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.

Through Week 8 of 2026, the Bears lead at 26.09; the league average is 40.42.

League snapshot — 2026

League leader

CHI · 26.09

League average

40.42

Best to worst

27.57

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CHI	26.09	7
2	MIN	30.77	7
3	LAC	31.33	7
4	TB	32.00	8
5	SEA	32.26	7
6	IND	32.97	8
7	LAR	33.33	8
8	PIT	35.24	8
9	JAX	36.71	7
10	NE	38.14	8
11	SF	38.30	7
12	BAL	39.62	8
13	NYG	39.76	7
14	CLE	40.00	8
15	KC	40.21	7
16	NYJ	41.41	8
17	ARI	41.49	8
18	ATL	41.82	8
19	HOU	42.05	7
20	PHI	42.24	8
21	BUF	42.39	7
22	DEN	42.50	8
23	GB	43.64	8
24	TEN	44.00	8
25	LV	44.09	8
26	WAS	44.21	7
27	DET	46.32	7
28	CAR	46.39	7
29	CIN	47.25	7
30	NO	50.00	7
31	DAL	53.40	8
32	MIA	53.66	7

At a glance — 2026

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CHI · 26.09

League laggard

MIA · 53.66

League average

40.42

Spread (max − min)

27.57

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CHI	26.09	-14.34	100%
2	MIN	30.77	-9.65	96.8%
3	LAC	31.33	-9.10	93.5%
4	TB	32.00	-8.42	90.3%
5	SEA	32.26	-8.17	87.1%
6	IND	32.97	-7.46	83.9%
7	LAR	33.33	-7.09	80.6%
8	PIT	35.24	-5.19	77.4%
9	JAX	36.71	-3.72	74.2%
10	NE	38.14	-2.28	71%
11	SF	38.30	-2.13	67.7%
12	BAL	39.62	-0.80	64.5%
13	NYG	39.76	-0.66	61.3%
14	CLE	40.00	-0.42	58.1%
15	KC	40.21	-0.22	54.8%
16	NYJ	41.41	0.99	51.6%
17	ARI	41.49	1.07	48.4%
18	ATL	41.82	1.39	45.2%
19	HOU	42.05	1.62	41.9%
20	PHI	42.24	1.82	38.7%
21	BUF	42.39	1.97	35.5%
22	DEN	42.50	2.08	32.3%
23	GB	43.64	3.21	29%
24	TEN	44.00	3.58	25.8%
25	LV	44.09	3.66	22.6%
26	WAS	44.21	3.79	19.4%
27	DET	46.32	5.89	16.1%
28	CAR	46.39	5.97	12.9%
29	CIN	47.25	6.83	9.7%
30	NO	50.00	9.58	6.5%
31	DAL	53.40	12.97	3.2%
32	MIA	53.66	13.23	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 2026 vs 2025

Bears lead at 26.09 — they ranked #19 last year. Dolphins are last at 53.66 — #18 last year.

The league average is 40.42, up 0.17 from 40.25 last year.

Biggest riser: Colts, #26 → #6. Biggest faller: Saints, #5 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 27.57; 21 teams are within 6.37 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2026 vs 2025

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NO · +14.11

Biggest faller

CHI · −14.75

Most consistent

BUF · +0.03

League trend 2026 vs 2025

▲ 0.17

Rank	Team	2026	2025	Δ
1	NO	50.00	35.89	+14.11
2	MIA	53.66	40.58	+13.08
3	DET	46.32	37.26	+9.05
4	DEN	42.50	33.76	+8.74
5	DAL	53.40	47.50	+5.90
6	HOU	42.05	37.10	+4.94
7	CIN	47.25	44.06	+3.19
8	GB	43.64	40.55	+3.08
9	CLE	40.00	37.22	+2.78
10	TEN	44.00	41.50	+2.50
11	NYJ	41.41	38.94	+2.47
12	WAS	44.21	42.18	+2.03
13	ATL	41.82	40.09	+1.73
14	BAL	39.62	38.16	+1.46
15	PHI	42.24	41.59	+0.65
16	BUF	42.39	42.36	+0.03
17	NYG	39.76	40.00	−0.24
18	NE	38.14	38.69	−0.55
19	SEA	32.26	33.05	−0.79
20	CAR	46.39	48.08	−1.69
21	LV	44.09	46.70	−2.61
22	SF	38.30	41.27	−2.97
23	LAR	33.33	36.44	−3.11
24	ARI	41.49	44.78	−3.29
25	MIN	30.77	34.53	−3.76
26	JAX	36.71	40.55	−3.84
27	LAC	31.33	35.18	−3.85
28	KC	40.21	44.14	−3.94
29	PIT	35.24	42.55	−7.32
30	TB	32.00	39.50	−7.50
31	IND	32.97	43.06	−10.09
32	CHI	26.09	40.84	−14.75

