What 1st Down (allowed) is

First downs allowed: the number of times opponents earned a new set of downs against this defense, by run, pass or penalty. Sustained drives against the defense show up here first.

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

In 2018 the Bears led at 17.31; the league average was 20.25.

League snapshot — 2018

League leader

CHI · 17.31

League average

20.25

Best to worst

8.69

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CHI	17.31	16
2	BAL	17.50	16
3	JAX	17.75	16
4	BUF	18.31	16
5	HOU	18.44	16
6	TEN	18.63	16
7	MIN	18.75	16
8	LAC	19.13	16
9	PHI	19.13	16
10	DAL	19.19	16
11	CAR	19.56	16
12	DET	19.56	16
13	IND	19.63	16
14	PIT	19.63	16
15	LV	19.69	16
16	DEN	19.75	16
17	LAR	19.75	16
18	SEA	19.88	16
19	NE	20.06	16
20	GB	20.38	16
21	WAS	20.56	16
22	NO	20.63	16
23	SF	20.69	16
24	NYJ	21.13	16
25	NYG	21.31	16
26	MIA	21.63	16
27	ARI	21.94	16
28	TB	22.19	16
29	CIN	23.19	16
30	ATL	23.31	16
31	CLE	23.44	16
32	KC	26	16

At a glance — 2018

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CHI · 17.31

League laggard

KC · 26

League average

20.25

Spread (max − min)

8.69

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CHI	17.31	-2.94	100%
2	BAL	17.50	-2.75	96.8%
3	JAX	17.75	-2.50	93.5%
4	BUF	18.31	-1.94	90.3%
5	HOU	18.44	-1.81	87.1%
6	TEN	18.63	-1.63	83.9%
7	MIN	18.75	-1.50	80.6%
8	LAC	19.13	-1.13	77.4%
9	PHI	19.13	-1.13	74.2%
10	DAL	19.19	-1.06	71%
11	CAR	19.56	-0.69	67.7%
12	DET	19.56	-0.69	64.5%
13	IND	19.63	-0.63	61.3%
14	PIT	19.63	-0.63	58.1%
15	LV	19.69	-0.56	54.8%
16	DEN	19.75	-0.50	51.6%
17	LAR	19.75	-0.50	48.4%
18	SEA	19.88	-0.38	45.2%
19	NE	20.06	-0.19	41.9%
20	GB	20.38	0.13	38.7%
21	WAS	20.56	0.31	35.5%
22	NO	20.63	0.38	32.3%
23	SF	20.69	0.44	29%
24	NYJ	21.13	0.88	25.8%
25	NYG	21.31	1.06	22.6%
26	MIA	21.63	1.38	19.4%
27	ARI	21.94	1.69	16.1%
28	TB	22.19	1.94	12.9%
29	CIN	23.19	2.94	9.7%
30	ATL	23.31	3.06	6.5%
31	CLE	23.44	3.19	3.2%
32	KC	26	5.75	0%

Does 1st Down (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 819–759–37 ATS (51.9%) across 2020–2025, #176 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (146–108, 57.5%); its worst 2024 (121–142, 46.0%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	146–108–2	57.5%
2021	272	135–135–2	50.0%
2022	271	146–118–7	55.3%
2023	272	129–129–14	50.0%
2024	272	121–142–9	46.0%
2025	272	142–127–3	52.8%

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

CLE · 18.43

Multi-year laggard

DET · 22.00

Biggest improver

MIN · −1.54/yr

Biggest decliner

BUF · +0.53/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	CLE	18.43	−0.41	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71	20
2	SF	18.45	−0.05	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06	17
3	NE	18.59	−0.40	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59	17
4	PIT	18.79	+0.04	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47	17.60
5	CHI	18.82	−0.54	20.19	18.53	21.12	17.94	19	20.35	14.60
6	TB	18.98	−0.40	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47	16.80
7	LAR	19.02	−0.04	17.50	20.35	19.41	19.18	19.94	18.76	18
8	DEN	19.13	−0.18	20.75	18.18	18.88	20.29	18.94	17.06	19.80
9	LAC	19.17	−0.55	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41	18.80
10	NO	19.19	+0.41	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35	22.20
11	MIN	19.24	−1.54	22.75	22.71	21.06	19.24	18.88	17.47	12.60
12	KC	19.46	−0.54	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06	19.75
13	BAL	19.50	−0.19	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53	19.80
14	GB	19.53	−0.05	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35	20
15	MIA	19.62	−0.02	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06	20.60
16	WAS	19.69	+0.53	17.81	20	16.65	21.41	19.59	22	20.40
17	PHI	19.76	−0.23	20.94	20.71	19	20.94	17.12	19.24	20.40
18	TEN	19.93	−0.57	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53	19.20
19	BUF	19.94	+0.53	21.75	16.53	19.38	18.18	20.65	17.53	25.60
20	HOU	20.06	−1.13	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16	18.80
21	IND	20.06	+0.03	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53	19.20
22	SEA	20.16	−1.29	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88	16
23	CIN	20.31	+0.06	21.31	19.82	18.31	20.53	21.12	20.65	20.40
24	JAX	20.35	−0.70	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65	18
25	NYJ	20.36	−0.51	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47	19.20
26	LV	20.37	−0.46	23.31	20.41	21.06	19.24	18.76	19.24	20.60
27	DAL	20.38	+0.27	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59	22.80
28	ATL	20.40	−0.61	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12	19.20
29	CAR	20.41	+0.09	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88	21
30	NYG	20.74	−0.31	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94	19.80
31	ARI	21.06	−0.03	22.44	19.35	21.18	21.47	20.06	22.29	20.60
32	DET	22.00	−0.19	25.63	21.82	22	19.65	19.18	19.12	26.60

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
MIN	22.75	22.71	21.06	19.24	18.88	17.47	12.60
CHI	20.19	18.53	21.12	17.94	19	20.35	14.60
SEA	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88	16
TB	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47	16.80
NE	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59	17
SF	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06	17
PIT	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47	17.60
JAX	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65	18
LAR	17.50	20.35	19.41	19.18	19.94	18.76	18
HOU	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16	18.80
LAC	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41	18.80
ATL	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12	19.20
IND	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53	19.20
NYJ	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47	19.20
TEN	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53	19.20
KC	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06	19.75
BAL	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53	19.80
DEN	20.75	18.18	18.88	20.29	18.94	17.06	19.80
NYG	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94	19.80
CLE	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71	20
GB	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35	20
CIN	21.31	19.82	18.31	20.53	21.12	20.65	20.40
PHI	20.94	20.71	19	20.94	17.12	19.24	20.40
WAS	17.81	20	16.65	21.41	19.59	22	20.40
ARI	22.44	19.35	21.18	21.47	20.06	22.29	20.60
LV	23.31	20.41	21.06	19.24	18.76	19.24	20.60
MIA	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06	20.60
CAR	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88	21
NO	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35	22.20
DAL	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59	22.80
BUF	21.75	16.53	19.38	18.18	20.65	17.53	25.60
DET	25.63	21.82	22	19.65	19.18	19.12	26.60

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2018.

About this stat

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