What 1st Downs by Penalty (allowed) is

First downs handed to opponents by this defense's penalties. Small numbers, and gifts rather than anything the offense earned.

Lower is better. It is shown per game, so a team's number does not depend on games played. Source: P + N.

Through Week 7 of 2026, the Vikings lead at 0.80; the league average is 2.01.

League snapshot — 2026

League leader

MIN · 0.80

League average

2.01

Best to worst

2.53

All 32 teams, lower is better.

At a glance — 2026

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

MIN · 0.80

League laggard

BUF · 3.33

League average

2.01

Spread (max − min)

2.53

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	MIN	0.80	-1.21	100%
2	IND	0.83	-1.18	96.8%
3	CHI	1.17	-0.84	93.5%
4	TEN	1.17	-0.84	90.3%
5	PIT	1.33	-0.68	87.1%
6	MIA	1.40	-0.61	83.9%
7	HOU	1.50	-0.51	80.6%
8	ATL	1.67	-0.34	77.4%
9	DEN	1.67	-0.34	74.2%
10	NO	1.67	-0.34	71%
11	WAS	1.67	-0.34	67.7%
12	NE	1.83	-0.18	64.5%
13	SF	1.83	-0.18	61.3%
14	TB	1.83	-0.18	58.1%
15	CAR	2	-0.01	54.8%
16	CLE	2	-0.01	51.6%
17	LV	2	-0.01	48.4%
18	NYG	2	-0.01	45.2%
19	JAX	2.17	0.16	41.9%
20	PHI	2.17	0.16	38.7%
21	DET	2.20	0.19	35.5%
22	ARI	2.33	0.32	32.3%
23	BAL	2.33	0.32	29%
24	LAR	2.33	0.32	25.8%
25	SEA	2.33	0.32	22.6%
26	CIN	2.60	0.59	19.4%
27	DAL	2.67	0.66	16.1%
28	LAC	2.67	0.66	12.9%
29	GB	2.83	0.82	9.7%
30	KC	3	0.99	6.5%
31	NYJ	3	0.99	3.2%
32	BUF	3.33	1.32	0%

Does 1st Downs by Penalty (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 795–783–37 ATS (50.4%) across 2020–2025, #238 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (137–117, 53.9%); its worst 2024 (124–139, 47.1%).

For picks, this is noise. One stat is not a recipe — the algorithms combine many.

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	137–117–2	53.9%
2021	272	136–134–2	50.4%
2022	271	133–131–7	50.4%
2023	272	136–122–14	52.7%
2024	272	124–139–9	47.1%
2025	272	129–140–3	48.0%

1st Downs by Penalty (allowed) in 2026 vs 2025

Vikings lead at 0.80 — they ranked #8 last year. Bills are last at 3.33 — #7 last year.

The league average is 2.01, up 0.22 from 1.79 last year.

Biggest riser: Titans, #27 → #4. Biggest faller: Bengals, #1 → #26.

Spread between first and last: 2.53; 21 teams are within 0.61 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2026 vs 2025

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

BUF · +1.80

Biggest faller

IND · −0.99

Most consistent

DET · −0.04

League trend 2026 vs 2025

▲ 0.22

Rank	Team	2026	2025	Δ
1	BUF	3.33	1.53	+1.80
2	CIN	2.60	1.29	+1.31
3	KC	3	1.76	+1.24
4	NYJ	3	2	+1
5	DAL	2.67	1.71	+0.96
6	GB	2.83	1.88	+0.95
7	LAR	2.33	1.41	+0.92
8	LAC	2.67	1.76	+0.90
9	BAL	2.33	1.59	+0.75
10	CLE	2	1.29	+0.71
11	CAR	2	1.41	+0.59
12	ARI	2.33	1.82	+0.51
13	TB	1.83	1.35	+0.48
14	SEA	2.33	1.88	+0.45
15	LV	2	1.71	+0.29
16	NE	1.83	1.59	+0.25
17	ATL	1.67	1.53	+0.14
18	SF	1.83	1.76	+0.07
19	DET	2.20	2.24	−0.04
20	NO	1.67	1.71	−0.04
21	NYG	2	2.06	−0.06
22	PHI	2.17	2.24	−0.07
23	WAS	1.67	1.76	−0.10
24	JAX	2.17	2.29	−0.13
25	PIT	1.33	1.65	−0.31
26	HOU	1.50	2	−0.50
27	CHI	1.17	1.88	−0.72
28	MIN	0.80	1.53	−0.73
29	DEN	1.67	2.47	−0.80
30	MIA	1.40	2.24	−0.84
31	TEN	1.17	2.06	−0.89
32	IND	0.83	1.82	−0.99

