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.

In 2021 the Bengals led at 1.12; the league average was 1.80.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

CIN · 1.12

League average

1.80

Best to worst

1.29

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	CIN	1.12	17
2	IND	1.18	17
3	DEN	1.24	17
4	NE	1.24	17
5	LAR	1.29	17
6	GB	1.35	17
7	NYG	1.35	17
8	PIT	1.41	17
9	WAS	1.47	17
10	ATL	1.53	17
11	DET	1.53	17
12	BAL	1.59	17
13	CAR	1.71	17
14	HOU	1.71	17
15	JAX	1.71	17
16	MIA	1.88	17
17	KC	1.94	17
18	ARI	2.06	17
19	CHI	2.06	17
20	CLE	2.06	17
21	NO	2.06	17
22	PHI	2.06	17
23	TB	2.06	17
24	MIN	2.12	17
25	SEA	2.12	17
26	DAL	2.18	17
27	TEN	2.18	17
28	LV	2.24	17
29	NYJ	2.24	17
30	BUF	2.29	17
31	LAC	2.35	17
32	SF	2.41	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

CIN · 1.12

League laggard

SF · 2.41

League average

1.80

Spread (max − min)

1.29

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	CIN	1.12	-0.69	100%
2	IND	1.18	-0.63	96.8%
3	DEN	1.24	-0.57	93.5%
4	NE	1.24	-0.57	90.3%
5	LAR	1.29	-0.51	87.1%
6	GB	1.35	-0.45	83.9%
7	NYG	1.35	-0.45	80.6%
8	PIT	1.41	-0.39	77.4%
9	WAS	1.47	-0.33	74.2%
10	ATL	1.53	-0.27	71%
11	DET	1.53	-0.27	67.7%
12	BAL	1.59	-0.22	64.5%
13	CAR	1.71	-0.10	61.3%
14	HOU	1.71	-0.10	58.1%
15	JAX	1.71	-0.10	54.8%
16	MIA	1.88	0.08	51.6%
17	KC	1.94	0.14	48.4%
18	ARI	2.06	0.26	45.2%
19	CHI	2.06	0.26	41.9%
20	CLE	2.06	0.26	38.7%
21	NO	2.06	0.26	35.5%
22	PHI	2.06	0.26	32.3%
23	TB	2.06	0.26	29%
24	MIN	2.12	0.31	25.8%
25	SEA	2.12	0.31	22.6%
26	DAL	2.18	0.37	19.4%
27	TEN	2.18	0.37	16.1%
28	LV	2.24	0.43	12.9%
29	NYJ	2.24	0.43	9.7%
30	BUF	2.29	0.49	6.5%
31	LAC	2.35	0.55	3.2%
32	SF	2.41	0.61	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 2021 vs 2020

Bengals lead at 1.12 — they ranked #8 last year. 49ers are last at 2.41 — #21 last year.

The league average is 1.80, down 0.15 from 1.95 last year.

Biggest riser: Colts, #19 → #2. Biggest faller: Chargers, #10 → #31.

Spread between first and last: 1.29; 19 teams are within 0.39 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

MIN · +0.74

Biggest faller

NO · −1.07

Most consistent

PHI · −0.00

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -0.15

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	MIN	2.12	1.38	+0.74
2	LAC	2.35	1.63	+0.73
3	CLE	2.06	1.38	+0.68
4	BUF	2.29	1.69	+0.61
5	SEA	2.12	1.63	+0.49
6	TB	2.06	1.63	+0.43
7	SF	2.41	2.06	+0.35
8	HOU	1.71	1.44	+0.27
9	TEN	2.18	1.94	+0.24
10	LAR	1.29	1.19	+0.11
11	MIA	1.88	1.88	+0.01
12	PHI	2.06	2.06	−0.00
13	NE	1.24	1.31	−0.08
14	NYG	1.35	1.44	−0.08
15	PIT	1.41	1.50	−0.09
16	DAL	2.18	2.31	−0.14
17	CHI	2.06	2.31	−0.25
18	WAS	1.47	1.75	−0.28
19	ARI	2.06	2.38	−0.32
20	DEN	1.24	1.63	−0.39
21	ATL	1.53	1.94	−0.41
22	KC	1.94	2.38	−0.43
23	CIN	1.12	1.56	−0.44
24	LV	2.24	2.69	−0.45
25	GB	1.35	1.81	−0.46
26	CAR	1.71	2.19	−0.48
27	NYJ	2.24	2.88	−0.64
28	DET	1.53	2.19	−0.66
29	BAL	1.59	2.38	−0.79
30	IND	1.18	2	−0.82
31	JAX	1.71	2.75	−1.04
32	NO	2.06	3.13	−1.07

