What 1st Down (Off − Def) is

First downs earned minus first downs allowed. Who moved the chains more often — the team or its opponents.

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

In 2024 the Lions led at 4.53; the league average was 0.00.

League snapshot — 2024

League leader

DET · 4.53

League average

0.00

Best to worst

11.94

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	DET	4.53	17
2	PHI	4	17
3	BAL	3.59	17
4	TB	3.18	17
5	WAS	2.53	17
6	MIA	1.71	17
7	SF	1.65	17
8	MIN	1.59	17
9	KC	1.53	17
10	ARI	0.88	17
11	ATL	0.88	17
12	CIN	0.82	17
13	GB	0.76	17
14	BUF	0.24	17
15	SEA	0.12	17
16	CLE	0.06	17
17	LAR	0.06	17
18	LAC	0	17
19	TEN	-0.24	17
20	DEN	-0.47	17
21	HOU	-0.47	17
22	LV	-0.59	17
23	PIT	-0.59	17
24	DAL	-0.76	17
25	IND	-1.47	17
26	CHI	-1.59	17
27	NYG	-1.76	17
28	NYJ	-1.82	17
29	NE	-2.76	17
30	NO	-2.94	17
31	JAX	-5.24	17
32	CAR	-7.41	17

At a glance — 2024

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DET · 4.53

League laggard

CAR · -7.41

League average

0.00

Spread (max − min)

11.94

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DET	4.53	4.53	100%
2	PHI	4	4	96.8%
3	BAL	3.59	3.59	93.5%
4	TB	3.18	3.18	90.3%
5	WAS	2.53	2.53	87.1%
6	MIA	1.71	1.71	83.9%
7	SF	1.65	1.65	80.6%
8	MIN	1.59	1.59	77.4%
9	KC	1.53	1.53	74.2%
10	ARI	0.88	0.88	71%
11	ATL	0.88	0.88	67.7%
12	CIN	0.82	0.82	64.5%
13	GB	0.76	0.76	61.3%
14	BUF	0.24	0.24	58.1%
15	SEA	0.12	0.12	54.8%
16	CLE	0.06	0.06	51.6%
17	LAR	0.06	0.06	48.4%
18	LAC	0	0.00	45.2%
19	TEN	-0.24	-0.24	41.9%
20	DEN	-0.47	-0.47	38.7%
21	HOU	-0.47	-0.47	35.5%
22	LV	-0.59	-0.59	32.3%
23	PIT	-0.59	-0.59	29%
24	DAL	-0.76	-0.76	25.8%
25	IND	-1.47	-1.47	22.6%
26	CHI	-1.59	-1.59	19.4%
27	NYG	-1.76	-1.76	16.1%
28	NYJ	-1.82	-1.82	12.9%
29	NE	-2.76	-2.76	9.7%
30	NO	-2.94	-2.94	6.5%
31	JAX	-5.24	-5.24	3.2%
32	CAR	-7.41	-7.41	0%

Does 1st Down (Off − Def) matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 884–694–37 ATS (56.0%) across 2020–2025, #39 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2022 (160–104, 60.6%); its worst 2024 (139–124, 52.9%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	144–110–2	56.7%
2021	272	145–125–2	53.7%
2022	271	160–104–7	60.6%
2023	272	149–109–14	57.8%
2024	272	139–124–9	52.9%
2025	272	147–122–3	54.6%

1st Down (Off − Def) in 2024 vs 2023

Lions lead at 4.53 — they ranked #9 last year. Panthers are last at -7.41 — #18 last year.

The league average is 0.00, the same as last year.

Biggest riser: Commanders, #30 → #5. Biggest faller: Cowboys, #1 → #24.

