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 2024 the Eagles led at 17.12; the league average was 19.54.

League snapshot — 2024

League leader

PHI · 17.12

League average

19.54

Best to worst

7.29

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	PHI	17.12	17
2	CLE	17.65	17
3	TEN	18.12	17
4	LAC	18.24	17
5	MIA	18.29	17
6	HOU	18.35	17
7	LV	18.76	17
8	MIN	18.88	17
9	SF	18.88	17
10	DEN	18.94	17
11	CHI	19	17
12	KC	19	17
13	PIT	19	17
14	GB	19.06	17
15	SEA	19.12	17
16	BAL	19.18	17
17	DET	19.18	17
18	NYG	19.47	17
19	TB	19.53	17
20	WAS	19.59	17
21	DAL	19.94	17
22	IND	19.94	17
23	LAR	19.94	17
24	ARI	20.06	17
25	NYJ	20.06	17
26	ATL	20.24	17
27	NE	20.29	17
28	BUF	20.65	17
29	NO	20.65	17
30	CIN	21.12	17
31	JAX	22.59	17
32	CAR	24.41	17

At a glance — 2024

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

PHI · 17.12

League laggard

CAR · 24.41

League average

19.54

Spread (max − min)

7.29

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	PHI	17.12	-2.42	100%
2	CLE	17.65	-1.89	96.8%
3	TEN	18.12	-1.42	93.5%
4	LAC	18.24	-1.30	90.3%
5	MIA	18.29	-1.24	87.1%
6	HOU	18.35	-1.19	83.9%
7	LV	18.76	-0.77	80.6%
8	MIN	18.88	-0.66	77.4%
9	SF	18.88	-0.66	74.2%
10	DEN	18.94	-0.60	71%
11	CHI	19	-0.54	67.7%
12	KC	19	-0.54	64.5%
13	PIT	19	-0.54	61.3%
14	GB	19.06	-0.48	58.1%
15	SEA	19.12	-0.42	54.8%
16	BAL	19.18	-0.36	51.6%
17	DET	19.18	-0.36	48.4%
18	NYG	19.47	-0.07	45.2%
19	TB	19.53	-0.01	41.9%
20	WAS	19.59	0.05	38.7%
21	DAL	19.94	0.40	35.5%
22	IND	19.94	0.40	32.3%
23	LAR	19.94	0.40	29%
24	ARI	20.06	0.52	25.8%
25	NYJ	20.06	0.52	22.6%
26	ATL	20.24	0.70	19.4%
27	NE	20.29	0.76	16.1%
28	BUF	20.65	1.11	12.9%
29	NO	20.65	1.11	9.7%
30	CIN	21.12	1.58	6.5%
31	JAX	22.59	3.05	3.2%
32	CAR	24.41	4.87	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 2024 vs 2023

Eagles lead at 17.12 — they ranked #29 last year. Panthers are last at 24.41 — #11 last year.

The league average is 19.54, up 0.48 from 19.06 last year.

Biggest riser: Eagles, #29 → #1. Biggest faller: Saints, #3 → #29.

Spread between first and last: 7.29; 26 teams are within 1.36 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2024 vs 2023

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

CAR · +6.24

Biggest faller

PHI · −3.82

Most consistent

IND · −0.06

League trend 2024 vs 2023

▲ 0.48

Rank	Team	2024	2023	Δ
1	CAR	24.41	18.18	+6.24
2	JAX	22.59	18.35	+4.24
3	NO	20.65	17.41	+3.24
4	NYJ	20.06	17.12	+2.94
5	CLE	17.65	14.76	+2.88
6	BUF	20.65	18.18	+2.47
7	NE	20.29	17.88	+2.41
8	DAL	19.94	18.12	+1.82
9	ATL	20.24	18.71	+1.53
10	BAL	19.18	17.76	+1.41
11	KC	19	17.59	+1.41
12	CHI	19	17.94	+1.06
13	PIT	19	18.06	+0.94
14	LAR	19.94	19.18	+0.76
15	CIN	21.12	20.53	+0.59
16	SF	18.88	18.53	+0.35
17	IND	19.94	20	−0.06
18	TB	19.53	19.76	−0.24
19	MIN	18.88	19.24	−0.35
20	MIA	18.29	18.65	−0.35
21	LV	18.76	19.24	−0.47
22	DET	19.18	19.65	−0.47
23	GB	19.06	19.71	−0.65
24	HOU	18.35	19.29	−0.94
25	NYG	19.47	20.53	−1.06
26	DEN	18.94	20.29	−1.35
27	TEN	18.12	19.47	−1.35
28	ARI	20.06	21.47	−1.41
29	LAC	18.24	20	−1.76
30	WAS	19.59	21.41	−1.82
31	SEA	19.12	22.06	−2.94
32	PHI	17.12	20.94	−3.82

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
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
TEN	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53	19.20
LAC	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41	18.80
MIA	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06	20.60
HOU	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16	18.80
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
SF	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06	17
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
KC	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06	19.75
PIT	17.38	20.59	18.41	18.06	19	20.47	17.60
GB	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35	20
SEA	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88	16
BAL	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53	19.80
DET	25.63	21.82	22	19.65	19.18	19.12	26.60
NYG	21.81	21.29	21.35	20.53	19.47	20.94	19.80
TB	19.81	20.12	18.35	19.76	19.53	18.47	16.80
WAS	17.81	20	16.65	21.41	19.59	22	20.40
DAL	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59	22.80
IND	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53	19.20
LAR	17.50	20.35	19.41	19.18	19.94	18.76	18
ARI	22.44	19.35	21.18	21.47	20.06	22.29	20.60
NYJ	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47	19.20
ATL	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12	19.20
NE	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59	17
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
CIN	21.31	19.82	18.31	20.53	21.12	20.65	20.40
JAX	24.13	20.29	20.47	18.35	22.59	18.65	18
CAR	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88	21

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), 2024 Eagles (17.12).

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

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2024.

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.