What Third down att (allowed) is

Third downs forced: the number of third downs opponents faced against this defense. A high count means the defense regularly won first and second down.

Lower is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P + N.

In 2021 the Chiefs led at 11.65; the league average was 12.72.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

KC · 11.65

League average

12.72

Best to worst

2.35

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	KC	11.65	17
2	BAL	11.88	17
3	DET	11.88	17
4	GB	11.94	17
5	HOU	12	17
6	ARI	12.18	17
7	CHI	12.24	17
8	IND	12.24	17
9	NE	12.29	17
10	TEN	12.35	17
11	BUF	12.53	17
12	ATL	12.59	17
13	MIN	12.59	17
14	LAC	12.65	17
15	PHI	12.65	17
16	CAR	12.71	17
17	CLE	12.82	17
18	CIN	12.88	17
19	JAX	12.88	17
20	NYJ	12.88	17
21	SF	12.88	17
22	DAL	13	17
23	DEN	13.06	17
24	LAR	13.12	17
25	SEA	13.18	17
26	NYG	13.24	17
27	WAS	13.24	17
28	TB	13.29	17
29	MIA	13.35	17
30	LV	13.41	17
31	PIT	13.59	17
32	NO	14	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

KC · 11.65

League laggard

NO · 14

League average

12.72

Spread (max − min)

2.35

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	KC	11.65	-1.08	100%
2	BAL	11.88	-0.84	96.8%
3	DET	11.88	-0.84	93.5%
4	GB	11.94	-0.78	90.3%
5	HOU	12	-0.72	87.1%
6	ARI	12.18	-0.55	83.9%
7	CHI	12.24	-0.49	80.6%
8	IND	12.24	-0.49	77.4%
9	NE	12.29	-0.43	74.2%
10	TEN	12.35	-0.37	71%
11	BUF	12.53	-0.19	67.7%
12	ATL	12.59	-0.14	64.5%
13	MIN	12.59	-0.14	61.3%
14	LAC	12.65	-0.08	58.1%
15	PHI	12.65	-0.08	54.8%
16	CAR	12.71	-0.02	51.6%
17	CLE	12.82	0.10	48.4%
18	CIN	12.88	0.16	45.2%
19	JAX	12.88	0.16	41.9%
20	NYJ	12.88	0.16	38.7%
21	SF	12.88	0.16	35.5%
22	DAL	13	0.28	32.3%
23	DEN	13.06	0.33	29%
24	LAR	13.12	0.39	25.8%
25	SEA	13.18	0.45	22.6%
26	NYG	13.24	0.51	19.4%
27	WAS	13.24	0.51	16.1%
28	TB	13.29	0.57	12.9%
29	MIA	13.35	0.63	9.7%
30	LV	13.41	0.69	6.5%
31	PIT	13.59	0.86	3.2%
32	NO	14	1.28	0%

Does Third down att (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 815–763–37 ATS (51.6%) across 2020–2025, #194 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2022 (146–118, 55.3%); its worst 2023 (128–130, 49.6%).

For picks, this is noise. One stat is not a recipe — the algorithms combine many.

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	132–122–2	52.0%
2021	272	139–131–2	51.5%
2022	271	146–118–7	55.3%
2023	272	128–130–14	49.6%
2024	272	132–131–9	50.2%
2025	272	138–131–3	51.3%

Third down att (allowed) in 2021 vs 2020

Chiefs lead at 11.65 — they ranked #5 last year. Saints are last at 14 — #22 last year.

The league average is 12.72, up 0.19 from 12.53 last year.

