As the NFL and its fanbase continue to grow, so do the number of statistics and analytics that are being tracked. There was a day and age some of you might remember were sacks weren't even an officially charted statistic. Now we have more data than we know what to do with. However, the collection of this data can help us analyze teams and compare them to their competitors like never before.
One of these advanced stats is DVOA (or Defense-adjusted Value Over Average). This is a metric designed to truly gauge the value of every NFL team. This shows how well teams are performing compared to their peers and factors in the level of competition. In other words, things that box score numbers can't do.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have skyrocketed in this advanced statistic in recent weeks, and their positioning might even seem a bit surprising to you. Here's a look at every NFL team's total DVOA and ranking heading into Week 18 of the 2023 season, according to FTN Fantasy.
1. Baltimore Ravens: 48.5%
2. San Francisco 49ers: 42.3%
3. Buffalo Bills: 22.8%
4. Kansas City Chiefs: 19.9%
5. Miami Dolphins: 19.0%
6. Dallas Cowboys: 17.0%
7. Detroit Lions: 14.6%
8. Cleveland Browns: 12.4%
9. Jacksonville Jaguars: 7.2%
10. Philadelphia Eagles: 6.7%
11. Pittsburgh Steelers: 5.8%
12. Houston Texans: 3.4%
13. Seattle Seahawks: 0.6%
14. Cincinnati Bengals: 0.6%
15. New Orleans Saints: -0.8%
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -1.5%
17. Green Bay Packers: -1.8%
18. Los Angeles Rams: -2.1%
19. Indianapolis Colts: -3.2%
20. Chicago Bears: -4.6%
21. Los Angeles Chargers: -5.5%
22. Minnesota Vikings: -5.5%
23. Las Vegas Raiders: -8.0%
24. Denver Broncos: -9.8%
25. New England Patriots: -13.5%
26. New York Jets: -15.7%
27. Tennessee Titans: -16.0%
28. Atlanta Falcons: -16.8%
29. Arizona Cardinals: -20.3%
30. Washington Commanders: -24.9%
31. New York Giants: -32.9%
32. Carolina Panthers: -35.9%
Unsurprisingly, the Baltimore Ravens top this list. Not only do they boast the best record in the league heading into the season-finale against the Steelers (13-3), but it also aligns with what we see on tape. If there's a juggernaut in the league right now, it's them. Right on their tale in DVOA rankings is the San Francisco 49ers -- a team many believe is among the top two in the league right now.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, you have bottom-dwelling teams like the Panthers, Giants, and Commanders. These teams have been particularly pitiful during the 2023 season thanks to subpar quarterback play and a talent deficiency on their rosters.
Steelers are moving up the list of DVOA rankings
Shockingly, the Pittsburgh Steelers are currently 11th in DVOA rankings heading into the season finale. When November first began, Mike Tomlin's team was 20th, so they have made major strides since then. The Steelers are now on the heels of the Philadelphia Eagles and they could crack the top 10 with a strong performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 18.
What really helps Pittsburgh is that they are 7th in Defense DVOA. Though they have some major holes at linebacker and in the secondary, they are performing above expectation. The presence of T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith on the edge certainly aids this unit.
DVOA is just one way to measure how well a team is performing, but the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't been as poor as some of their raw numbers would suggest. This team has its deficiencies, but if they can get good enough quarterback play, they might be able to win a playoff game if they find themselves in the tournament after Week 18.