Spread between first and last: 11.94; 23 teams are within 2.44 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2024 vs 2023

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

WAS · +5.41

Biggest faller

JAX · −6.53

Most consistent

NYJ · 0

League trend 2024 vs 2023

▼ 0.00

Rank	Team	2024	2023	Δ
1	WAS	2.53	-2.88	+5.41
2	TB	3.18	-2.18	+5.35
3	SEA	0.12	-3.59	+3.71
4	NYG	-1.76	-5.06	+3.29
5	PHI	4	0.88	+3.12
6	ARI	0.88	-2.18	+3.06
7	DEN	-0.47	-2.82	+2.35
8	CIN	0.82	-1.47	+2.29
9	DET	4.53	2.24	+2.29
10	TEN	-0.24	-2	+1.76
11	LV	-0.59	-2.29	+1.71
12	LAC	0	-1.35	+1.35
13	MIN	1.59	0.47	+1.12
14	GB	0.76	-0.06	+0.82
15	PIT	-0.59	-1.29	+0.71
16	ATL	0.88	0.24	+0.65
17	BAL	3.59	3.12	+0.47
18	NE	-2.76	-2.82	+0.06
19	NYJ	-1.82	-1.82	0
20	HOU	-0.47	-0.24	−0.24
21	IND	-1.47	-1.18	−0.29
22	MIA	1.71	2.41	−0.71
23	LAR	0.06	1.29	−1.24
24	KC	1.53	2.82	−1.29
25	SF	1.65	3.82	−2.18
26	CHI	-1.59	0.82	−2.41
27	BUF	0.24	4.12	−3.88
28	CLE	0.06	4.12	−4.06
29	DAL	-0.76	4.24	−5
30	NO	-2.94	2.29	−5.24
31	CAR	-7.41	-0.94	−6.47
32	JAX	-5.24	1.29	−6.53

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

BUF · 2.78

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · -3.51

Biggest improver

HOU · +1.35/yr

Biggest decliner

MIA · −0.76/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	BUF	2.78	−0.75	2.56	6.65	3.38	4.12	0.24	4.29	-1.80
2	SF	2.74	+0.03	2.50	2.24	3.41	3.82	1.65	2.18	3.40
3	KC	2.45	−0.31	2.38	3.29	3.82	2.82	1.53	2.53	0.75
4	LAR	2.09	+0.61	4.31	0.41	-2.35	1.29	0.06	4.29	6.60
5	TB	1.57	−0.35	2.69	3.53	2	-2.18	3.18	0.94	0.80
6	DAL	1.46	−0.34	0.63	3.65	1.47	4.24	-0.76	1.24	-0.20
7	BAL	1.43	+0.11	-1.13	3	0.88	3.12	3.59	-1.24	1.80
8	LAC	0.90	−0.41	2.94	1.18	2	-1.35	0	2.71	-1.20
9	CHI	0.70	+1.00	0.38	0.82	-4.88	0.82	-1.59	0.53	8.80
10	GB	0.41	−0.67	1.81	2.18	1.06	-0.06	0.76	0.12	-3
11	MIN	0.38	+0.42	0.69	-3.24	1.06	0.47	1.59	-0.53	2.60
12	NE	0.37	+0.51	-0.94	2.94	-1.29	-2.82	-2.76	3.47	4
13	CIN	0.23	+0.12	-1.69	-0.12	3.75	-1.47	0.82	-0.06	0.40
14	CLE	0.16	−0.64	0.19	0.71	1.35	4.12	0.06	-1.29	-4
15	NO	0.14	−0.56	3.19	0.24	-0.71	2.29	-2.94	0.12	-1.20
16	PHI	0.04	−0.69	-0.25	-0.18	3.35	0.88	4	-1.29	-6.20
17	WAS	-0.02	−0.69	2.06	0.12	3.18	-2.88	2.53	-3.18	-2
18	DET	-0.20	+0.62	-4	-2.76	-0.18	2.24	4.53	1.18	-2.40
19	PIT	-0.20	−0.34	2.63	-1.88	1.71	-1.29	-0.59	-3	1
20	IND	-0.33	−0.40	2.19	1.18	-1.76	-1.18	-1.47	-1.06	-0.20
21	ARI	-0.50	−0.46	1.19	2.18	-2	-2.18	0.88	-2.76	-0.80
22	MIA	-0.58	−0.76	0.50	-0.53	0.29	2.41	1.71	-3.06	-5.40
23	ATL	-0.65	+0.45	0	-4.59	-1.47	0.24	0.88	0.18	0.20
24	SEA	-0.72	+1.08	-1.19	-5.82	-0.35	-3.59	0.12	2.82	3
25	DEN	-0.92	−0.04	-1.81	0.94	-1.24	-2.82	-0.47	2.35	-3.40
26	JAX	-0.97	+0.92	-4.81	-2.59	0	1.29	-5.24	2.12	2.40
27	LV	-1.37	−0.19	-0.94	-0.24	-1.06	-2.29	-0.59	-4.47	0
28	CAR	-1.76	+0.11	-1.31	0.41	-3.88	-0.94	-7.41	-0.94	1.75
29	TEN	-1.80	−0.63	-0.63	1.88	-3.76	-2	-0.24	-4.24	-3.60
30	HOU	-1.95	+1.35	-3.94	-6.76	-5.59	-0.24	-0.47	2.76	0.60
31	NYG	-2.22	+0.59	-3.44	-3.88	-0.88	-5.06	-1.76	-0.94	0.40
32	NYJ	-3.51	+0.35	-6.75	-4.94	-0.88	-1.82	-1.82	-5.76	-2.60

