What Rush 1stD (allowed) is

Rushing first downs allowed: first downs opponents earned on running plays against this defense.

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

In 2019 the Saints led at 4.50; the league average was 6.25.

League snapshot — 2019

League leader

NO · 4.50

League average

6.25

Best to worst

3.63

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	NO	4.50	16
2	TB	4.56	16
3	NE	4.63	16
4	BAL	4.75	16
5	PHI	4.81	16
6	NYJ	4.88	16
7	MIN	5.19	16
8	CHI	5.50	16
9	IND	5.75	16
10	LV	5.81	16
11	BUF	5.94	16
12	TEN	6	16
13	SEA	6.06	16
14	ARI	6.13	16
15	DEN	6.19	16
16	DET	6.31	16
17	HOU	6.31	16
18	NYG	6.31	16
19	GB	6.38	16
20	DAL	6.44	16
21	LAC	6.50	16
22	LAR	6.56	16
23	SF	6.69	16
24	PIT	6.94	16
25	ATL	7	16
26	JAX	7.31	16
27	MIA	7.31	16
28	KC	7.63	16
29	WAS	7.69	16
30	CLE	7.88	16
31	CIN	7.94	16
32	CAR	8.13	16

At a glance — 2019

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

NO · 4.50

League laggard

CAR · 8.13

League average

6.25

Spread (max − min)

3.63

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	NO	4.50	-1.75	100%
2	TB	4.56	-1.69	96.8%
3	NE	4.63	-1.63	93.5%
4	BAL	4.75	-1.50	90.3%
5	PHI	4.81	-1.44	87.1%
6	NYJ	4.88	-1.38	83.9%
7	MIN	5.19	-1.06	80.6%
8	CHI	5.50	-0.75	77.4%
9	IND	5.75	-0.50	74.2%
10	LV	5.81	-0.44	71%
11	BUF	5.94	-0.31	67.7%
12	TEN	6	-0.25	64.5%
13	SEA	6.06	-0.19	61.3%
14	ARI	6.13	-0.13	58.1%
15	DEN	6.19	-0.06	54.8%
16	DET	6.31	0.06	51.6%
17	HOU	6.31	0.06	48.4%
18	NYG	6.31	0.06	45.2%
19	GB	6.38	0.13	41.9%
20	DAL	6.44	0.19	38.7%
21	LAC	6.50	0.25	35.5%
22	LAR	6.56	0.31	32.3%
23	SF	6.69	0.44	29%
24	PIT	6.94	0.69	25.8%
25	ATL	7	0.75	22.6%
26	JAX	7.31	1.06	19.4%
27	MIA	7.31	1.06	16.1%
28	KC	7.63	1.38	12.9%
29	WAS	7.69	1.44	9.7%
30	CLE	7.88	1.63	6.5%
31	CIN	7.94	1.69	3.2%
32	CAR	8.13	1.88	0%

Does Rush 1stD (allowed) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 845–733–37 ATS (53.5%) across 2020–2025, #116 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (141–113, 55.5%); its worst 2021 (138–132, 51.1%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	141–113–2	55.5%
2021	272	138–132–2	51.1%
2022	271	145–119–7	54.9%
2023	272	137–121–14	53.1%
2024	272	143–120–9	54.4%
2025	272	141–128–3	52.4%

Rush 1stD (allowed) in 2019 vs 2018

Saints lead at 4.50 — they ranked #2 last year. Panthers are last at 8.13 — #22 last year.

The league average is 6.25, down 0.21 from 6.46 last year.

Biggest riser: Buccaneers, #28 → #2. Biggest faller: Steelers, #7 → #24.

Spread between first and last: 3.63; 18 teams are within 1.03 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2019 vs 2018

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

JAX · +1.50

Biggest faller

TB · −3.19

Most consistent

GB · 0

League trend 2019 vs 2018

▼ -0.21

Rank	Team	2019	2018	Δ
1	JAX	7.31	5.81	+1.50
2	HOU	6.31	4.88	+1.44
3	PIT	6.94	5.56	+1.38
4	CHI	5.50	4.25	+1.25
5	CAR	8.13	7	+1.13
6	WAS	7.69	6.88	+0.81
7	DAL	6.44	5.69	+0.75
8	DEN	6.19	5.75	+0.44
9	DET	6.31	6.06	+0.25
10	IND	5.75	5.50	+0.25
11	PHI	4.81	4.63	+0.19
12	SEA	6.06	5.88	+0.19
13	LAR	6.56	6.44	+0.13
14	GB	6.38	6.38	0
15	LAC	6.50	6.50	0
16	MIA	7.31	7.38	−0.06
17	NO	4.50	4.56	−0.06
18	SF	6.69	6.75	−0.06
19	CIN	7.94	8.19	−0.25
20	CLE	7.88	8.13	−0.25
21	TEN	6	6.25	−0.25
22	NYG	6.31	6.69	−0.38
23	ATL	7	7.44	−0.44
24	KC	7.63	8.06	−0.44
25	BAL	4.75	5.25	−0.50
26	BUF	5.94	7.13	−1.19
27	NE	4.63	5.94	−1.31
28	LV	5.81	7.25	−1.44
29	MIN	5.19	7.06	−1.88
30	NYJ	4.88	6.88	−2
31	ARI	6.13	9	−2.88
32	TB	4.56	7.75	−3.19

