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 2023 the Browns led at 14.76; the league average was 19.06.

League snapshot — 2023

League leader

CLE · 14.76

League average

19.06

Best to worst

7.29

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CLE	14.76	17
2	NYJ	17.12	17
3	NO	17.41	17
4	KC	17.59	17
5	BAL	17.76	17
6	NE	17.88	17
7	CHI	17.94	17
8	PIT	18.06	17
9	DAL	18.12	17
10	BUF	18.18	17
11	CAR	18.18	17
12	JAX	18.35	17
13	SF	18.53	17
14	MIA	18.65	17
15	ATL	18.71	17
16	LAR	19.18	17
17	LV	19.24	17
18	MIN	19.24	17
19	HOU	19.29	17
20	TEN	19.47	17
21	DET	19.65	17
22	GB	19.71	17
23	TB	19.76	17
24	IND	20	17
25	LAC	20	17
26	DEN	20.29	17
27	CIN	20.53	17
28	NYG	20.53	17
29	PHI	20.94	17
30	WAS	21.41	17
31	ARI	21.47	17
32	SEA	22.06	17

At a glance — 2023

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CLE · 14.76

League laggard

SEA · 22.06

League average

19.06

Spread (max − min)

7.29

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CLE	14.76	-4.30	100%
2	NYJ	17.12	-1.94	96.8%
3	NO	17.41	-1.65	93.5%
4	KC	17.59	-1.47	90.3%
5	BAL	17.76	-1.30	87.1%
6	NE	17.88	-1.18	83.9%
7	CHI	17.94	-1.12	80.6%
8	PIT	18.06	-1.00	77.4%
9	DAL	18.12	-0.94	74.2%
10	BUF	18.18	-0.89	71%
11	CAR	18.18	-0.89	67.7%
12	JAX	18.35	-0.71	64.5%
13	SF	18.53	-0.53	61.3%
14	MIA	18.65	-0.42	58.1%
15	ATL	18.71	-0.36	54.8%
16	LAR	19.18	0.11	51.6%
17	LV	19.24	0.17	48.4%
18	MIN	19.24	0.17	45.2%
19	HOU	19.29	0.23	41.9%
20	TEN	19.47	0.41	38.7%
21	DET	19.65	0.58	35.5%
22	GB	19.71	0.64	32.3%
23	TB	19.76	0.70	29%
24	IND	20	0.94	25.8%
25	LAC	20	0.94	22.6%
26	DEN	20.29	1.23	19.4%
27	CIN	20.53	1.47	16.1%
28	NYG	20.53	1.47	12.9%
29	PHI	20.94	1.88	9.7%
30	WAS	21.41	2.35	6.5%
31	ARI	21.47	2.41	3.2%
32	SEA	22.06	3.00	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 2023 vs 2022

Browns lead at 14.76 — they ranked #15 last year. Seahawks are last at 22.06 — #23 last year.

The league average is 19.06, down 0.44 from 19.51 last year.

Biggest riser: Bears, #28 → #7. Biggest faller: Commanders, #1 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 7.29; 24 teams are within 1.47 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2023 vs 2022

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

WAS · +4.76

Biggest faller

CLE · −4.29

Most consistent

IND · 0

League trend 2023 vs 2022

▼ -0.44

Rank	Team	2023	2022	Δ
1	WAS	21.41	16.65	+4.76
2	CIN	20.53	18.31	+2.22
3	PHI	20.94	19	+1.94
4	SEA	22.06	20.41	+1.65
5	SF	18.53	16.94	+1.59
6	TB	19.76	18.35	+1.41
7	DEN	20.29	18.88	+1.41
8	LAC	20	18.65	+1.35
9	GB	19.71	18.41	+1.29
10	ARI	21.47	21.18	+0.29
11	IND	20	20	0
12	LAR	19.18	19.41	−0.24
13	NE	17.88	18.18	−0.29
14	PIT	18.06	18.41	−0.35
15	TEN	19.47	19.82	−0.35
16	DAL	18.12	18.88	−0.76
17	NYG	20.53	21.35	−0.82
18	MIA	18.65	19.53	−0.88
19	NYJ	17.12	18	−0.88
20	BAL	17.76	18.88	−1.12
21	NO	17.41	18.59	−1.18
22	BUF	18.18	19.38	−1.20
23	ATL	18.71	20.53	−1.82
24	LV	19.24	21.06	−1.82
25	MIN	19.24	21.06	−1.82
26	CAR	18.18	20.18	−2
27	JAX	18.35	20.47	−2.12
28	KC	17.59	19.82	−2.24
29	DET	19.65	22	−2.35
30	HOU	19.29	21.71	−2.41
31	CHI	17.94	21.12	−3.18
32	CLE	14.76	19.06	−4.29

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
CLE	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71	20
NYJ	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47	19.20
NO	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35	22.20
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
NE	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59	17
CHI	20.19	18.53	21.12	17.94	19	20.35	14.60
PIT	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47	17.60
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
CAR	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88	21
JAX	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65	18
SF	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06	17
MIA	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06	20.60
ATL	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12	19.20
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
MIN	22.75	22.71	21.06	19.24	18.88	17.47	12.60
HOU	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16	18.80
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
GB	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35	20
TB	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47	16.80
IND	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53	19.20
LAC	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41	18.80
DEN	20.75	18.18	18.88	20.29	18.94	17.06	19.80
CIN	21.31	19.82	18.31	20.53	21.12	20.65	20.40
NYG	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94	19.80
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
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), 2022 Commanders (16.65), 2023 Browns (14.76).

The best season on record is Browns 2023 at 14.76; the worst Chiefs 2018 at 26.

The league average has fallen from 20.25 in 2018 to 19.06 in 2023.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2023.

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.