What Third down pct (allowed) is

Third-down conversion rate allowed: third downs opponents converted divided by third downs they faced against this defense, as a percentage. The share of third downs the defense failed to get off the field on.

Lower is better. It is a rate, so a team's number does not grow with games played. Source: P + N.

In 2020 the Dolphins led at 31.69; the league average was 42.37.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

MIA · 31.69

League average

42.37

Best to worst

20.66

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	MIA	31.69	16
2	BAL	34.74	16
3	LAR	35.58	16
4	SF	36.55	16
5	PIT	37.84	16
6	CHI	38.28	16
7	NO	38.54	16
8	WAS	39.15	16
9	PHI	39.42	16
10	BUF	39.58	16
11	GB	40.00	16
12	ARI	40.10	16
13	TB	40.20	16
14	MIN	40.66	16
15	DEN	41.01	16
16	NE	41.53	16
17	KC	41.94	16
18	ATL	41.97	16
19	IND	43.07	16
20	CIN	43.54	16
21	LAC	44.55	16
22	CLE	44.78	16
23	JAX	45.08	16
24	NYG	45.27	16
25	NYJ	45.73	16
26	SEA	47.75	16
27	DAL	47.85	16
28	HOU	48.00	16
29	DET	48.68	16
30	LV	49.50	16
31	CAR	51.02	16
32	TEN	52.36	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

MIA · 31.69

League laggard

TEN · 52.36

League average

42.37

Spread (max − min)

20.66

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	MIA	31.69	-10.68	100%
2	BAL	34.74	-7.64	96.8%
3	LAR	35.58	-6.80	93.5%
4	SF	36.55	-5.83	90.3%
5	PIT	37.84	-4.54	87.1%
6	CHI	38.28	-4.10	83.9%
7	NO	38.54	-3.84	80.6%
8	WAS	39.15	-3.22	77.4%
9	PHI	39.42	-2.95	74.2%
10	BUF	39.58	-2.79	71%
11	GB	40.00	-2.37	67.7%
12	ARI	40.10	-2.27	64.5%
13	TB	40.20	-2.18	61.3%
14	MIN	40.66	-1.71	58.1%
15	DEN	41.01	-1.36	54.8%
16	NE	41.53	-0.84	51.6%
17	KC	41.94	-0.44	48.4%
18	ATL	41.97	-0.40	45.2%
19	IND	43.07	0.70	41.9%
20	CIN	43.54	1.17	38.7%
21	LAC	44.55	2.18	35.5%
22	CLE	44.78	2.40	32.3%
23	JAX	45.08	2.70	29%
24	NYG	45.27	2.90	25.8%
25	NYJ	45.73	3.36	22.6%
26	SEA	47.75	5.37	19.4%
27	DAL	47.85	5.47	16.1%
28	HOU	48.00	5.63	12.9%
29	DET	48.68	6.30	9.7%
30	LV	49.50	7.13	6.5%
31	CAR	51.02	8.65	3.2%
32	TEN	52.36	9.99	0%

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

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 803–775–37 ATS (50.9%) across 2020–2025, #225 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (141–113, 55.5%); its worst 2023 (115–143, 44.6%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	141–113–2	55.5%
2021	272	143–127–2	53.0%
2022	271	130–134–7	49.2%
2023	272	115–143–14	44.6%
2024	272	137–126–9	52.1%
2025	272	137–132–3	50.9%

Third down pct (allowed) in 2020 vs 2019

Dolphins lead at 31.69 — they ranked #23 last year. Titans are last at 52.36 — #7 last year.

The league average is 42.37, up 2.68 from 39.69 last year.

Biggest riser: Commanders, #32 → #8. Biggest faller: Titans, #7 → #32.