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

TB · 5.63

Multi-year laggard

DAL · 7.85

Biggest improver

HOU · −0.69/yr

Biggest decliner

NO · +0.64/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	TB	5.63	−0.01	4.88	5.76	6.29	6.12	5.82	5.35	5.20
2	BAL	5.67	+0.12	6.13	4.88	5.41	5.88	4.29	6.47	6.60
3	SF	6.11	+0.07	6.50	5.88	4.76	5.82	7.12	7.06	5.60
4	DEN	6.43	+0.05	6.81	6.06	6.53	7.06	5	5.12	8.40
5	NE	6.53	−0.28	8.31	6.82	5.47	6	7.53	6.18	5.40
6	KC	6.55	−0.18	7.25	7.18	6.06	6.41	6.65	6.29	6
7	MIA	6.58	+0.07	7.13	6.24	5.88	6.53	5.94	7.35	7
8	TEN	6.61	+0.18	7.38	5.47	5.65	6.18	7.41	6.41	7.80
9	WAS	6.63	+0.09	6.44	5.94	6.06	7.18	7.35	7.82	5.60
10	LAR	6.66	+0.21	5.81	6.71	6.41	6.53	6.94	6.41	7.80
11	JAX	6.69	−0.60	8.88	7.47	6.82	6	8.18	5.06	4.40
12	CLE	6.71	−0.08	7.25	6.71	7.82	5.24	6.41	6.12	7.40
13	PIT	6.73	+0.06	5.94	8.59	5.88	5.71	6.53	7.24	7.20
14	MIN	6.75	−0.49	8.56	7.82	7	6.24	4.94	8.47	4.20
15	SEA	6.81	−0.24	6.25	7.41	7.82	8.59	6.59	5	6
16	BUF	6.88	+0.01	7.81	6.53	6.56	5.82	6.47	7.94	7
17	PHI	6.95	+0.09	6.50	7.12	6.94	6.65	6.53	7.88	7
18	CHI	6.97	−0.19	6.69	7.24	9.06	5.35	7.71	7.53	5.20
19	ATL	6.98	−0.24	6.13	8.47	8.06	6.35	7.88	7.18	4.80
20	NO	7.02	+0.64	5.50	5.12	7.35	6	8	7.59	9.60
21	DET	7.05	−0.23	8	8.12	8.18	5.53	5.29	6.06	8.20
22	LAC	7.09	−0.21	7.13	8.82	7.06	6.71	6.65	6.29	7
23	LV	7.10	−0.03	7.50	6.65	7.65	7.12	6.06	7.71	7
24	HOU	7.18	−0.69	9.13	8.24	9.06	6.65	6.53	4.88	5.80
25	IND	7.20	+0.28	6.19	6	7.71	7.53	7.76	7.41	7.80
26	NYJ	7.30	+0.10	6.50	7.82	7	6.94	7.82	8	7
27	GB	7.37	+0.03	7.56	7.18	7.65	7.29	6.41	7.29	8.20
28	CIN	7.37	+0.04	8	6.35	6.56	7.65	8.35	7.88	6.80
29	ARI	7.49	+0.11	7.44	6.41	7.41	8.35	7.35	8.06	7.40
30	NYG	7.55	−0.11	7.25	7.65	8.12	8	7.76	7.88	6.20
31	CAR	7.68	+0.10	7.50	6.71	7.41	7.29	10.65	7.24	7
32	DAL	7.85	+0.18	9.19	6.06	7.24	6.76	8.53	8.18	9

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	8.56	7.82	7	6.24	4.94	8.47	4.20
JAX	8.88	7.47	6.82	6	8.18	5.06	4.40
ATL	6.13	8.47	8.06	6.35	7.88	7.18	4.80
CHI	6.69	7.24	9.06	5.35	7.71	7.53	5.20
TB	4.88	5.76	6.29	6.12	5.82	5.35	5.20
NE	8.31	6.82	5.47	6	7.53	6.18	5.40
SF	6.50	5.88	4.76	5.82	7.12	7.06	5.60
WAS	6.44	5.94	6.06	7.18	7.35	7.82	5.60
HOU	9.13	8.24	9.06	6.65	6.53	4.88	5.80
KC	7.25	7.18	6.06	6.41	6.65	6.29	6
SEA	6.25	7.41	7.82	8.59	6.59	5	6
NYG	7.25	7.65	8.12	8	7.76	7.88	6.20
BAL	6.13	4.88	5.41	5.88	4.29	6.47	6.60
CIN	8	6.35	6.56	7.65	8.35	7.88	6.80
BUF	7.81	6.53	6.56	5.82	6.47	7.94	7
CAR	7.50	6.71	7.41	7.29	10.65	7.24	7
LV	7.50	6.65	7.65	7.12	6.06	7.71	7
LAC	7.13	8.82	7.06	6.71	6.65	6.29	7
MIA	7.13	6.24	5.88	6.53	5.94	7.35	7
NYJ	6.50	7.82	7	6.94	7.82	8	7
PHI	6.50	7.12	6.94	6.65	6.53	7.88	7
PIT	5.94	8.59	5.88	5.71	6.53	7.24	7.20
ARI	7.44	6.41	7.41	8.35	7.35	8.06	7.40
CLE	7.25	6.71	7.82	5.24	6.41	6.12	7.40
IND	6.19	6	7.71	7.53	7.76	7.41	7.80
LAR	5.81	6.71	6.41	6.53	6.94	6.41	7.80
TEN	7.38	5.47	5.65	6.18	7.41	6.41	7.80
DET	8	8.12	8.18	5.53	5.29	6.06	8.20
GB	7.56	7.18	7.65	7.29	6.41	7.29	8.20
DEN	6.81	6.06	6.53	7.06	5	5.12	8.40
DAL	9.19	6.06	7.24	6.76	8.53	8.18	9
NO	5.50	5.12	7.35	6	8	7.59	9.60

Rush 1stD (allowed) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Bears (4.25), 2019 Saints (4.50).

The best season on record is Bears 2018 at 4.25; the worst Cardinals 2018 at 9.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2019.

About this stat

Stat ID: def_team_stats_rush_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.