Pace is how quickly an offense snaps the ball, measured as seconds of game clock between consecutive plays. A fast offense sits under 26 seconds per snap in neutral script; a slow one runs past 31. Pace decides how many plays a game has, and plays are the raw material of every yard, point and fantasy stat, which is why projections check pace before anything else.
Updated Sept. 16, 2026.
Through Week 1, in neutral script the Green Bay Packers snap the ball every 22.8 seconds, faster than 96.4% of every team's start through the same week since 1999. The Cleveland Browns are slowest at 38.8 seconds.
Measured as game-clock seconds between consecutive snaps by the same offense on the same drive, in neutral script, ignoring gaps over 45 seconds (timeouts, reviews, injuries).
| # | Team | Sec / snap | Snaps |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Green Bay Packers | 22.8 | 16 |
| 2 | Tennessee Titans | 25.4 | 15 |
| 3 | Carolina Panthers | 25.5 | 26 |
| 4 | New Orleans Saints | 25.6 | 31 |
| 5 | Cincinnati Bengals | 26.5 | 17 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 28.5 | 36 |
| 7 | Los Angeles Rams | 28.6 | 17 |
| 8 | Kansas City Chiefs | 28.9 | 28 |
| 9 | Washington Commanders | 29.2 | 36 |
| 10 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 29.8 | 12 |
| 11 | Chicago Bears | 29.9 | 34 |
| 12 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 31.1 | 11 |
| 13 | Atlanta Falcons | 31.5 | 33 |
| 14 | Arizona Cardinals | 31.8 | 38 |
| 15 | Philadelphia Eagles | 32.0 | 33 |
| 16 | Dallas Cowboys | 32.1 | 16 |
| 17 | New England Patriots | 32.3 | 43 |
| 18 | Buffalo Bills | 32.3 | 31 |
| 19 | Detroit Lions | 32.5 | 39 |
| 20 | Houston Texans | 32.5 | 43 |
| 21 | Seattle Seahawks | 32.6 | 21 |
| 22 | San Francisco 49ers | 33.1 | 33 |
| 23 | Baltimore Ravens | 33.1 | 17 |
| 24 | Los Angeles Chargers | 33.4 | 27 |
| 25 | Las Vegas Raiders | 33.6 | 26 |
| 26 | Denver Broncos | 33.8 | 12 |
| 27 | Indianapolis Colts | 34.0 | 13 |
| 28 | Minnesota Vikings | 34.2 | 10 |
| 29 | New York Giants | 34.5 | 41 |
| 30 | Miami Dolphins | 36.0 | 9 |
| 31 | New York Jets | 37.9 | 27 |
| 32 | Cleveland Browns | 38.8 | 6 |
Two offenses with identical efficiency will produce different totals if one runs 70 plays a game and the other runs 58. Pace is most of that difference. It is measured in neutral script so that hurry-up drives when trailing and clock-killing when leading do not hide the coach's preference.
Pace is a strategic choice with tradeoffs. Playing fast keeps the defense from substituting and tires pass rushers, but it also gives the ball back sooner and exposes a bad defense to more snaps. Teams with strong offenses and weak defenses tend to play slow to shorten the game; teams that believe their offense can win a track meet play fast.
For betting, pace is one of the two inputs to the expected number of plays, which drives totals. For fantasy, it is a multiplier on every projection: a receiver moving to a team that runs eight more plays a game gets eight more chances a game at the same target share.
The 2013 Eagles under Chip Kelly ran a snap every 22 seconds in neutral situations and led the league in plays; the 2019 Ravens sat near the bottom in pace yet led the league in plays because their drives never ended. Pace and drive length together explain the play count.
Pace = game-clock seconds between consecutive snaps by the same offense on the same drive, averaged, usually restricted to neutral script and excluding gaps over 40 to 45 seconds (timeouts, reviews, injuries). Plays per game is the simpler proxy but is contaminated by game script and turnovers.
Under 26 seconds per snap in neutral script is fast; the league averages about 28 to 29; over 31 is deliberate. Full-game averages run higher than neutral-script numbers because leading teams slow down late.
Directly. Expected plays = time of possession / pace, and expected points = plays times efficiency. A matchup of two fast offenses supports a higher total even at average efficiency, which is why sharp totals models start with pace.
Yes, as a multiplier. More plays mean more targets and carries at the same share. A coaching change that moves a team from slow to fast can add 5 to 8 plays a game, which is worth several fantasy points a week across the skill positions.
Category: Stats & Analytics. Part of the StickToTheModel NFL Encyclopedia.