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

MIN · 37.00

Multi-year laggard

CAR · 45.39

Biggest improver

LAC · −2.60/yr

Biggest decliner

MIA · +2.06/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	MIN	37.00	−1.30	40.66	36.45	38.89	41.74	35.94	34.53	30.77
2	BAL	37.19	+0.88	34.74	35.15	35.75	37.25	39.65	38.16	39.62
3	TB	38.26	−0.85	40.20	38.94	38.14	41.15	37.91	39.50	32.00
4	LAR	38.28	−0.60	35.58	41.70	40.78	38.94	41.18	36.44	33.33
5	CLE	38.36	−0.84	44.78	39.91	40.57	29.26	36.82	37.22	40.00
6	PIT	38.40	−0.08	37.84	37.23	40.65	39.66	35.64	42.55	35.24
7	DEN	38.48	−0.53	41.01	45.50	34.25	34.00	38.36	33.76	42.50
8	LAC	39.59	−2.60	44.55	50.23	39.20	40.52	36.16	35.18	31.33
9	BUF	39.61	+1.35	39.58	31.46	37.50	38.97	45.00	42.36	42.39
10	NE	39.70	−0.20	41.53	37.80	40.76	37.34	43.66	38.69	38.14
11	CHI	39.87	−1.75	38.28	41.35	49.75	44.59	38.21	40.84	26.09
12	SEA	39.95	−2.27	47.75	39.29	42.86	46.32	38.12	33.05	32.26
13	NO	40.10	+1.10	38.54	37.39	41.88	35.75	41.26	35.89	50.00
14	NYG	40.16	−0.44	45.27	40.89	35.47	38.32	41.40	40.00	39.76
15	IND	40.23	−0.70	43.07	41.35	38.12	37.66	45.41	43.06	32.97
16	SF	40.43	+0.25	36.55	41.55	40.93	41.12	43.26	41.27	38.30
17	HOU	40.66	−1.29	48.00	44.12	40.28	37.17	35.91	37.10	42.05
18	GB	40.73	+0.24	40.00	42.86	38.22	41.33	38.54	40.55	43.64
19	MIA	40.89	+2.06	31.69	41.85	42.17	39.72	36.59	40.58	53.66
20	NYJ	40.91	−0.88	45.73	45.21	38.43	37.50	39.15	38.94	41.41
21	WAS	41.19	+0.27	39.15	49.33	32.54	41.78	39.13	42.18	44.21
22	KC	41.25	+0.19	41.94	40.91	39.82	38.01	43.72	44.14	40.21
23	PHI	41.36	−0.03	39.42	44.19	39.55	47.01	35.55	41.59	42.24
24	TEN	41.51	−0.30	52.36	37.14	34.38	38.96	42.25	41.50	44.00
25	JAX	41.64	−1.09	45.08	43.84	43.38	37.50	44.39	40.55	36.71
26	DET	42.13	−1.33	48.68	45.54	46.53	37.62	32.97	37.26	46.32
27	DAL	42.32	+1.48	47.85	34.39	38.26	37.91	36.95	47.50	53.40
28	ARI	42.80	+0.63	40.10	38.65	43.07	47.32	44.17	44.78	41.49
29	ATL	42.92	−0.73	41.97	49.53	46.54	34.98	45.50	40.09	41.82
30	CIN	42.99	+0.58	43.54	42.47	40.09	41.51	42.03	44.06	47.25
31	LV	43.88	−0.23	49.50	40.79	42.79	42.48	40.83	46.70	44.09
32	CAR	45.39	+0.52	51.02	38.43	41.85	41.04	50.91	48.08	46.39

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
CHI	38.28	41.35	49.75	44.59	38.21	40.84	26.09
MIN	40.66	36.45	38.89	41.74	35.94	34.53	30.77
LAC	44.55	50.23	39.20	40.52	36.16	35.18	31.33
TB	40.20	38.94	38.14	41.15	37.91	39.50	32.00
SEA	47.75	39.29	42.86	46.32	38.12	33.05	32.26
IND	43.07	41.35	38.12	37.66	45.41	43.06	32.97
LAR	35.58	41.70	40.78	38.94	41.18	36.44	33.33
PIT	37.84	37.23	40.65	39.66	35.64	42.55	35.24
JAX	45.08	43.84	43.38	37.50	44.39	40.55	36.71
NE	41.53	37.80	40.76	37.34	43.66	38.69	38.14
SF	36.55	41.55	40.93	41.12	43.26	41.27	38.30
BAL	34.74	35.15	35.75	37.25	39.65	38.16	39.62
NYG	45.27	40.89	35.47	38.32	41.40	40.00	39.76
CLE	44.78	39.91	40.57	29.26	36.82	37.22	40.00
KC	41.94	40.91	39.82	38.01	43.72	44.14	40.21
NYJ	45.73	45.21	38.43	37.50	39.15	38.94	41.41
ARI	40.10	38.65	43.07	47.32	44.17	44.78	41.49
ATL	41.97	49.53	46.54	34.98	45.50	40.09	41.82
HOU	48.00	44.12	40.28	37.17	35.91	37.10	42.05
PHI	39.42	44.19	39.55	47.01	35.55	41.59	42.24
BUF	39.58	31.46	37.50	38.97	45.00	42.36	42.39
DEN	41.01	45.50	34.25	34.00	38.36	33.76	42.50
GB	40.00	42.86	38.22	41.33	38.54	40.55	43.64
TEN	52.36	37.14	34.38	38.96	42.25	41.50	44.00
LV	49.50	40.79	42.79	42.48	40.83	46.70	44.09
WAS	39.15	49.33	32.54	41.78	39.13	42.18	44.21
DET	48.68	45.54	46.53	37.62	32.97	37.26	46.32
CAR	51.02	38.43	41.85	41.04	50.91	48.08	46.39
CIN	43.54	42.47	40.09	41.51	42.03	44.06	47.25
NO	38.54	37.39	41.88	35.75	41.26	35.89	50.00
DAL	47.85	34.39	38.26	37.91	36.95	47.50	53.40
MIA	31.69	41.85	42.17	39.72	36.59	40.58	53.66

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), 2025 Seahawks (33.05), 2026 Bears (26.09).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 24.23; the worst Dolphins 2026 at 53.66.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2026.

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.