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

MIN · 1.35

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 2.38

Biggest improver

NO · −0.20/yr

Biggest decliner

CIN · +0.15/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	MIN	1.35	−0.10	1.38	2.12	1.29	0.94	1.41	1.53	0.80
2	PIT	1.48	−0.00	1.50	1.41	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.65	1.33
3	ATL	1.48	−0.03	1.94	1.53	0.88	1.88	0.94	1.53	1.67
4	LAR	1.55	+0.15	1.19	1.29	1.29	1.65	1.71	1.41	2.33
5	IND	1.57	−0.10	2	1.18	1.94	1.82	1.41	1.82	0.83
6	NE	1.58	+0.09	1.31	1.24	1.76	1.41	1.88	1.59	1.83
7	CIN	1.58	+0.15	1.56	1.12	1.25	1.35	1.88	1.29	2.60
8	TB	1.64	−0.02	1.63	2.06	1.47	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.83
9	CHI	1.64	−0.15	2.31	2.06	1.53	1.35	1.18	1.88	1.17
10	CLE	1.66	−0.02	1.38	2.06	2	1.76	1.12	1.29	2
11	WAS	1.71	+0.03	1.75	1.47	1.71	1.47	2.18	1.76	1.67
12	NYG	1.72	+0.09	1.44	1.35	2.12	1.59	1.47	2.06	2
13	HOU	1.76	+0.04	1.44	1.71	1.53	2.18	2	2	1.50
14	CAR	1.77	−0.03	2.19	1.71	1.59	1.59	1.94	1.41	2
15	MIA	1.82	−0.05	1.88	1.88	2.24	1.53	1.59	2.24	1.40
16	GB	1.82	+0.13	1.81	1.35	1.71	1.82	1.35	1.88	2.83
17	ARI	1.82	−0.02	2.38	2.06	1.24	1.76	1.18	1.82	2.33
18	SF	1.83	−0.08	2.06	2.41	1.53	1.88	1.29	1.76	1.83
19	PHI	1.88	+0.03	2.06	2.06	1.41	1.76	1.47	2.24	2.17
20	DEN	1.88	+0.11	1.63	1.24	2.06	1.71	2.41	2.47	1.67
21	JAX	1.90	−0.00	2.75	1.71	1.47	1	1.94	2.29	2.17
22	LV	1.91	−0.11	2.69	2.24	1.65	1.53	1.59	1.71	2
23	SEA	1.92	+0.06	1.63	2.12	1.71	2.06	1.71	1.88	2.33
24	LAC	1.94	+0.09	1.63	2.35	1.41	1.82	1.94	1.76	2.67
25	KC	1.94	+0.05	2.38	1.94	1.65	1.41	1.47	1.76	3
26	TEN	1.97	−0.08	1.94	2.18	1.82	2.47	2.18	2.06	1.17
27	BAL	2.00	+0.03	2.38	1.59	1.53	2.06	2.53	1.59	2.33
28	NO	2.05	−0.20	3.13	2.06	2.24	1.94	1.59	1.71	1.67
29	BUF	2.06	+0.12	1.69	2.29	1.81	2	1.76	1.53	3.33
30	DAL	2.08	−0.01	2.31	2.18	2	2.18	1.53	1.71	2.67
31	DET	2.16	+0.08	2.19	1.53	1.94	2.29	2.71	2.24	2.20
32	NYJ	2.38	+0.04	2.88	2.24	1.59	2.18	2.76	2	3

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
MIN	1.38	2.12	1.29	0.94	1.41	1.53	0.80
IND	2	1.18	1.94	1.82	1.41	1.82	0.83
CHI	2.31	2.06	1.53	1.35	1.18	1.88	1.17
TEN	1.94	2.18	1.82	2.47	2.18	2.06	1.17
PIT	1.50	1.41	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.65	1.33
MIA	1.88	1.88	2.24	1.53	1.59	2.24	1.40
HOU	1.44	1.71	1.53	2.18	2	2	1.50
ATL	1.94	1.53	0.88	1.88	0.94	1.53	1.67
DEN	1.63	1.24	2.06	1.71	2.41	2.47	1.67
NO	3.13	2.06	2.24	1.94	1.59	1.71	1.67
WAS	1.75	1.47	1.71	1.47	2.18	1.76	1.67
NE	1.31	1.24	1.76	1.41	1.88	1.59	1.83
SF	2.06	2.41	1.53	1.88	1.29	1.76	1.83
TB	1.63	2.06	1.47	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.83
CAR	2.19	1.71	1.59	1.59	1.94	1.41	2
CLE	1.38	2.06	2	1.76	1.12	1.29	2
LV	2.69	2.24	1.65	1.53	1.59	1.71	2
NYG	1.44	1.35	2.12	1.59	1.47	2.06	2
JAX	2.75	1.71	1.47	1	1.94	2.29	2.17
PHI	2.06	2.06	1.41	1.76	1.47	2.24	2.17
DET	2.19	1.53	1.94	2.29	2.71	2.24	2.20
ARI	2.38	2.06	1.24	1.76	1.18	1.82	2.33
BAL	2.38	1.59	1.53	2.06	2.53	1.59	2.33
LAR	1.19	1.29	1.29	1.65	1.71	1.41	2.33
SEA	1.63	2.12	1.71	2.06	1.71	1.88	2.33
CIN	1.56	1.12	1.25	1.35	1.88	1.29	2.60
DAL	2.31	2.18	2	2.18	1.53	1.71	2.67
LAC	1.63	2.35	1.41	1.82	1.94	1.76	2.67
GB	1.81	1.35	1.71	1.82	1.35	1.88	2.83
KC	2.38	1.94	1.65	1.41	1.47	1.76	3
NYJ	2.88	2.24	1.59	2.18	2.76	2	3
BUF	1.69	2.29	1.81	2	1.76	1.53	3.33

1st Downs by Penalty (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Titans (1.13), 2019 Packers (1.19), 2020 Rams (1.19), 2021 Bengals (1.12), 2022 Falcons (0.88), 2023 Vikings (0.94), 2024 Falcons (0.94), 2025 Bengals (1.29), 2026 Vikings (0.80).

Bengals have led this stat 2 of 9 seasons.

The best season on record is Vikings 2026 at 0.80; the worst Bills 2026 at 3.33.

The league average has risen from 1.91 in 2018 to 2.01 in 2026.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2026.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_team_stats_pen_fd
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.