	62.47	-1.43	-0.14	1.29	17
12	New York JetsNew DC · Brian Duker	64.5	TE proxy funnel	47.47	74.65	-0.35	0.74	1.10	17
13	New England PatriotsNew DC · Zak Kuhr	61.3	TE proxy funnel	48.82	75.65	-0.23	0.81	1.04	17
14	Jacksonville Jaguars	58.1	TE proxy funnel	49.82	74.71	-0.13	0.74	0.88	17
15	Pittsburgh SteelersNew DC · Patrick Graham	54.8	slot funnel	73.29	82.41	2.08	1.30	0.78	17
16	Washington CommandersNew DC · Daronte Jones	51.6	slot funnel	59.29	65.53	0.76	0.08	0.68	17
17	Arizona Cardinals	48.4	TE proxy funnel	45.71	66.53	-0.52	0.15	0.68	17
18	Minnesota Vikings	45.2	TE proxy funnel	31.82	48.41	-1.83	-1.16	0.68	17
19	Houston Texans	41.9	slot funnel	54.47	59.71	0.30	-0.34	0.64	17
20	Dallas CowboysNew DC · Christian Parker	38.7	slot funnel	66.35	75.29	1.42	0.79	0.64	17
21	Buffalo BillsNew DC · Jim Leonhard	35.5	TE proxy funnel	37.35	54.47	-1.31	-0.72	0.59	17
22	Kansas City Chiefs	32.3	TE proxy funnel	43.76	62.65	-0.70	-0.13	0.58	17
23	San Francisco 49ersNew DC · Raheem Morris	29.0	TE proxy funnel	59.94	82.94	0.82	1.34	0.52	17
24	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	25.8	TE proxy funnel	52.76	73.47	0.14	0.66	0.51	17
25	New Orleans Saints	22.6	slot funnel	41.47	45.76	-0.92	-1.35	0.42	17
26	Tennessee TitansNew DC · Gus Bradley	19.4	TE proxy funnel	43.65	60.06	-0.72	-0.31	0.40	17
27	Carolina Panthers	16.1	slot funnel	52.29	60.24	0.10	-0.30	0.40	17
28	Seattle Seahawks	12.9	TE proxy funnel	46.35	63.41	-0.46	-0.07	0.39	17
29	Detroit Lions	9.7	slot funnel	58.00	68.24	0.64	0.28	0.36	17
30	Cleveland BrownsNew DC · Mike Rutenberg	6.5	slot funnel	39.47	44.12	-1.11	-1.47	0.36	17
31	Chicago Bears	3.2	slot funnel	51.06	61.53	-0.02	-0.21	0.19	17
32	Philadelphia Eagles	0.0	slot funnel	39.18	46.88	-1.14	-1.26	0.13	17

02 · direct slot coverage

Defenses allowing the most from the slot

Direct dedicated slot-coverage totals, ranked by yards allowed per game within the sport.

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Rank	Defense	Score	Yds/game	Yds/coverage snap	Targets	Receptions	Yards	TD	Slot snaps
1	Indianapolis Colts	100.0	76.94	1.516	153	109	1,308	4	863
2	Pittsburgh SteelersNew DC · Patrick Graham	96.8	73.29	1.595	145	106	1,246	9	781
3	Dallas CowboysNew DC · Christian Parker	93.5	66.35	1.584	134	109	1,128	7	712
4	Los Angeles Rams	90.3	64.41	1.066	163	122	1,095	9	1,027
5	San Francisco 49ersNew DC · Raheem Morris	87.1	59.94	1.375	147	109	1,019	7	741
6	Denver Broncos	83.9	59.47	1.146	157	106	1,011	3	882
7	Washington CommandersNew DC · Daronte Jones	80.6	59.29	1.377	120	88	1,008	5	732
8	New York GiantsNew DC · Dennard Wilson	77.4	58.88	1.280	137	94	1,001	7	782
9	Cincinnati Bengals	72.6	58.00	1.433	124	96	986	4	688
10	Detroit Lions	72.6	58.00	1.353	128	90	986	6	729
11	Atlanta Falcons	67.7	57.53	1.278	146	101	978	3	765
12	Baltimore RavensNew DC · Anthony Weaver	64.5	55.24	1.110	126	94	939	4	846
13	Houston Texans	61.3	54.47	1.258	128	92	926	4	736
14	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	58.1	52.76	1.265	127	97	897	9	709
15	Carolina Panthers	54.8	52.29	1.345	109	85	889	2	661
16	Chicago Bears	51.6	51.06	1.358	103	77	868	6	639
17	Jacksonville Jaguars	48.4	49.82	0.988	155	106	847	4	857
18	New England PatriotsNew DC · Zak Kuhr	45.2	48.82	1.228	111	81	830	7	676
19	Miami DolphinsNew DC · Sean Duggan	41.9	47.82	1.204	96	80	813	9	675
20	New York JetsNew DC · Brian Duker	38.7	47.47	1.269	111	80	807	7	636
21	Las Vegas RaidersNew DC · Rob Leonard	35.5	46.71	1.374	119	94	794	7	578
22	Seattle Seahawks	32.3	46.35	1.119	124	88	788	3	704
23	Arizona Cardinals	29.0	45.71	1.078	113	82	777	8	721
24	Kansas City Chiefs	25.8	43.76	1.083	130	94	744	5	687
25	Tennessee TitansNew DC · Gus Bradley	22.6	43.65	1.484	85	61	742	7	500
26	New Orleans Saints	19.4	41.47	1.185	106	74	705	4	595
27	Cleveland BrownsNew DC · Mike Rutenberg	16.1	39.47	1.011	122	81	671	3	664
28	Philadelphia Eagles	12.9	39.18	0.805	128	79	666	0	827
29	Buffalo BillsNew DC · Jim Leonhard	9.7	37.35	1.014	122	80	635	3	626
30	Green Bay PackersNew DC · Jonathan Gannon	6.5	36.29	0.862	104	80	617	2	716
31	Los Angeles ChargersNew DC · Chris O'Leary	3.2	36.06	0.901	109	78	613	2	680
32	Minnesota Vikings	0.0	31.82	1.316	81	57	541	6	411