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

MIN · 1.35

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 2.43

Biggest improver

NO · −0.21/yr

Biggest decliner

LAR · +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	1.49	+0.01	1.50	1.41	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.65	1.40
3	ATL	1.50	−0.01	1.94	1.53	0.88	1.88	0.94	1.53	1.80
4	LAR	1.56	+0.15	1.19	1.29	1.29	1.65	1.71	1.41	2.40
5	IND	1.57	−0.10	2	1.18	1.94	1.82	1.41	1.82	0.80
6	NE	1.57	+0.08	1.31	1.24	1.76	1.41	1.88	1.59	1.80
7	CIN	1.58	+0.15	1.56	1.12	1.25	1.35	1.88	1.29	2.60
8	CHI	1.59	−0.19	2.31	2.06	1.53	1.35	1.18	1.88	0.80
9	TB	1.63	−0.02	1.63	2.06	1.47	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.80
10	CLE	1.69	+0.00	1.38	2.06	2	1.76	1.12	1.29	2.20
11	NYG	1.72	+0.09	1.44	1.35	2.12	1.59	1.47	2.06	2
12	CAR	1.74	−0.06	2.19	1.71	1.59	1.59	1.94	1.41	1.75
13	WAS	1.76	+0.06	1.75	1.47	1.71	1.47	2.18	1.76	2
14	SF	1.76	−0.13	2.06	2.41	1.53	1.88	1.29	1.76	1.40
15	HOU	1.78	+0.06	1.44	1.71	1.53	2.18	2	2	1.60
16	GB	1.79	+0.11	1.81	1.35	1.71	1.82	1.35	1.88	2.60
17	PHI	1.80	−0.03	2.06	2.06	1.41	1.76	1.47	2.24	1.60
18	ARI	1.80	−0.04	2.38	2.06	1.24	1.76	1.18	1.82	2.20
19	MIA	1.82	−0.05	1.88	1.88	2.24	1.53	1.59	2.24	1.40
20	JAX	1.85	−0.04	2.75	1.71	1.47	1	1.94	2.29	1.80
21	DEN	1.90	+0.12	1.63	1.24	2.06	1.71	2.41	2.47	1.80
22	KC	1.91	+0.02	2.38	1.94	1.65	1.41	1.47	1.76	2.75
23	LV	1.91	−0.11	2.69	2.24	1.65	1.53	1.59	1.71	2
24	SEA	1.93	+0.07	1.63	2.12	1.71	2.06	1.71	1.88	2.40
25	TEN	1.95	−0.10	1.94	2.18	1.82	2.47	2.18	2.06	1
26	LAC	1.96	+0.10	1.63	2.35	1.41	1.82	1.94	1.76	2.80
27	BAL	2.01	+0.04	2.38	1.59	1.53	2.06	2.53	1.59	2.40
28	NO	2.04	−0.21	3.13	2.06	2.24	1.94	1.59	1.71	1.60
29	BUF	2.04	+0.11	1.69	2.29	1.81	2	1.76	1.53	3.20
30	DAL	2.07	−0.02	2.31	2.18	2	2.18	1.53	1.71	2.60
31	DET	2.16	+0.08	2.19	1.53	1.94	2.29	2.71	2.24	2.20
32	NYJ	2.43	+0.08	2.88	2.24	1.59	2.18	2.76	2	3.40

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
CIN	1.56	1.12	1.25	1.35	1.88	1.29	2.60
IND	2	1.18	1.94	1.82	1.41	1.82	0.80
DEN	1.63	1.24	2.06	1.71	2.41	2.47	1.80
NE	1.31	1.24	1.76	1.41	1.88	1.59	1.80
LAR	1.19	1.29	1.29	1.65	1.71	1.41	2.40
GB	1.81	1.35	1.71	1.82	1.35	1.88	2.60
NYG	1.44	1.35	2.12	1.59	1.47	2.06	2
PIT	1.50	1.41	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.65	1.40
WAS	1.75	1.47	1.71	1.47	2.18	1.76	2
ATL	1.94	1.53	0.88	1.88	0.94	1.53	1.80
DET	2.19	1.53	1.94	2.29	2.71	2.24	2.20
BAL	2.38	1.59	1.53	2.06	2.53	1.59	2.40
CAR	2.19	1.71	1.59	1.59	1.94	1.41	1.75
HOU	1.44	1.71	1.53	2.18	2	2	1.60
JAX	2.75	1.71	1.47	1	1.94	2.29	1.80
MIA	1.88	1.88	2.24	1.53	1.59	2.24	1.40
KC	2.38	1.94	1.65	1.41	1.47	1.76	2.75
ARI	2.38	2.06	1.24	1.76	1.18	1.82	2.20
CHI	2.31	2.06	1.53	1.35	1.18	1.88	0.80
CLE	1.38	2.06	2	1.76	1.12	1.29	2.20
NO	3.13	2.06	2.24	1.94	1.59	1.71	1.60
PHI	2.06	2.06	1.41	1.76	1.47	2.24	1.60
TB	1.63	2.06	1.47	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.80
MIN	1.38	2.12	1.29	0.94	1.41	1.53	0.80
SEA	1.63	2.12	1.71	2.06	1.71	1.88	2.40
DAL	2.31	2.18	2	2.18	1.53	1.71	2.60
TEN	1.94	2.18	1.82	2.47	2.18	2.06	1
LV	2.69	2.24	1.65	1.53	1.59	1.71	2
NYJ	2.88	2.24	1.59	2.18	2.76	2	3.40
BUF	1.69	2.29	1.81	2	1.76	1.53	3.20
LAC	1.63	2.35	1.41	1.82	1.94	1.76	2.80
SF	2.06	2.41	1.53	1.88	1.29	1.76	1.40

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).

The best season on record is Bengals 2021 at 1.12; the worst Raiders 2019 at 3.25.

The league average has fallen from 1.91 in 2018 to 1.80 in 2021.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

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.