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 2020 the Steelers led at 17.38; the league average was 21.43.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

PIT · 17.38

League average

21.43

Best to worst

8.25

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	PIT	17.38	16
2	LAR	17.50	16
3	WAS	17.81	16
4	SF	19.13	16
5	NO	19.56	16
6	TB	19.81	16
7	LAC	20	16
8	CHI	20.19	16
9	IND	20.31	16
10	GB	20.44	16
11	MIA	20.69	16
12	DEN	20.75	16
13	PHI	20.94	16
14	NE	21.13	16
15	CIN	21.31	16
16	BAL	21.38	16
17	BUF	21.75	16
18	CLE	21.81	16
19	KC	21.81	16
20	NYG	21.81	16
21	CAR	22.06	16
22	DAL	22.31	16
23	ARI	22.44	16
24	ATL	22.69	16
25	MIN	22.75	16
26	LV	23.31	16
27	SEA	23.31	16
28	NYJ	23.50	16
29	HOU	24.06	16
30	JAX	24.13	16
31	TEN	24.13	16
32	DET	25.63	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

PIT · 17.38

League laggard

DET · 25.63

League average

21.43

Spread (max − min)

8.25

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	PIT	17.38	-4.06	100%
2	LAR	17.50	-3.93	96.8%
3	WAS	17.81	-3.62	93.5%
4	SF	19.13	-2.31	90.3%
5	NO	19.56	-1.87	87.1%
6	TB	19.81	-1.62	83.9%
7	LAC	20	-1.43	80.6%
8	CHI	20.19	-1.24	77.4%
9	IND	20.31	-1.12	74.2%
10	GB	20.44	-0.99	71%
11	MIA	20.69	-0.74	67.7%
12	DEN	20.75	-0.68	64.5%
13	PHI	20.94	-0.49	61.3%
14	NE	21.13	-0.31	58.1%
15	CIN	21.31	-0.12	54.8%
16	BAL	21.38	-0.06	51.6%
17	BUF	21.75	0.32	48.4%
18	CLE	21.81	0.38	45.2%
19	KC	21.81	0.38	41.9%
20	NYG	21.81	0.38	38.7%
21	CAR	22.06	0.63	35.5%
22	DAL	22.31	0.88	32.3%
23	ARI	22.44	1.01	29%
24	ATL	22.69	1.26	25.8%
25	MIN	22.75	1.32	22.6%
26	LV	23.31	1.88	19.4%
27	SEA	23.31	1.88	16.1%
28	NYJ	23.50	2.07	12.9%
29	HOU	24.06	2.63	9.7%
30	JAX	24.13	2.69	6.5%
31	TEN	24.13	2.69	3.2%
32	DET	25.63	4.19	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 2020 vs 2019

Steelers lead at 17.38 — they ranked #8 last year. Lions are last at 25.63 — #31 last year.

The league average is 21.43, up 1.41 from 20.02 last year.

Biggest riser: Commanders, #28 → #3. Biggest faller: Jets, #7 → #28.

Spread between first and last: 8.25; 23 teams are within 1.94 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

NE · +5

Biggest faller

WAS · −3.94

Most consistent

CAR · +0.19

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▲ 1.41

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	NE	21.13	16.13	+5
2	NYJ	23.50	18.63	+4.88
3	BAL	21.38	16.94	+4.44
4	BUF	21.75	18	+3.75
5	TEN	24.13	20.69	+3.44
6	JAX	24.13	20.88	+3.25
7	PHI	20.94	17.75	+3.19
8	DET	25.63	22.63	+3
9	HOU	24.06	21.50	+2.56
10	MIN	22.75	20.19	+2.56
11	LAC	20	17.56	+2.44
12	DAL	22.31	20.06	+2.25
13	ATL	22.69	20.50	+2.19
14	LV	23.31	21.13	+2.19
15	DEN	20.75	18.94	+1.81
16	SEA	23.31	21.56	+1.75
17	SF	19.13	17.69	+1.44
18	GB	20.44	19.13	+1.31
19	CHI	20.19	18.94	+1.25
20	CIN	21.31	20.25	+1.06
21	NYG	21.81	21.25	+0.56
22	CLE	21.81	21.31	+0.50
23	KC	21.81	21.38	+0.44
24	IND	20.31	20	+0.31
25	NO	19.56	19.25	+0.31
26	CAR	22.06	21.88	+0.19
27	TB	19.81	20.44	−0.63
28	ARI	22.44	23.19	−0.75
29	PIT	17.38	18.81	−1.44
30	MIA	20.69	22.31	−1.63
31	LAR	17.50	20	−2.50
32	WAS	17.81	21.75	−3.94

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
PIT	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47	17.60
LAR	17.50	20.35	19.41	19.18	19.94	18.76	18
WAS	17.81	20	16.65	21.41	19.59	22	20.40
SF	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06	17
NO	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35	22.20
TB	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47	16.80
LAC	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41	18.80
CHI	20.19	18.53	21.12	17.94	19	20.35	14.60
IND	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53	19.20
GB	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35	20
MIA	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06	20.60
DEN	20.75	18.18	18.88	20.29	18.94	17.06	19.80
PHI	20.94	20.71	19	20.94	17.12	19.24	20.40
NE	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59	17
CIN	21.31	19.82	18.31	20.53	21.12	20.65	20.40
BAL	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53	19.80
BUF	21.75	16.53	19.38	18.18	20.65	17.53	25.60
CLE	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71	20
KC	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06	19.75
NYG	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94	19.80
CAR	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88	21
DAL	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59	22.80
ARI	22.44	19.35	21.18	21.47	20.06	22.29	20.60
ATL	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12	19.20
MIN	22.75	22.71	21.06	19.24	18.88	17.47	12.60
LV	23.31	20.41	21.06	19.24	18.76	19.24	20.60
SEA	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88	16
NYJ	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47	19.20
HOU	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16	18.80
JAX	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65	18
TEN	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53	19.20
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), 2020 Steelers (17.38).

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

The league average has risen from 20.25 in 2018 to 21.43 in 2020.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

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.