03 · TE-coverage proxy

Defenses allowing the most through linebackers

Linebacker coverage totals are the responsibility proxy for tight ends; they are not receiver-position-attributed TE production.

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Rank	Defense	Score	Yds/game	Yds/coverage snap	Targets	Receptions	Yards	LB coverage snaps
1	Cincinnati Bengals	100.0	101.94	1.428	185	149	1,733	1,214
2	San Francisco 49ersNew DC · Raheem Morris	96.8	82.94	1.113	191	156	1,410	1,267
3	Pittsburgh SteelersNew DC · Patrick Graham	93.5	82.41	1.089	160	134	1,401	1,287
4	Miami DolphinsNew DC · Sean Duggan	90.3	81.41	1.251	166	139	1,384	1,106
5	Green Bay PackersNew DC · Jonathan Gannon	87.1	78.00	1.015	186	152	1,326	1,307
6	Las Vegas RaidersNew DC · Rob Leonard	83.9	76.41	1.050	194	161	1,299	1,237
7	New England PatriotsNew DC · Zak Kuhr	80.6	75.65	1.135	166	143	1,286	1,133
8	Dallas CowboysNew DC · Christian Parker	77.4	75.29	0.992	156	131	1,280	1,290
9	Jacksonville Jaguars	74.2	74.71	1.010	166	135	1,270	1,257
10	New York JetsNew DC · Brian Duker	71.0	74.65	1.103	145	115	1,269	1,151
11	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	67.7	73.47	1.064	138	120	1,249	1,174
12	Indianapolis Colts	64.5	72.35	1.041	157	119	1,230	1,182
13	Detroit Lions	61.3	68.24	0.730	163	121	1,160	1,589
14	Arizona Cardinals	58.1	66.53	1.116	145	111	1,131	1,013
15	Washington CommandersNew DC · Daronte Jones	54.8	65.53	0.952	122	101	1,114	1,170
16	Seattle Seahawks	51.6	63.41	0.939	153	112	1,078	1,148
17	Kansas City Chiefs	48.4	62.65	1.011	133	114	1,065	1,053
18	Los Angeles ChargersNew DC · Chris O'Leary	45.2	62.47	1.104	124	102	1,062	962
19	Chicago Bears	41.9	61.53	0.970	143	112	1,046	1,078
20	Carolina Panthers	38.7	60.24	1.172	130	106	1,024	874
21	Tennessee TitansNew DC · Gus Bradley	35.5	60.06	0.921	134	106	1,021	1,108
22	Houston Texans	32.3	59.71	0.747	159	118	1,015	1,359
23	Buffalo BillsNew DC · Jim Leonhard	29.0	54.47	0.989	137	104	926	936
24	Baltimore RavensNew DC · Anthony Weaver	25.8	51.29	0.810	135	107	872	1,077
25	Atlanta Falcons	22.6	49.18	0.721	126	94	836	1,160
26	Minnesota Vikings	19.4	48.41	1.179	101	75	823	698
27	Denver Broncos	16.1	48.12	0.752	103	82	818	1,088
28	Los Angeles Rams	12.9	47.12	0.848	111	85	801	945
29	Philadelphia Eagles	9.7	46.88	0.673	123	85	797	1,185
30	New Orleans Saints	6.5	45.76	0.793	100	84	778	981
31	New York GiantsNew DC · Dennard Wilson	3.2	45.71	0.755	115	88	777	1,029
32	Cleveland BrownsNew DC · Mike Rutenberg	0.0	44.12	0.696	105	89	750	1,078

How to read it

Split score: percentile of the absolute gap between standardized slot and TE-proxy yards allowed per game.

Slot: direct dedicated slot-coverage totals aggregated by defense.

TE proxy: linebacker coverage totals used as the responsibility proxy; this is not receiver-position-attributed TE production.

New DC: verified 2026 coordinator changes are flagged as context and do not alter these descriptive ranks. Unflagged NFL teams are not asserted unchanged.

Licensed data authorized by Nothing But Bet for public derived research. · measured 2025 · generated stand-ins: none