Spread between first and last: 20.66; 21 teams are within 4.83 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NE · +17.30

Biggest faller

WAS · −10.85

Most consistent

CIN · +0.06

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▲ 2.68

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	NE	41.53	24.23	+17.30
2	TEN	52.36	36.45	+15.91
3	DAL	47.85	34.67	+13.17
4	CAR	51.02	41.18	+9.84
5	SEA	47.75	38.59	+9.16
6	LV	49.50	43.09	+6.42
7	NYJ	45.73	39.64	+6.09
8	TB	40.20	34.40	+5.79
9	NYG	45.27	40.19	+5.09
10	PHI	39.42	34.63	+4.79
11	CLE	44.78	40.41	+4.36
12	DET	48.68	44.98	+3.70
13	KC	41.94	38.31	+3.63
14	DEN	41.01	37.44	+3.57
15	BUF	39.58	36.19	+3.39
16	JAX	45.08	42.33	+2.75
17	SF	36.55	34.20	+2.35
18	NO	38.54	36.54	+2.00
19	ATL	41.97	40.31	+1.65
20	GB	40.00	38.58	+1.42
21	PIT	37.84	36.54	+1.30
22	CHI	38.28	37.02	+1.26
23	MIN	40.66	39.91	+0.75
24	CIN	43.54	43.48	+0.06
25	IND	43.07	43.81	−0.75
26	HOU	48.00	49.75	−1.75
27	LAC	44.55	46.39	−1.84
28	BAL	34.74	37.11	−2.38
29	LAR	35.58	40.09	−4.52
30	ARI	40.10	47.42	−7.32
31	MIA	31.69	42.27	−10.57
32	WAS	39.15	50.00	−10.85

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

MIN · 36.00

Multi-year laggard

CAR · 44.84

Biggest improver

LAC · −2.50/yr

Biggest decliner

MIA · +2.24/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	MIN	36.00	−2.05	40.66	36.45	38.89	41.74	35.94	34.53	23.81
2	BAL	37.46	+1.08	34.74	35.15	35.75	37.25	39.65	38.16	41.54
3	PIT	38.29	−0.16	37.84	37.23	40.65	39.66	35.64	42.55	34.43
4	LAR	38.44	−0.48	35.58	41.70	40.78	38.94	41.18	36.44	34.48
5	TB	38.53	−0.65	40.20	38.94	38.14	41.15	37.91	39.50	33.87
6	CLE	38.57	−0.68	44.78	39.91	40.57	29.26	36.82	37.22	41.43
7	DEN	38.96	−0.18	41.01	45.50	34.25	34.00	38.36	33.76	45.83
8	LAC	39.73	−2.50	44.55	50.23	39.20	40.52	36.16	35.18	32.26
9	NE	39.73	−0.17	41.53	37.80	40.76	37.34	43.66	38.69	38.33
10	BUF	39.74	+1.44	39.58	31.46	37.50	38.97	45.00	42.36	43.28
11	CHI	39.86	−1.76	38.28	41.35	49.75	44.59	38.21	40.84	26.00
12	NYJ	39.91	−1.63	45.73	45.21	38.43	37.50	39.15	38.94	34.43
13	IND	39.96	−0.91	43.07	41.35	38.12	37.66	45.41	43.06	31.03
14	NO	40.10	+1.10	38.54	37.39	41.88	35.75	41.26	35.89	50.00
15	SEA	40.17	−2.11	47.75	39.29	42.86	46.32	38.12	33.05	33.82
16	HOU	40.23	−1.61	48.00	44.12	40.28	37.17	35.91	37.10	39.06
17	SF	40.79	+0.52	36.55	41.55	40.93	41.12	43.26	41.27	40.85
18	TEN	40.81	−0.83	52.36	37.14	34.38	38.96	42.25	41.50	39.06
19	PHI	41.00	−0.30	39.42	44.19	39.55	47.01	35.55	41.59	39.73
20	KC	41.06	+0.04	41.94	40.91	39.82	38.01	43.72	44.14	38.89
21	NYG	41.11	+0.27	45.27	40.89	35.47	38.32	41.40	40.00	46.43
22	MIA	41.14	+2.24	31.69	41.85	42.17	39.72	36.59	40.58	55.36
23	GB	41.33	+0.69	40.00	42.86	38.22	41.33	38.54	40.55	47.83
24	WAS	41.37	+0.40	39.15	49.33	32.54	41.78	39.13	42.18	45.45
25	JAX	41.65	−1.08	45.08	43.84	43.38	37.50	44.39	40.55	36.84
26	DAL	42.49	+1.61	47.85	34.39	38.26	37.91	36.95	47.50	54.55
27	CIN	42.82	+0.45	43.54	42.47	40.09	41.51	42.03	44.06	46.03
28	ATL	42.86	−0.77	41.97	49.53	46.54	34.98	45.50	40.09	41.43
29	DET	42.86	−0.78	48.68	45.54	46.53	37.62	32.97	37.26	51.43
30	ARI	43.13	+0.88	40.10	38.65	43.07	47.32	44.17	44.78	43.86
31	LV	43.71	−0.36	49.50	40.79	42.79	42.48	40.83	46.70	42.86
32	CAR	44.84	+0.11	51.02	38.43	41.85	41.04	50.91	48.08	42.59

