What 1st Down is

First downs: the number of times the offense earned a new set of downs, by run, pass or penalty. Sustained drives show up here before they show up on the scoreboard.

Higher 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 Lions lead at 24.20; the league average is 19.43.

League snapshot — 2026

League leader

DET · 24.20

League average

19.43

Best to worst

9.70

All 32 teams, higher is better.

At a glance — 2026

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DET · 24.20

League laggard

PHI · 14.50

League average

19.43

Spread (max − min)

9.70

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DET	24.20	4.77	100%
2	BUF	23.67	4.24	96.8%
3	LAR	23.50	4.07	93.5%
4	CAR	23	3.57	90.3%
5	CHI	22.83	3.41	87.1%
6	DAL	22.83	3.41	83.9%
7	LV	21.17	1.74	80.6%
8	JAX	21	1.57	77.4%
9	NE	21	1.57	74.2%
10	CIN	20.80	1.37	71%
11	KC	20.80	1.37	67.7%
12	NYG	20.67	1.24	64.5%
13	NO	20.33	0.91	61.3%
14	SF	20.33	0.91	58.1%
15	ARI	20	0.57	54.8%
16	BAL	20	0.57	51.6%
17	HOU	20	0.57	48.4%
18	IND	19.83	0.41	45.2%
19	SEA	19.83	0.41	41.9%
20	PIT	19.17	-0.26	38.7%
21	ATL	18.33	-1.09	35.5%
22	WAS	18.17	-1.26	32.3%
23	TB	17.50	-1.93	29%
24	GB	17.33	-2.09	25.8%
25	NYJ	17.17	-2.26	22.6%
26	LAC	17	-2.43	19.4%
27	DEN	15.83	-3.59	16.1%
28	CLE	15.67	-3.76	12.9%
29	MIA	15.20	-4.23	9.7%
30	MIN	15.20	-4.23	6.5%
31	TEN	14.83	-4.59	3.2%
32	PHI	14.50	-4.93	0%

Does 1st Down matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 858–720–37 ATS (54.4%) across 2020–2025, #86 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2024 (151–112, 57.4%); its worst 2020 (128–126, 50.4%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	128–126–2	50.4%
2021	272	146–124–2	54.1%
2022	271	149–115–7	56.4%
2023	272	136–122–14	52.7%
2024	272	151–112–9	57.4%
2025	272	148–121–3	55.0%

1st Down in 2026 vs 2025

Lions lead at 24.20 — they ranked #10 last year. Eagles are last at 14.50 — #25 last year.

The league average is 19.43, up 0.29 from 19.14 last year.

Biggest riser: Raiders, #32 → #7. Biggest faller: 49ers, #3 → #14.

Spread between first and last: 9.70; 20 teams are within 2.74 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2026 vs 2025

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

LV · +6.40

Biggest faller

DEN · −3.58

Most consistent

DAL · +0.01

League trend 2026 vs 2025

▲ 0.29

Rank	Team	2026	2025	Δ
1	LV	21.17	14.76	+6.40
2	CAR	23	17.94	+5.06
3	DET	24.20	20.29	+3.91
4	CHI	22.83	20.88	+1.95
5	NO	20.33	18.47	+1.86
6	BUF	23.67	21.82	+1.84
7	BAL	20	18.29	+1.71
8	PIT	19.17	17.47	+1.70
9	NYJ	17.17	15.71	+1.46
10	HOU	20	18.76	+1.24
11	KC	20.80	19.59	+1.21
12	NYG	20.67	20	+0.67
13	ARI	20	19.53	+0.47
14	LAR	23.50	23.06	+0.44
15	CLE	15.67	15.41	+0.25
16	JAX	21	20.76	+0.24
17	CIN	20.80	20.59	+0.21
18	SEA	19.83	19.71	+0.13
19	DAL	22.83	22.82	+0.01
20	NE	21	21.06	−0.06
21	TEN	14.83	15.29	−0.46
22	IND	19.83	20.47	−0.64
23	WAS	18.17	18.82	−0.66
24	ATL	18.33	19.29	−0.96
25	MIN	15.20	16.94	−1.74
26	MIA	15.20	17	−1.80
27	SF	20.33	22.24	−1.90
28	TB	17.50	19.41	−1.91
29	LAC	17	19.12	−2.12
30	GB	17.33	19.47	−2.14
31	PHI	14.50	17.94	−3.44
32	DEN	15.83	19.41	−3.58

