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 2024 the Lions led at 10.88; the league average was 12.55.

League snapshot — 2024

League leader

DET · 10.88

League average

12.55

Best to worst

2.76

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	DET	10.88	17
2	BUF	11.76	17
3	PIT	11.88	17
4	DAL	11.94	17
5	LAR	12	17
6	GB	12.06	17
7	MIA	12.06	17
8	ARI	12.12	17
9	CIN	12.18	17
10	WAS	12.18	17
11	ATL	12.41	17
12	PHI	12.41	17
13	TB	12.41	17
14	CHI	12.47	17
15	NYJ	12.47	17
16	NE	12.53	17
17	TEN	12.53	17
18	KC	12.65	17
19	NYG	12.65	17
20	SF	12.65	17
21	MIN	12.76	17
22	LV	12.82	17
23	CAR	12.94	17
24	CLE	12.94	17
25	HOU	12.94	17
26	JAX	13.12	17
27	NO	13.12	17
28	SEA	13.12	17
29	LAC	13.18	17
30	BAL	13.35	17
31	IND	13.47	17
32	DEN	13.65	17

At a glance — 2024

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DET · 10.88

League laggard

DEN · 13.65

League average

12.55

Spread (max − min)

2.76

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DET	10.88	-1.67	100%
2	BUF	11.76	-0.79	96.8%
3	PIT	11.88	-0.67	93.5%
4	DAL	11.94	-0.61	90.3%
5	LAR	12	-0.55	87.1%
6	GB	12.06	-0.49	83.9%
7	MIA	12.06	-0.49	80.6%
8	ARI	12.12	-0.43	77.4%
9	CIN	12.18	-0.38	74.2%
10	WAS	12.18	-0.38	71%
11	ATL	12.41	-0.14	67.7%
12	PHI	12.41	-0.14	64.5%
13	TB	12.41	-0.14	61.3%
14	CHI	12.47	-0.08	58.1%
15	NYJ	12.47	-0.08	54.8%
16	NE	12.53	-0.02	51.6%
17	TEN	12.53	-0.02	48.4%
18	KC	12.65	0.10	45.2%
19	NYG	12.65	0.10	41.9%
20	SF	12.65	0.10	38.7%
21	MIN	12.76	0.21	35.5%
22	LV	12.82	0.27	32.3%
23	CAR	12.94	0.39	29%
24	CLE	12.94	0.39	25.8%
25	HOU	12.94	0.39	22.6%
26	JAX	13.12	0.57	19.4%
27	NO	13.12	0.57	16.1%
28	SEA	13.12	0.57	12.9%
29	LAC	13.18	0.63	9.7%
30	BAL	13.35	0.80	6.5%
31	IND	13.47	0.92	3.2%
32	DEN	13.65	1.10	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 2024 vs 2023

Lions lead at 10.88 — they ranked #2 last year. Broncos are last at 13.65 — #1 last year.

The league average is 12.55, down 0.57 from 13.13 last year.

Biggest riser: Steelers, #27 → #3. Biggest faller: Broncos, #1 → #32.

Spread between first and last: 2.76; 21 teams are within 0.56 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2024 vs 2023

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

DEN · +1.88

Biggest faller

PIT · −1.76

Most consistent

ARI · +0.06

League trend 2024 vs 2023

▼ -0.57

Rank	Team	2024	2023	Δ
1	DEN	13.65	11.76	+1.88
2	CAR	12.94	12.47	+0.47
3	NO	13.12	13	+0.12
4	ARI	12.12	12.06	+0.06
5	NYG	12.65	12.59	+0.06
6	SF	12.65	12.59	+0.06
7	JAX	13.12	13.18	−0.06
8	CIN	12.18	12.47	−0.29
9	HOU	12.94	13.29	−0.35
10	KC	12.65	13	−0.35
11	DAL	11.94	12.41	−0.47
12	LAC	13.18	13.65	−0.47
13	LV	12.82	13.29	−0.47
14	SEA	13.12	13.59	−0.47
15	CLE	12.94	13.47	−0.53
16	MIA	12.06	12.59	−0.53
17	CHI	12.47	13.06	−0.59
18	IND	13.47	14.06	−0.59
19	ATL	12.41	13.12	−0.71
20	BUF	11.76	12.53	−0.76
21	MIN	12.76	13.53	−0.76
22	TB	12.41	13.29	−0.88
23	DET	10.88	11.88	−1
24	TEN	12.53	13.59	−1.06
25	WAS	12.18	13.24	−1.06
26	BAL	13.35	14.53	−1.18
27	GB	12.06	13.24	−1.18
28	NE	12.53	13.71	−1.18
29	LAR	12	13.29	−1.29
30	PHI	12.41	13.76	−1.35
31	NYJ	12.47	14.12	−1.65
32	PIT	11.88	13.65	−1.76

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

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), 2022 Packers (11.24), 2023 Broncos (11.76), 2024 Lions (10.88).

The best season on record is Lions 2024 at 10.88; the worst Ravens 2023 at 14.53.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2024.

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.