Biggest riser: Bears, #25 → #7. Biggest faller: Dolphins, #2 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 2.35; 22 teams are within 0.55 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

MIA · +1.92

Biggest faller

TEN · −0.90

Most consistent

BAL · +0.01

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▲ 0.19

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	MIA	13.35	11.44	+1.92
2	MIN	12.59	11.38	+1.21
3	NO	14	12.81	+1.19
4	NE	12.29	11.44	+0.86
5	JAX	12.88	12.06	+0.82
6	LV	13.41	12.63	+0.79
7	NYG	13.24	12.56	+0.67
8	SF	12.88	12.31	+0.57
9	TB	13.29	12.75	+0.54
10	BUF	12.53	12	+0.53
11	ATL	12.59	12.06	+0.53
12	CAR	12.71	12.25	+0.46
13	NYJ	12.88	12.44	+0.44
14	GB	11.94	11.56	+0.38
15	CLE	12.82	12.56	+0.26
16	LAR	13.12	13	+0.12
17	DET	11.88	11.81	+0.07
18	KC	11.65	11.63	+0.02
19	LAC	12.65	12.63	+0.02
20	BAL	11.88	11.88	+0.01
21	WAS	13.24	13.25	−0.01
22	DAL	13	13.06	−0.06
23	CIN	12.88	13.06	−0.18
24	PIT	13.59	13.88	−0.29
25	PHI	12.65	13	−0.35
26	IND	12.24	12.63	−0.39
27	ARI	12.18	12.63	−0.45
28	HOU	12	12.50	−0.50
29	DEN	13.06	13.56	−0.50
30	SEA	13.18	13.88	−0.70
31	CHI	12.24	13.06	−0.83
32	TEN	12.35	13.25	−0.90

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CHI · 11.98

Multi-year laggard

SEA · 13.46

Biggest improver

CHI · −0.38/yr

Biggest decliner

GB · +0.33/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CHI	11.98	−0.38	13.06	12.24	11.82	13.06	12.47	11.24	10
2	ARI	12.01	−0.15	12.63	12.18	11.88	12.06	12.12	11.82	11.40
3	DET	12.12	+0.24	11.81	11.88	11.88	11.88	10.88	12.47	14
4	NYG	12.23	−0.25	12.56	13.24	11.94	12.59	12.65	11.47	11.20
5	MIA	12.33	−0.16	11.44	13.35	13.53	12.59	12.06	12.18	11.20
6	GB	12.37	+0.33	11.56	11.94	11.24	13.24	12.06	12.76	13.80
7	DAL	12.39	−0.37	13.06	13	13.53	12.41	11.94	11.76	11
8	BUF	12.45	+0.06	12	12.53	13	12.53	11.76	11.94	13.40
9	NE	12.52	−0.03	11.44	12.29	14	13.71	12.53	11.71	12
10	LAC	12.56	−0.04	12.63	12.65	11.71	13.65	13.18	11.71	12.40
11	JAX	12.61	−0.07	12.06	12.88	12.88	13.18	13.12	12.76	11.40
12	CIN	12.62	−0.16	13.06	12.88	13.25	12.47	12.18	11.88	12.60
13	LAR	12.62	−0.15	13	13.12	12.12	13.29	12	13.24	11.60
14	SF	12.63	+0.08	12.31	12.88	12.65	12.59	12.65	11.12	14.20
15	KC	12.64	+0.29	11.63	11.65	13	13	12.65	13.06	13.50
16	MIN	12.67	+0.17	11.38	12.59	12.71	13.53	12.76	13.12	12.60
17	HOU	12.75	+0.11	12.50	12	12.71	13.29	12.94	13	12.80
18	CAR	12.78	+0.09	12.25	12.71	13.35	12.47	12.94	12.24	13.50
19	TEN	12.78	−0.11	13.25	12.35	13.18	13.59	12.53	11.76	12.80
20	ATL	12.82	+0.21	12.06	12.59	12.76	13.12	12.41	12.76	14
21	TB	12.83	−0.20	12.75	13.29	13.88	13.29	12.41	11.76	12.40
22	WAS	12.83	−0.07	13.25	13.24	12.29	13.24	12.18	12.41	13.20
23	IND	12.83	−0.06	12.63	12.24	13.12	14.06	13.47	12.71	11.60
24	BAL	12.89	+0.27	11.88	11.88	12.18	14.53	13.35	13.41	13
25	LV	12.91	+0.01	12.63	13.41	12.24	13.29	12.82	13.35	12.60
26	NYJ	12.94	−0.13	12.44	12.88	14.24	14.12	12.47	12.24	12.20
27	NO	12.94	−0.27	12.81	14	13.76	13	13.12	12.29	11.60
28	CLE	13.06	+0.19	12.56	12.82	12.47	13.47	12.94	13.12	14
29	PIT	13.09	−0.19	13.88	13.59	12.59	13.65	11.88	13.82	12.20
30	PHI	13.24	+0.20	13	12.65	12.94	13.76	12.41	13.29	14.60
31	DEN	13.32	+0.18	13.56	13.06	12.88	11.76	13.65	13.94	14.40
32	SEA	13.46	+0.01	13.88	13.18	13.18	13.59	13.12	13.71	13.60