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
DET	-4	-2.76	-0.18	2.24	4.53	1.18	-2.40
PHI	-0.25	-0.18	3.35	0.88	4	-1.29	-6.20
BAL	-1.13	3	0.88	3.12	3.59	-1.24	1.80
TB	2.69	3.53	2	-2.18	3.18	0.94	0.80
WAS	2.06	0.12	3.18	-2.88	2.53	-3.18	-2
MIA	0.50	-0.53	0.29	2.41	1.71	-3.06	-5.40
SF	2.50	2.24	3.41	3.82	1.65	2.18	3.40
MIN	0.69	-3.24	1.06	0.47	1.59	-0.53	2.60
KC	2.38	3.29	3.82	2.82	1.53	2.53	0.75
ARI	1.19	2.18	-2	-2.18	0.88	-2.76	-0.80
ATL	0	-4.59	-1.47	0.24	0.88	0.18	0.20
CIN	-1.69	-0.12	3.75	-1.47	0.82	-0.06	0.40
GB	1.81	2.18	1.06	-0.06	0.76	0.12	-3
BUF	2.56	6.65	3.38	4.12	0.24	4.29	-1.80
SEA	-1.19	-5.82	-0.35	-3.59	0.12	2.82	3
CLE	0.19	0.71	1.35	4.12	0.06	-1.29	-4
LAR	4.31	0.41	-2.35	1.29	0.06	4.29	6.60
LAC	2.94	1.18	2	-1.35	0	2.71	-1.20
TEN	-0.63	1.88	-3.76	-2	-0.24	-4.24	-3.60
DEN	-1.81	0.94	-1.24	-2.82	-0.47	2.35	-3.40
HOU	-3.94	-6.76	-5.59	-0.24	-0.47	2.76	0.60
LV	-0.94	-0.24	-1.06	-2.29	-0.59	-4.47	0
PIT	2.63	-1.88	1.71	-1.29	-0.59	-3	1
DAL	0.63	3.65	1.47	4.24	-0.76	1.24	-0.20
IND	2.19	1.18	-1.76	-1.18	-1.47	-1.06	-0.20
CHI	0.38	0.82	-4.88	0.82	-1.59	0.53	8.80
NYG	-3.44	-3.88	-0.88	-5.06	-1.76	-0.94	0.40
NYJ	-6.75	-4.94	-0.88	-1.82	-1.82	-5.76	-2.60
NE	-0.94	2.94	-1.29	-2.82	-2.76	3.47	4
NO	3.19	0.24	-0.71	2.29	-2.94	0.12	-1.20
JAX	-4.81	-2.59	0	1.29	-5.24	2.12	2.40
CAR	-1.31	0.41	-3.88	-0.94	-7.41	-0.94	1.75

1st Down (Off − Def) since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Ravens (5.38), 2019 Ravens (6.88), 2020 Rams (4.31), 2021 Bills (6.65), 2022 Chiefs (3.82), 2023 Cowboys (4.24), 2024 Lions (4.53).

Ravens have led this stat 2 of 7 seasons.

The best season on record is Ravens 2019 at 6.88; the worst Panthers 2024 at -7.41.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2024.

About this stat

Stat ID: net_first_down
Side: net
Family: NET (Off − Def)
Data source: P + N
Polarity: higher is better (or neutral)
Display grain: count
Algorithm eligibility: Algorithm-eligible: this stat can be picked in the Algorithm Builder.