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 2025 the Texans led at 16; the league average was 19.14.

League snapshot — 2025

League leader

HOU · 16

League average

19.14

Best to worst

6.29

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	HOU	16	17
2	LAC	16.41	17
3	CLE	16.71	17
4	SEA	16.88	17
5	DEN	17.06	17
6	KC	17.06	17
7	MIN	17.47	17
8	BUF	17.53	17
9	NE	17.59	17
10	NO	18.35	17
11	TB	18.47	17
12	JAX	18.65	17
13	LAR	18.76	17
14	CAR	18.88	17
15	ATL	19.12	17
16	DET	19.12	17
17	LV	19.24	17
18	PHI	19.24	17
19	GB	19.35	17
20	BAL	19.53	17
21	TEN	19.53	17
22	MIA	20.06	17
23	SF	20.06	17
24	CHI	20.35	17
25	PIT	20.47	17
26	CIN	20.65	17
27	NYG	20.94	17
28	NYJ	21.47	17
29	IND	21.53	17
30	DAL	21.59	17
31	WAS	22	17
32	ARI	22.29	17

At a glance — 2025

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

HOU · 16

League laggard

ARI · 22.29

League average

19.14

Spread (max − min)

6.29

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	HOU	16	-3.14	100%
2	LAC	16.41	-2.72	96.8%
3	CLE	16.71	-2.43	93.5%
4	SEA	16.88	-2.25	90.3%
5	DEN	17.06	-2.08	87.1%
6	KC	17.06	-2.08	83.9%
7	MIN	17.47	-1.67	80.6%
8	BUF	17.53	-1.61	77.4%
9	NE	17.59	-1.55	74.2%
10	NO	18.35	-0.78	71%
11	TB	18.47	-0.67	67.7%
12	JAX	18.65	-0.49	64.5%
13	LAR	18.76	-0.37	61.3%
14	CAR	18.88	-0.25	58.1%
15	ATL	19.12	-0.02	54.8%
16	DET	19.12	-0.02	51.6%
17	LV	19.24	0.10	48.4%
18	PHI	19.24	0.10	45.2%
19	GB	19.35	0.22	41.9%
20	BAL	19.53	0.39	38.7%
21	TEN	19.53	0.39	35.5%
22	MIA	20.06	0.92	32.3%
23	SF	20.06	0.92	29%
24	CHI	20.35	1.22	25.8%
25	PIT	20.47	1.33	22.6%
26	CIN	20.65	1.51	19.4%
27	NYG	20.94	1.81	16.1%
28	NYJ	21.47	2.33	12.9%
29	IND	21.53	2.39	9.7%
30	DAL	21.59	2.45	6.5%
31	WAS	22	2.86	3.2%
32	ARI	22.29	3.16	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 2025 vs 2024

Texans lead at 16 — they ranked #6 last year. Cardinals are last at 22.29 — #24 last year.

The league average is 19.14, down 0.40 from 19.54 last year.

Biggest riser: Bills, #28 → #8. Biggest faller: Titans, #3 → #21.

Spread between first and last: 6.29; 20 teams are within 1.70 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2025 vs 2024

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

WAS · +2.41

Biggest faller

CAR · −5.53

Most consistent

DET · −0.06

League trend 2025 vs 2024

▼ -0.40

Rank	Team	2025	2024	Δ
1	WAS	22	19.59	+2.41
2	ARI	22.29	20.06	+2.24
3	PHI	19.24	17.12	+2.12
4	MIA	20.06	18.29	+1.76
5	DAL	21.59	19.94	+1.65
6	IND	21.53	19.94	+1.59
7	NYG	20.94	19.47	+1.47
8	PIT	20.47	19	+1.47
9	TEN	19.53	18.12	+1.41
10	NYJ	21.47	20.06	+1.41
11	CHI	20.35	19	+1.35
12	SF	20.06	18.88	+1.18
13	LV	19.24	18.76	+0.47
14	BAL	19.53	19.18	+0.35
15	GB	19.35	19.06	+0.29
16	DET	19.12	19.18	−0.06
17	CIN	20.65	21.12	−0.47
18	CLE	16.71	17.65	−0.94
19	TB	18.47	19.53	−1.06
20	ATL	19.12	20.24	−1.12
21	LAR	18.76	19.94	−1.18
22	MIN	17.47	18.88	−1.41
23	LAC	16.41	18.24	−1.82
24	DEN	17.06	18.94	−1.88
25	KC	17.06	19	−1.94
26	SEA	16.88	19.12	−2.24
27	NO	18.35	20.65	−2.29
28	HOU	16	18.35	−2.35
29	NE	17.59	20.29	−2.71
30	BUF	17.53	20.65	−3.12
31	JAX	18.65	22.59	−3.94
32	CAR	18.88	24.41	−5.53

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
HOU	24.06	22.24	21.71	19.29	18.35	16	18.80
LAC	20	22.12	18.65	20	18.24	16.41	18.80
CLE	21.81	19	19.06	14.76	17.65	16.71	20
SEA	23.31	23.35	20.41	22.06	19.12	16.88	16
DEN	20.75	18.18	18.88	20.29	18.94	17.06	19.80
KC	21.81	21.18	19.82	17.59	19	17.06	19.75
MIN	22.75	22.71	21.06	19.24	18.88	17.47	12.60
BUF	21.75	16.53	19.38	18.18	20.65	17.53	25.60
NE	21.13	18.06	18.18	17.88	20.29	17.59	17
NO	19.56	17.59	18.59	17.41	20.65	18.35	22.20
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
CAR	22.06	18.18	20.18	18.18	24.41	18.88	21
ATL	22.69	22.29	20.53	18.71	20.24	19.12	19.20
DET	25.63	21.82	22	19.65	19.18	19.12	26.60
LV	23.31	20.41	21.06	19.24	18.76	19.24	20.60
PHI	20.94	20.71	19	20.94	17.12	19.24	20.40
GB	20.44	19.76	18.41	19.71	19.06	19.35	20
BAL	21.38	20	18.88	17.76	19.18	19.53	19.80
TEN	24.13	19.24	19.82	19.47	18.12	19.53	19.20
MIA	20.69	19.53	19.53	18.65	18.29	20.06	20.60
SF	19.13	18.59	16.94	18.53	18.88	20.06	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
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
NYJ	23.50	23.18	18	17.12	20.06	21.47	19.20
IND	20.31	19.47	20	20	19.94	21.53	19.20
DAL	22.31	19	18.88	18.12	19.94	21.59	22.80
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

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), 2025 Texans (16).

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 19.14 in 2025.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2025.

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.