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 2024 the Lions led at 32.97; the league average was 40.20.

League snapshot — 2024

League leader

DET · 32.97

League average

40.20

Best to worst

17.94

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	DET	32.97	17
2	PHI	35.55	17
3	PIT	35.64	17
4	HOU	35.91	17
5	MIN	35.94	17
6	LAC	36.16	17
7	MIA	36.59	17
8	CLE	36.82	17
9	DAL	36.95	17
10	TB	37.91	17
11	SEA	38.12	17
12	CHI	38.21	17
13	DEN	38.36	17
14	GB	38.54	17
15	WAS	39.13	17
16	NYJ	39.15	17
17	BAL	39.65	17
18	LV	40.83	17
19	LAR	41.18	17
20	NO	41.26	17
21	NYG	41.40	17
22	CIN	42.03	17
23	TEN	42.25	17
24	SF	43.26	17
25	NE	43.66	17
26	KC	43.72	17
27	ARI	44.17	17
28	JAX	44.39	17
29	BUF	45.00	17
30	IND	45.41	17
31	ATL	45.50	17
32	CAR	50.91	17

At a glance — 2024

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DET · 32.97

League laggard

CAR · 50.91

League average

40.20

Spread (max − min)

17.94

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DET	32.97	-7.23	100%
2	PHI	35.55	-4.66	96.8%
3	PIT	35.64	-4.56	93.5%
4	HOU	35.91	-4.30	90.3%
5	MIN	35.94	-4.26	87.1%
6	LAC	36.16	-4.04	83.9%
7	MIA	36.59	-3.62	80.6%
8	CLE	36.82	-3.39	77.4%
9	DAL	36.95	-3.26	74.2%
10	TB	37.91	-2.29	71%
11	SEA	38.12	-2.09	67.7%
12	CHI	38.21	-2.00	64.5%
13	DEN	38.36	-1.84	61.3%
14	GB	38.54	-1.67	58.1%
15	WAS	39.13	-1.07	54.8%
16	NYJ	39.15	-1.05	51.6%
17	BAL	39.65	-0.56	48.4%
18	LV	40.83	0.62	45.2%
19	LAR	41.18	0.97	41.9%
20	NO	41.26	1.05	38.7%
21	NYG	41.40	1.19	35.5%
22	CIN	42.03	1.82	32.3%
23	TEN	42.25	2.05	29%
24	SF	43.26	3.05	25.8%
25	NE	43.66	3.46	22.6%
26	KC	43.72	3.52	19.4%
27	ARI	44.17	3.97	16.1%
28	JAX	44.39	4.19	12.9%
29	BUF	45.00	4.80	9.7%
30	IND	45.41	5.21	6.5%
31	ATL	45.50	5.29	3.2%
32	CAR	50.91	10.70	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 2024 vs 2023

Lions lead at 32.97 — they ranked #10 last year. Panthers are last at 50.91 — #21 last year.

The league average is 40.20, up 0.69 from 39.51 last year.

Biggest riser: Eagles, #31 → #2. Biggest faller: Falcons, #3 → #31.

Spread between first and last: 17.94; 20 teams are within 3.86 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2024 vs 2023

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

ATL · +10.52

Biggest faller

PHI · −11.46

Most consistent

CIN · +0.52

League trend 2024 vs 2023

▲ 0.69

Rank	Team	2024	2023	Δ
1	ATL	45.50	34.98	+10.52
2	CAR	50.91	41.04	+9.87
3	IND	45.41	37.66	+7.76
4	CLE	36.82	29.26	+7.56
5	JAX	44.39	37.50	+6.89
6	NE	43.66	37.34	+6.32
7	BUF	45.00	38.97	+6.03
8	KC	43.72	38.01	+5.71
9	NO	41.26	35.75	+5.51
10	DEN	38.36	34.00	+4.36
11	TEN	42.25	38.96	+3.29
12	NYG	41.40	38.32	+3.08
13	BAL	39.65	37.25	+2.40
14	LAR	41.18	38.94	+2.24
15	SF	43.26	41.12	+2.13
16	NYJ	39.15	37.50	+1.65
17	CIN	42.03	41.51	+0.52
18	DAL	36.95	37.91	−0.97
19	HOU	35.91	37.17	−1.26
20	LV	40.83	42.48	−1.65
21	WAS	39.13	41.78	−2.65
22	GB	38.54	41.33	−2.80
23	MIA	36.59	39.72	−3.13
24	ARI	44.17	47.32	−3.14
25	TB	37.91	41.15	−3.24
26	PIT	35.64	39.66	−4.01
27	LAC	36.16	40.52	−4.36
28	DET	32.97	37.62	−4.65
29	MIN	35.94	41.74	−5.79
30	CHI	38.21	44.59	−6.39
31	SEA	38.12	46.32	−8.20
32	PHI	35.55	47.01	−11.46

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

Third down pct (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Vikings (30.21), 2019 Patriots (24.23), 2020 Dolphins (31.69), 2021 Bills (31.46), 2022 Commanders (32.54), 2023 Browns (29.26), 2024 Lions (32.97).

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

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2024.

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.