NFL Lines

League snapshot — 2021

League leaderBUF 16.53
League average20.11
Best to worst6.82

All 32 teams, lower is better.

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

BUF · 16.53

League laggard

SEA · 23.35

League average

20.11

Spread (max − min)

6.82

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	BUF	16.53	-3.58	100%
2	NO	17.59	-2.52	96.8%
3	NE	18.06	-2.05	93.5%
4	CAR	18.18	-1.93	90.3%
5	DEN	18.18	-1.93	87.1%
6	CHI	18.53	-1.58	83.9%
7	SF	18.59	-1.52	80.6%
8	CLE	19	-1.11	77.4%
9	DAL	19	-1.11	74.2%
10	TEN	19.24	-0.87	71%
11	ARI	19.35	-0.76	67.7%
12	IND	19.47	-0.64	64.5%
13	MIA	19.53	-0.58	61.3%
14	GB	19.76	-0.34	58.1%
15	CIN	19.82	-0.28	54.8%
16	BAL	20	-0.11	51.6%
17	WAS	20	-0.11	48.4%
18	TB	20.12	0.01	45.2%
19	JAX	20.29	0.19	41.9%
20	LAR	20.35	0.24	38.7%
21	LV	20.41	0.30	35.5%
22	PIT	20.59	0.48	32.3%
23	PHI	20.71	0.60	29%
24	KC	21.18	1.07	25.8%
25	NYG	21.29	1.19	22.6%
26	DET	21.82	1.72	19.4%
27	LAC	22.12	2.01	16.1%
28	HOU	22.24	2.13	12.9%
29	ATL	22.29	2.19	9.7%
30	MIN	22.71	2.60	6.5%
31	NYJ	23.18	3.07	3.2%
32	SEA	23.35	3.24	0%

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

PIT · +3.21

Biggest faller

BUF · −5.22

Most consistent

SEA · +0.04

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -1.32

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	PIT	20.59	17.38	+3.21
2	LAR	20.35	17.50	+2.85
3	WAS	20	17.81	+2.19
4	LAC	22.12	20	+2.12
5	TB	20.12	19.81	+0.31
6	SEA	23.35	23.31	+0.04
7	MIN	22.71	22.75	−0.04
8	PHI	20.71	20.94	−0.23
9	NYJ	23.18	23.50	−0.32
10	ATL	22.29	22.69	−0.39
11	NYG	21.29	21.81	−0.52
12	SF	18.59	19.13	−0.54
13	KC	21.18	21.81	−0.64
14	GB	19.76	20.44	−0.67
15	IND	19.47	20.31	−0.84
16	MIA	19.53	20.69	−1.16
17	BAL	20	21.38	−1.38
18	CIN	19.82	21.31	−1.49
19	CHI	18.53	20.19	−1.66
20	HOU	22.24	24.06	−1.83
21	NO	17.59	19.56	−1.97
22	DEN	18.18	20.75	−2.57
23	CLE	19	21.81	−2.81
24	LV	20.41	23.31	−2.90
25	NE	18.06	21.13	−3.07
26	ARI	19.35	22.44	−3.08
27	DAL	19	22.31	−3.31
28	DET	21.82	25.63	−3.80
29	JAX	20.29	24.13	−3.83
30	CAR	18.18	22.06	−3.89
31	TEN	19.24	24.13	−4.89
32	BUF	16.53	21.75	−5.22

Multi-year context

7-year window (2019–2025)

Multi-year leader

NE · 18.46

Multi-year laggard

DET · 21.43

Biggest improver

HOU · −1.10/yr

Biggest decliner

SF · +0.23/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
1	NE	18.46	+0.09	16.13	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59
2	SF	18.54	+0.23	17.69	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06
3	CLE	18.61	−0.94	21.31	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71
4	NO	18.77	−0.02	19.25	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35
5	BUF	18.86	−0.07	18	21.75	16.53	19.38	18.18	20.65	17.53
6	PIT	18.96	+0.20	18.81	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47
7	LAC	19.00	−0.32	17.56	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41
8	DEN	19.01	−0.25	18.94	20.75	18.18	18.88	20.29	18.94	17.06
9	BAL	19.10	+0.04	16.94	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53
10	LAR	19.31	+0.00	20	17.50	20.35	19.41	19.18	19.94	18.76
11	PHI	19.38	−0.11	17.75	20.94	20.71	19	20.94	17.12	19.24
12	GB	19.41	−0.08	19.13	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35
13	CHI	19.44	+0.05	18.94	20.19	18.53	21.12	17.94	19	20.35
14	TB	19.50	−0.24	20.44	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47
15	KC	19.69	−0.79	21.38	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06
16	MIA	19.87	−0.44	22.31	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06
17	WAS	19.89	+0.20	21.75	17.81	20	16.65	21.41	19.59	22
18	DAL	19.99	−0.04	20.06	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59
19	TEN	20.14	−0.54	20.69	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53
20	IND	20.18	+0.16	20	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53
21	NYJ	20.28	−0.16	18.63	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47
22	CIN	20.28	+0.05	20.25	21.31	19.82	18.31	20.53	21.12	20.65
23	MIN	20.33	−0.69	20.19	22.75	22.71	21.06	19.24	18.88	17.47
24	LV	20.45	−0.57	21.13	23.31	20.41	21.06	19.24	18.76	19.24
25	HOU	20.45	−1.10	21.50	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16
26	CAR	20.54	−0.15	21.88	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88
27	ATL	20.58	−0.45	20.50	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12
28	JAX	20.76	−0.42	20.88	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65
29	NYG	20.95	−0.23	21.25	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94
30	SEA	20.96	−0.85	21.56	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88
31	ARI	21.43	−0.19	23.19	22.44	19.35	21.18	21.47	20.06	22.29
32	DET	21.43	−0.91	22.63	25.63	21.82	22	19.65	19.18	19.12

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	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025
BUF	18	21.75	16.53	19.38	18.18	20.65	17.53
NO	19.25	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35
NE	16.13	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59
CAR	21.88	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88
DEN	18.94	20.75	18.18	18.88	20.29	18.94	17.06
CHI	18.94	20.19	18.53	21.12	17.94	19	20.35
SF	17.69	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06
CLE	21.31	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71
DAL	20.06	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59
TEN	20.69	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53
ARI	23.19	22.44	19.35	21.18	21.47	20.06	22.29
IND	20	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53
MIA	22.31	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06
GB	19.13	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35
CIN	20.25	21.31	19.82	18.31	20.53	21.12	20.65
BAL	16.94	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53
WAS	21.75	17.81	20	16.65	21.41	19.59	22
TB	20.44	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47
JAX	20.88	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65
LAR	20	17.50	20.35	19.41	19.18	19.94	18.76
LV	21.13	23.31	20.41	21.06	19.24	18.76	19.24
PIT	18.81	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47
PHI	17.75	20.94	20.71	19	20.94	17.12	19.24
KC	21.38	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06
NYG	21.25	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94
DET	22.63	25.63	21.82	22	19.65	19.18	19.12
LAC	17.56	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41
HOU	21.50	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16
ATL	20.50	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12
MIN	20.19	22.75	22.71	21.06	19.24	18.88	17.47
NYJ	18.63	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47
SEA	21.56	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

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.