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.

In 2020 the Bills led at 24.31; the league average was 21.43.

League snapshot — 2020

League leader

BUF · 24.31

League average

21.43

Best to worst

7.56

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	BUF	24.31	16
2	KC	24.19	16
3	ARI	23.63	16
4	TEN	23.50	16
5	MIN	23.44	16
6	DAL	22.94	16
7	LAC	22.94	16
8	NO	22.75	16
9	ATL	22.69	16
10	IND	22.50	16
11	TB	22.50	16
12	LV	22.38	16
13	GB	22.25	16
14	SEA	22.13	16
15	CLE	22	16
16	LAR	21.81	16
17	DET	21.63	16
18	SF	21.63	16
19	MIA	21.19	16
20	CAR	20.75	16
21	PHI	20.69	16
22	CHI	20.56	16
23	BAL	20.25	16
24	NE	20.19	16
25	HOU	20.13	16
26	PIT	20	16
27	WAS	19.88	16
28	CIN	19.63	16
29	JAX	19.31	16
30	DEN	18.94	16
31	NYG	18.38	16
32	NYJ	16.75	16

At a glance — 2020

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

BUF · 24.31

League laggard

NYJ · 16.75

League average

21.43

Spread (max − min)

7.56

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	BUF	24.31	2.88	100%
2	KC	24.19	2.76	96.8%
3	ARI	23.63	2.19	93.5%
4	TEN	23.50	2.07	90.3%
5	MIN	23.44	2.01	87.1%
6	DAL	22.94	1.51	83.9%
7	LAC	22.94	1.51	80.6%
8	NO	22.75	1.32	77.4%
9	ATL	22.69	1.26	74.2%
10	IND	22.50	1.07	71%
11	TB	22.50	1.07	67.7%
12	LV	22.38	0.94	64.5%
13	GB	22.25	0.82	61.3%
14	SEA	22.13	0.69	58.1%
15	CLE	22	0.57	54.8%
16	LAR	21.81	0.38	51.6%
17	DET	21.63	0.19	48.4%
18	SF	21.63	0.19	45.2%
19	MIA	21.19	-0.24	41.9%
20	CAR	20.75	-0.68	38.7%
21	PHI	20.69	-0.74	35.5%
22	CHI	20.56	-0.87	32.3%
23	BAL	20.25	-1.18	29%
24	NE	20.19	-1.24	25.8%
25	HOU	20.13	-1.31	22.6%
26	PIT	20	-1.43	19.4%
27	WAS	19.88	-1.56	16.1%
28	CIN	19.63	-1.81	12.9%
29	JAX	19.31	-2.12	9.7%
30	DEN	18.94	-2.49	6.5%
31	NYG	18.38	-3.06	3.2%
32	NYJ	16.75	-4.68	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 2020 vs 2019

Bills lead at 24.31 — they ranked #22 last year. Jets are last at 16.75 — #31 last year.

The league average is 21.43, up 1.41 from 20.02 last year.

Biggest riser: Bills, #22 → #1. Biggest faller: Ravens, #1 → #23.

Spread between first and last: 7.56; 22 teams are within 1.75 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2020 vs 2019

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

BUF · +5.06

Biggest faller

BAL · −3.56

Most consistent

DAL · −0.13

League trend 2020 vs 2019

▲ 1.41

Rank	Team	2020	2019	Δ
1	BUF	24.31	19.25	+5.06
2	WAS	19.88	15.44	+4.44
3	MIN	23.44	19.06	+4.38
4	ARI	23.63	19.44	+4.19
5	TEN	23.50	19.50	+4
6	PIT	20	16.38	+3.63
7	CLE	22	18.94	+3.06
8	LV	22.38	19.44	+2.94
9	KC	24.19	21.69	+2.50
10	DET	21.63	19.25	+2.38
11	GB	22.25	19.88	+2.38
12	CHI	20.56	18.31	+2.25
13	IND	22.50	20.69	+1.81
14	DEN	18.94	17.19	+1.75
15	MIA	21.19	19.56	+1.63
16	LAC	22.94	21.56	+1.38
17	NO	22.75	21.69	+1.06
18	JAX	19.31	18.31	+1
19	SF	21.63	20.63	+1
20	NYJ	16.75	15.81	+0.94
21	SEA	22.13	21.19	+0.94
22	LAR	21.81	21.25	+0.56
23	TB	22.50	22	+0.50
24	CIN	19.63	19.44	+0.19
25	DAL	22.94	23.06	−0.13
26	CAR	20.75	20.94	−0.19
27	NYG	18.38	19.13	−0.75
28	ATL	22.69	23.56	−0.88
29	NE	20.19	21.06	−0.88
30	HOU	20.13	21.25	−1.13
31	PHI	20.69	21.94	−1.25
32	BAL	20.25	23.81	−3.56

