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 2019 the Patriots led at 16.13; the league average was 20.02.

League snapshot — 2019

League leader

NE · 16.13

League average

20.02

Best to worst

7.06

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NE	16.13	16
2	BAL	16.94	16
3	LAC	17.56	16
4	SF	17.69	16
5	PHI	17.75	16
6	BUF	18	16
7	NYJ	18.63	16
8	PIT	18.81	16
9	CHI	18.94	16
10	DEN	18.94	16
11	GB	19.13	16
12	NO	19.25	16
13	IND	20	16
14	LAR	20	16
15	DAL	20.06	16
16	MIN	20.19	16
17	CIN	20.25	16
18	TB	20.44	16
19	ATL	20.50	16
20	TEN	20.69	16
21	JAX	20.88	16
22	LV	21.13	16
23	NYG	21.25	16
24	CLE	21.31	16
25	KC	21.38	16
26	HOU	21.50	16
27	SEA	21.56	16
28	WAS	21.75	16
29	CAR	21.88	16
30	MIA	22.31	16
31	DET	22.63	16
32	ARI	23.19	16

At a glance — 2019

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NE · 16.13

League laggard

ARI · 23.19

League average

20.02

Spread (max − min)

7.06

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NE	16.13	-3.89	100%
2	BAL	16.94	-3.08	96.8%
3	LAC	17.56	-2.46	93.5%
4	SF	17.69	-2.33	90.3%
5	PHI	17.75	-2.27	87.1%
6	BUF	18	-2.02	83.9%
7	NYJ	18.63	-1.39	80.6%
8	PIT	18.81	-1.21	77.4%
9	CHI	18.94	-1.08	74.2%
10	DEN	18.94	-1.08	71%
11	GB	19.13	-0.89	67.7%
12	NO	19.25	-0.77	64.5%
13	IND	20	-0.02	61.3%
14	LAR	20	-0.02	58.1%
15	DAL	20.06	0.04	54.8%
16	MIN	20.19	0.17	51.6%
17	CIN	20.25	0.23	48.4%
18	TB	20.44	0.42	45.2%
19	ATL	20.50	0.48	41.9%
20	TEN	20.69	0.67	38.7%
21	JAX	20.88	0.86	35.5%
22	LV	21.13	1.11	32.3%
23	NYG	21.25	1.23	29%
24	CLE	21.31	1.29	25.8%
25	KC	21.38	1.36	22.6%
26	HOU	21.50	1.48	19.4%
27	SEA	21.56	1.54	16.1%
28	WAS	21.75	1.73	12.9%
29	CAR	21.88	1.86	9.7%
30	MIA	22.31	2.29	6.5%
31	DET	22.63	2.61	3.2%
32	ARI	23.19	3.17	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%

1st Down (allowed) in 2019 vs 2018

Patriots lead at 16.13 — they ranked #19 last year. Cardinals are last at 23.19 — #27 last year.

The league average is 20.02, down 0.23 from 20.25 last year.

Biggest riser: 49ers, #23 → #4. Biggest faller: Texans, #5 → #26.

Spread between first and last: 7.06; 21 teams are within 1.71 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2019 vs 2018

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

JAX · +3.13

Biggest faller

KC · −4.63

Most consistent

NYG · −0.06

League trend 2019 vs 2018

▼ -0.23

Rank	Team	2019	2018	Δ
1	JAX	20.88	17.75	+3.13
2	DET	22.63	19.56	+3.06
3	HOU	21.50	18.44	+3.06
4	CAR	21.88	19.56	+2.31
5	TEN	20.69	18.63	+2.06
6	SEA	21.56	19.88	+1.69
7	CHI	18.94	17.31	+1.63
8	LV	21.13	19.69	+1.44
9	MIN	20.19	18.75	+1.44
10	ARI	23.19	21.94	+1.25
11	WAS	21.75	20.56	+1.19
12	DAL	20.06	19.19	+0.88
13	MIA	22.31	21.63	+0.69
14	IND	20	19.63	+0.38
15	LAR	20	19.75	+0.25
16	NYG	21.25	21.31	−0.06
17	BUF	18	18.31	−0.31
18	BAL	16.94	17.50	−0.56
19	DEN	18.94	19.75	−0.81
20	PIT	18.81	19.63	−0.81
21	GB	19.13	20.38	−1.25
22	NO	19.25	20.63	−1.38
23	PHI	17.75	19.13	−1.38
24	LAC	17.56	19.13	−1.56
25	TB	20.44	22.19	−1.75
26	CLE	21.31	23.44	−2.13
27	NYJ	18.63	21.13	−2.50
28	ATL	20.50	23.31	−2.81
29	CIN	20.25	23.19	−2.94
30	SF	17.69	20.69	−3
31	NE	16.13	20.06	−3.94
32	KC	21.38	26	−4.63

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

1st Down (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (17.31), 2019 Patriots (16.13).

The best season on record is Patriots 2019 at 16.13; the worst Chiefs 2018 at 26.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2019.

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.