With defensive touchdowns, you're generally chasing relatively low annual production. On average, teams get about 2-3 per season; that's both defensive and special teams scores. But some are definitely better than others, and some are far worse.
The teams at the top aren't surprising. Kansas City (12) and Philadelphia (10) lead the way over the past two seasons, along with Detroit and Jacksonville (also 10). The Eagles have been the most consistent; the only team with 5 defensive or special teams touchdowns in each of the last two seasons. Jacksonville (8 in 2017) and Detroit (7) were best a year ago (Baltimore also had 7), pushing them up among the league's best in 2016-2017.
| D/ST TOUCHDOWNS, 2016-2017 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team | Bk | KR | FR | INT | Total | Pts |
| Kansas City | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 12 | 76 |
| Philadelphia | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 62 |
| Detroit | 0 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 64 |
| Jacksonville | 0 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 10 | 62 |
| Baltimore | 1 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 56 |
| LA Chargers | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 9 | 56 |
| Chicago | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 52 |
| Minnesota | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 52 |
| Denver | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 50 |
| Tampa Bay | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 50 |
| Miami | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 48 |
| LA Rams | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 46 |
| Atlanta | 0 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 42 |
| Seattle | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 42 |
| Houston | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 40 |
| Carolina | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 38 |
| NY Giants | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 38 |
| Buffalo | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 36 |
| Arizona | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 34 |
| New Orleans | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 32 |
| Indianapolis | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 22 |
| Pittsburgh | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 22 |
| Cincinnati | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 20 |
| Washington | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 18 |
| New England | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16 |
| Cleveland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 12 |
| Dallas | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Green Bay | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
| Tennessee | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 12 |
| San Francisco | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 |
| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| NY Jets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
Teams are sorted by points, which also include safeties. The worst teams in this regard over the past two seasons are the 49ers, Jets and Raiders. And the Jets are definitely the least opportunistic.
With the Bay Area teams, at least they picked off a pass and ran it in for a touchdown. The Jets' lone touchdown over the past two seasons was pretty much luck. They kicked off to Buffalo in Week 17 of the 2016 season, and for some reason the Bills failed to cover the kick in their own end zone. New York fell on the loose ball. That's their lone special teams score the last two years.
--Andy Richardson