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
MIA	31.69	41.85	42.17	39.72	36.59	40.58	55.36
BAL	34.74	35.15	35.75	37.25	39.65	38.16	41.54
LAR	35.58	41.70	40.78	38.94	41.18	36.44	34.48
SF	36.55	41.55	40.93	41.12	43.26	41.27	40.85
PIT	37.84	37.23	40.65	39.66	35.64	42.55	34.43
CHI	38.28	41.35	49.75	44.59	38.21	40.84	26.00
NO	38.54	37.39	41.88	35.75	41.26	35.89	50.00
WAS	39.15	49.33	32.54	41.78	39.13	42.18	45.45
PHI	39.42	44.19	39.55	47.01	35.55	41.59	39.73
BUF	39.58	31.46	37.50	38.97	45.00	42.36	43.28
GB	40.00	42.86	38.22	41.33	38.54	40.55	47.83
ARI	40.10	38.65	43.07	47.32	44.17	44.78	43.86
TB	40.20	38.94	38.14	41.15	37.91	39.50	33.87
MIN	40.66	36.45	38.89	41.74	35.94	34.53	23.81
DEN	41.01	45.50	34.25	34.00	38.36	33.76	45.83
NE	41.53	37.80	40.76	37.34	43.66	38.69	38.33
KC	41.94	40.91	39.82	38.01	43.72	44.14	38.89
ATL	41.97	49.53	46.54	34.98	45.50	40.09	41.43
IND	43.07	41.35	38.12	37.66	45.41	43.06	31.03
CIN	43.54	42.47	40.09	41.51	42.03	44.06	46.03
LAC	44.55	50.23	39.20	40.52	36.16	35.18	32.26
CLE	44.78	39.91	40.57	29.26	36.82	37.22	41.43
JAX	45.08	43.84	43.38	37.50	44.39	40.55	36.84
NYG	45.27	40.89	35.47	38.32	41.40	40.00	46.43
NYJ	45.73	45.21	38.43	37.50	39.15	38.94	34.43
SEA	47.75	39.29	42.86	46.32	38.12	33.05	33.82
DAL	47.85	34.39	38.26	37.91	36.95	47.50	54.55
HOU	48.00	44.12	40.28	37.17	35.91	37.10	39.06
DET	48.68	45.54	46.53	37.62	32.97	37.26	51.43
LV	49.50	40.79	42.79	42.48	40.83	46.70	42.86
CAR	51.02	38.43	41.85	41.04	50.91	48.08	42.59
TEN	52.36	37.14	34.38	38.96	42.25	41.50	39.06

Third down pct (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Vikings (30.21), 2019 Patriots (24.23), 2020 Dolphins (31.69).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 24.23; the worst Titans 2020 at 52.36.

The league average has risen from 39.81 in 2018 to 42.37 in 2020.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

About this stat

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