Multi-year heatmap

32 teams across 7 seasons. Cells colored by quintile within each season; click a column header to jump to that year.

Team	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
KC	11.63	11.65	13	13	12.65	13.06	13.50
BAL	11.88	11.88	12.18	14.53	13.35	13.41	13
DET	11.81	11.88	11.88	11.88	10.88	12.47	14
GB	11.56	11.94	11.24	13.24	12.06	12.76	13.80
HOU	12.50	12	12.71	13.29	12.94	13	12.80
ARI	12.63	12.18	11.88	12.06	12.12	11.82	11.40
CHI	13.06	12.24	11.82	13.06	12.47	11.24	10
IND	12.63	12.24	13.12	14.06	13.47	12.71	11.60
NE	11.44	12.29	14	13.71	12.53	11.71	12
TEN	13.25	12.35	13.18	13.59	12.53	11.76	12.80
BUF	12	12.53	13	12.53	11.76	11.94	13.40
ATL	12.06	12.59	12.76	13.12	12.41	12.76	14
MIN	11.38	12.59	12.71	13.53	12.76	13.12	12.60
LAC	12.63	12.65	11.71	13.65	13.18	11.71	12.40
PHI	13	12.65	12.94	13.76	12.41	13.29	14.60
CAR	12.25	12.71	13.35	12.47	12.94	12.24	13.50
CLE	12.56	12.82	12.47	13.47	12.94	13.12	14
CIN	13.06	12.88	13.25	12.47	12.18	11.88	12.60
JAX	12.06	12.88	12.88	13.18	13.12	12.76	11.40
NYJ	12.44	12.88	14.24	14.12	12.47	12.24	12.20
SF	12.31	12.88	12.65	12.59	12.65	11.12	14.20
DAL	13.06	13	13.53	12.41	11.94	11.76	11
DEN	13.56	13.06	12.88	11.76	13.65	13.94	14.40
LAR	13	13.12	12.12	13.29	12	13.24	11.60
SEA	13.88	13.18	13.18	13.59	13.12	13.71	13.60
NYG	12.56	13.24	11.94	12.59	12.65	11.47	11.20
WAS	13.25	13.24	12.29	13.24	12.18	12.41	13.20
TB	12.75	13.29	13.88	13.29	12.41	11.76	12.40
MIA	11.44	13.35	13.53	12.59	12.06	12.18	11.20
LV	12.63	13.41	12.24	13.29	12.82	13.35	12.60
PIT	13.88	13.59	12.59	13.65	11.88	13.82	12.20
NO	12.81	14	13.76	13	13.12	12.29	11.60

Third down att (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Buccaneers (11.06), 2019 Seahawks (11.50), 2020 Vikings (11.38), 2021 Chiefs (11.65).

The best season on record is Buccaneers 2018 at 11.06; the worst Commanders 2019 at 14.13.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_team_conversions_third_down_att
Side: defensive
Family: Conversions
Data source: P + N
Polarity: lower is better
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.