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

BUF · 22.70

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 16.93

Biggest improver

LAR · +0.45/yr

Biggest decliner

TEN · −1.28/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	BUF	22.70	−0.23	24.31	23.18	22.75	22.29	20.88	21.82	23.67
2	KC	21.95	−0.82	24.19	24.47	23.65	20.41	20.53	19.59	20.80
3	DAL	21.87	−0.04	22.94	22.65	20.35	22.35	19.18	22.82	22.83
4	DET	21.80	+0.43	21.63	19.06	21.82	21.88	23.71	20.29	24.20
5	SF	21.18	−0.03	21.63	20.82	20.35	22.35	20.53	22.24	20.33
6	LAR	20.95	+0.45	21.81	20.76	17.06	20.47	20	23.06	23.50
7	BAL	20.71	−0.26	20.25	23	19.76	20.88	22.76	18.29	20
8	ARI	20.59	−0.47	23.63	21.53	19.18	19.29	20.94	19.53	20
9	CIN	20.54	+0.18	19.63	19.71	22.06	19.06	21.94	20.59	20.80
10	TB	20.53	−0.75	22.50	23.65	20.35	17.59	22.71	19.41	17.50
11	GB	19.99	−0.69	22.25	21.94	19.47	19.65	19.82	19.47	17.33
12	LAC	19.98	−1.02	22.94	23.29	20.65	18.65	18.24	19.12	17
13	IND	19.85	−0.29	22.50	20.65	18.24	18.82	18.47	20.47	19.83
14	PHI	19.85	−0.89	20.69	20.53	22.35	21.82	21.12	17.94	14.50
15	WAS	19.64	−0.19	19.88	20.12	19.82	18.53	22.12	18.82	18.17
16	MIN	19.62	−1.12	23.44	19.47	22.12	19.71	20.47	16.94	15.20
17	ATL	19.59	−0.28	22.69	17.71	19.06	18.94	21.12	19.29	18.33
18	SEA	19.57	−0.12	22.13	17.53	20.06	18.47	19.24	19.71	19.83
19	JAX	19.46	+0.29	19.31	17.71	20.47	19.65	17.35	20.76	21
20	CHI	19.43	+0.39	20.56	19.35	16.24	18.76	17.41	20.88	22.83
21	NO	19.24	−0.22	22.75	17.82	17.88	19.71	17.71	18.47	20.33
22	LV	19.09	−0.58	22.38	20.18	20	16.94	18.18	14.76	21.17
23	MIA	19.04	−0.78	21.19	19	19.82	21.06	20	17	15.20
24	NE	18.96	+0.11	20.19	21	16.88	15.06	17.53	21.06	21
25	CAR	18.69	+0.22	20.75	18.59	16.29	17.24	17	17.94	23
26	PIT	18.66	−0.24	20	18.71	20.12	16.76	18.41	17.47	19.17
27	NYG	18.59	+0.33	18.38	17.41	20.47	15.47	17.71	20	20.67
28	CLE	18.54	−1.08	22	19.71	20.41	18.88	17.71	15.41	15.67
29	HOU	18.20	+0.28	20.13	15.47	16.12	19.06	17.88	18.76	20
30	DEN	18.13	−0.28	18.94	19.12	17.65	17.47	18.47	19.41	15.83
31	TEN	18.02	−1.28	23.50	21.12	16.06	17.47	17.88	15.29	14.83
32	NYJ	16.93	−0.10	16.75	18.24	17.12	15.29	18.24	15.71	17.17

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	21.63	19.06	21.82	21.88	23.71	20.29	24.20
BUF	24.31	23.18	22.75	22.29	20.88	21.82	23.67
LAR	21.81	20.76	17.06	20.47	20	23.06	23.50
CAR	20.75	18.59	16.29	17.24	17	17.94	23
CHI	20.56	19.35	16.24	18.76	17.41	20.88	22.83
DAL	22.94	22.65	20.35	22.35	19.18	22.82	22.83
LV	22.38	20.18	20	16.94	18.18	14.76	21.17
JAX	19.31	17.71	20.47	19.65	17.35	20.76	21
NE	20.19	21	16.88	15.06	17.53	21.06	21
CIN	19.63	19.71	22.06	19.06	21.94	20.59	20.80
KC	24.19	24.47	23.65	20.41	20.53	19.59	20.80
NYG	18.38	17.41	20.47	15.47	17.71	20	20.67
NO	22.75	17.82	17.88	19.71	17.71	18.47	20.33
SF	21.63	20.82	20.35	22.35	20.53	22.24	20.33
ARI	23.63	21.53	19.18	19.29	20.94	19.53	20
BAL	20.25	23	19.76	20.88	22.76	18.29	20
HOU	20.13	15.47	16.12	19.06	17.88	18.76	20
IND	22.50	20.65	18.24	18.82	18.47	20.47	19.83
SEA	22.13	17.53	20.06	18.47	19.24	19.71	19.83
PIT	20	18.71	20.12	16.76	18.41	17.47	19.17
ATL	22.69	17.71	19.06	18.94	21.12	19.29	18.33
WAS	19.88	20.12	19.82	18.53	22.12	18.82	18.17
TB	22.50	23.65	20.35	17.59	22.71	19.41	17.50
GB	22.25	21.94	19.47	19.65	19.82	19.47	17.33
NYJ	16.75	18.24	17.12	15.29	18.24	15.71	17.17
LAC	22.94	23.29	20.65	18.65	18.24	19.12	17
DEN	18.94	19.12	17.65	17.47	18.47	19.41	15.83
CLE	22	19.71	20.41	18.88	17.71	15.41	15.67
MIA	21.19	19	19.82	21.06	20	17	15.20
MIN	23.44	19.47	22.12	19.71	20.47	16.94	15.20
TEN	23.50	21.12	16.06	17.47	17.88	15.29	14.83
PHI	20.69	20.53	22.35	21.82	21.12	17.94	14.50

1st Down since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Rams (24.63), 2019 Ravens (23.81), 2020 Bills (24.31), 2021 Chiefs (24.47), 2022 Chiefs (23.65), 2023 Cowboys (22.35), 2024 Lions (23.71), 2025 Rams (23.06), 2026 Lions (24.20).

Rams have led this stat 2 of 9 seasons.

The best season on record is Rams 2018 at 24.63; the worst Eagles 2026 at 14.50.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2026.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_team_stats_first_down
Side: offensive
Family: Team Stats
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.