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 2022 the Commanders led at 16.65; the league average was 19.51.

League snapshot — 2022

League leader

WAS · 16.65

League average

19.51

Best to worst

5.35

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	WAS	16.65	17
2	SF	16.94	17
3	NYJ	18	17
4	NE	18.18	17
5	CIN	18.31	16
6	TB	18.35	17
7	GB	18.41	17
8	PIT	18.41	17
9	NO	18.59	17
10	LAC	18.65	17
11	BAL	18.88	17
12	DAL	18.88	17
13	DEN	18.88	17
14	PHI	19	17
15	CLE	19.06	17
16	BUF	19.38	16
17	LAR	19.41	17
18	MIA	19.53	17
19	KC	19.82	17
20	TEN	19.82	17
21	IND	20	17
22	CAR	20.18	17
23	SEA	20.41	17
24	JAX	20.47	17
25	ATL	20.53	17
26	LV	21.06	17
27	MIN	21.06	17
28	CHI	21.12	17
29	ARI	21.18	17
30	NYG	21.35	17
31	HOU	21.71	17
32	DET	22	17

At a glance — 2022

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

WAS · 16.65

League laggard

DET · 22

League average

19.51

Spread (max − min)

5.35

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	WAS	16.65	-2.86	100%
2	SF	16.94	-2.57	96.8%
3	NYJ	18	-1.51	93.5%
4	NE	18.18	-1.33	90.3%
5	CIN	18.31	-1.19	87.1%
6	TB	18.35	-1.15	83.9%
7	GB	18.41	-1.10	80.6%
8	PIT	18.41	-1.10	77.4%
9	NO	18.59	-0.92	74.2%
10	LAC	18.65	-0.86	71%
11	BAL	18.88	-0.62	67.7%
12	DAL	18.88	-0.62	64.5%
13	DEN	18.88	-0.62	61.3%
14	PHI	19	-0.51	58.1%
15	CLE	19.06	-0.45	54.8%
16	BUF	19.38	-0.13	51.6%
17	LAR	19.41	-0.10	48.4%
18	MIA	19.53	0.02	45.2%
19	KC	19.82	0.32	41.9%
20	TEN	19.82	0.32	38.7%
21	IND	20	0.49	35.5%
22	CAR	20.18	0.67	32.3%
23	SEA	20.41	0.90	29%
24	JAX	20.47	0.96	25.8%
25	ATL	20.53	1.02	22.6%
26	LV	21.06	1.55	19.4%
27	MIN	21.06	1.55	16.1%
28	CHI	21.12	1.61	12.9%
29	ARI	21.18	1.67	9.7%
30	NYG	21.35	1.85	6.5%
31	HOU	21.71	2.20	3.2%
32	DET	22	2.49	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 2022 vs 2021

Commanders lead at 16.65 — they ranked #17 last year. Lions are last at 22 — #26 last year.

The league average is 19.51, down 0.60 from 20.11 last year.

Biggest riser: Jets, #31 → #3. Biggest faller: Bears, #6 → #28.

Spread between first and last: 5.35; 21 teams are within 1.32 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2022 vs 2021

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

BUF · +2.85

Biggest faller

NYJ · −5.18

Most consistent

MIA · 0

League trend 2022 vs 2021

▼ -0.60

Rank	Team	2022	2021	Δ
1	BUF	19.38	16.53	+2.85
2	CHI	21.12	18.53	+2.59
3	CAR	20.18	18.18	+2
4	ARI	21.18	19.35	+1.82
5	NO	18.59	17.59	+1
6	DEN	18.88	18.18	+0.71
7	LV	21.06	20.41	+0.65
8	TEN	19.82	19.24	+0.59
9	IND	20	19.47	+0.53
10	DET	22	21.82	+0.18
11	JAX	20.47	20.29	+0.18
12	NE	18.18	18.06	+0.12
13	CLE	19.06	19	+0.06
14	NYG	21.35	21.29	+0.06
15	MIA	19.53	19.53	0
16	DAL	18.88	19	−0.12
17	HOU	21.71	22.24	−0.53
18	LAR	19.41	20.35	−0.94
19	BAL	18.88	20	−1.12
20	KC	19.82	21.18	−1.35
21	GB	18.41	19.76	−1.35
22	CIN	18.31	19.82	−1.51
23	MIN	21.06	22.71	−1.65
24	SF	16.94	18.59	−1.65
25	PHI	19	20.71	−1.71
26	ATL	20.53	22.29	−1.76
27	TB	18.35	20.12	−1.76
28	PIT	18.41	20.59	−2.18
29	SEA	20.41	23.35	−2.94
30	WAS	16.65	20	−3.35
31	LAC	18.65	22.12	−3.47
32	NYJ	18	23.18	−5.18

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
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
NYJ	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47	19.20
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
TB	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47	16.80
GB	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35	20
PIT	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47	17.60
NO	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35	22.20
LAC	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41	18.80
BAL	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53	19.80
DAL	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59	22.80
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
CLE	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71	20
BUF	21.75	16.53	19.38	18.18	20.65	17.53	25.60
LAR	17.50	20.35	19.41	19.18	19.94	18.76	18
MIA	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06	20.60
KC	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06	19.75
TEN	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53	19.20
IND	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53	19.20
CAR	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88	21
SEA	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88	16
JAX	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65	18
ATL	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12	19.20
LV	23.31	20.41	21.06	19.24	18.76	19.24	20.60
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
ARI	22.44	19.35	21.18	21.47	20.06	22.29	20.60
NYG	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94	19.80
HOU	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16	18.80
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), 2021 Bills (16.53), 2022 Commanders (16.65).

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

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2022.

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.