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 2021 the Bills led at 16.53; the league average was 20.11.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

BUF · 16.53

League average

20.11

Best to worst

6.82

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	BUF	16.53	17
2	NO	17.59	17
3	NE	18.06	17
4	CAR	18.18	17
5	DEN	18.18	17
6	CHI	18.53	17
7	SF	18.59	17
8	CLE	19	17
9	DAL	19	17
10	TEN	19.24	17
11	ARI	19.35	17
12	IND	19.47	17
13	MIA	19.53	17
14	GB	19.76	17
15	CIN	19.82	17
16	BAL	20	17
17	WAS	20	17
18	TB	20.12	17
19	JAX	20.29	17
20	LAR	20.35	17
21	LV	20.41	17
22	PIT	20.59	17
23	PHI	20.71	17
24	KC	21.18	17
25	NYG	21.29	17
26	DET	21.82	17
27	LAC	22.12	17
28	HOU	22.24	17
29	ATL	22.29	17
30	MIN	22.71	17
31	NYJ	23.18	17
32	SEA	23.35	17

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%

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 2021 vs 2020

Bills lead at 16.53 — they ranked #17 last year. Seahawks are last at 23.35 — #27 last year.

The league average is 20.11, down 1.32 from 21.43 last year.

Biggest riser: Titans, #31 → #10. Biggest faller: Steelers, #1 → #22.

Spread between first and last: 6.82; 20 teams are within 1.65 of the average.

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

1st Down (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (17.31), 2019 Patriots (16.13), 2020 Steelers (17.38), 2021 Bills (16.53).

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

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.