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

BUF · 22.72

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 16.85

Biggest improver

LAR · +0.57/yr

Biggest decliner

TEN · −1.20/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	BUF	22.72	−0.22	24.31	23.18	22.75	22.29	20.88	21.82	23.80
2	KC	21.90	−0.86	24.19	24.47	23.65	20.41	20.53	19.59	20.50
3	DAL	21.84	−0.07	22.94	22.65	20.35	22.35	19.18	22.82	22.60
4	DET	21.80	+0.43	21.63	19.06	21.82	21.88	23.71	20.29	24.20
5	SF	21.19	−0.02	21.63	20.82	20.35	22.35	20.53	22.24	20.40
6	LAR	21.11	+0.57	21.81	20.76	17.06	20.47	20	23.06	24.60
7	BAL	20.94	−0.08	20.25	23	19.76	20.88	22.76	18.29	21.60
8	ARI	20.56	−0.49	23.63	21.53	19.18	19.29	20.94	19.53	19.80
9	TB	20.54	−0.74	22.50	23.65	20.35	17.59	22.71	19.41	17.60
10	CIN	20.54	+0.18	19.63	19.71	22.06	19.06	21.94	20.59	20.80
11	LAC	20.07	−0.96	22.94	23.29	20.65	18.65	18.24	19.12	17.60
12	GB	19.94	−0.73	22.25	21.94	19.47	19.65	19.82	19.47	17
13	PHI	19.81	−0.92	20.69	20.53	22.35	21.82	21.12	17.94	14.20
14	ATL	19.74	−0.17	22.69	17.71	19.06	18.94	21.12	19.29	19.40
15	IND	19.74	−0.38	22.50	20.65	18.24	18.82	18.47	20.47	19
16	WAS	19.67	−0.17	19.88	20.12	19.82	18.53	22.12	18.82	18.40
17	MIN	19.62	−1.12	23.44	19.47	22.12	19.71	20.47	16.94	15.20
18	CHI	19.52	+0.46	20.56	19.35	16.24	18.76	17.41	20.88	23.40
19	SEA	19.45	−0.21	22.13	17.53	20.06	18.47	19.24	19.71	19
20	JAX	19.38	+0.22	19.31	17.71	20.47	19.65	17.35	20.76	20.40
21	NO	19.33	−0.15	22.75	17.82	17.88	19.71	17.71	18.47	21
22	MIA	19.04	−0.78	21.19	19	19.82	21.06	20	17	15.20
23	LV	19.00	−0.64	22.38	20.18	20	16.94	18.18	14.76	20.60
24	NE	18.96	+0.11	20.19	21	16.88	15.06	17.53	21.06	21
25	CAR	18.65	+0.19	20.75	18.59	16.29	17.24	17	17.94	22.75
26	CLE	18.59	−1.05	22	19.71	20.41	18.88	17.71	15.41	16
27	PIT	18.58	−0.30	20	18.71	20.12	16.76	18.41	17.47	18.60
28	NYG	18.52	+0.28	18.38	17.41	20.47	15.47	17.71	20	20.20
29	DEN	18.21	−0.22	18.94	19.12	17.65	17.47	18.47	19.41	16.40
30	TEN	18.13	−1.20	23.50	21.12	16.06	17.47	17.88	15.29	15.60
31	HOU	18.12	+0.22	20.13	15.47	16.12	19.06	17.88	18.76	19.40
32	NYJ	16.85	−0.16	16.75	18.24	17.12	15.29	18.24	15.71	16.60

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
BUF	24.31	23.18	22.75	22.29	20.88	21.82	23.80
KC	24.19	24.47	23.65	20.41	20.53	19.59	20.50
ARI	23.63	21.53	19.18	19.29	20.94	19.53	19.80
TEN	23.50	21.12	16.06	17.47	17.88	15.29	15.60
MIN	23.44	19.47	22.12	19.71	20.47	16.94	15.20
DAL	22.94	22.65	20.35	22.35	19.18	22.82	22.60
LAC	22.94	23.29	20.65	18.65	18.24	19.12	17.60
NO	22.75	17.82	17.88	19.71	17.71	18.47	21
ATL	22.69	17.71	19.06	18.94	21.12	19.29	19.40
IND	22.50	20.65	18.24	18.82	18.47	20.47	19
TB	22.50	23.65	20.35	17.59	22.71	19.41	17.60
LV	22.38	20.18	20	16.94	18.18	14.76	20.60
GB	22.25	21.94	19.47	19.65	19.82	19.47	17
SEA	22.13	17.53	20.06	18.47	19.24	19.71	19
CLE	22	19.71	20.41	18.88	17.71	15.41	16
LAR	21.81	20.76	17.06	20.47	20	23.06	24.60
DET	21.63	19.06	21.82	21.88	23.71	20.29	24.20
SF	21.63	20.82	20.35	22.35	20.53	22.24	20.40
MIA	21.19	19	19.82	21.06	20	17	15.20
CAR	20.75	18.59	16.29	17.24	17	17.94	22.75
PHI	20.69	20.53	22.35	21.82	21.12	17.94	14.20
CHI	20.56	19.35	16.24	18.76	17.41	20.88	23.40
BAL	20.25	23	19.76	20.88	22.76	18.29	21.60
NE	20.19	21	16.88	15.06	17.53	21.06	21
HOU	20.13	15.47	16.12	19.06	17.88	18.76	19.40
PIT	20	18.71	20.12	16.76	18.41	17.47	18.60
WAS	19.88	20.12	19.82	18.53	22.12	18.82	18.40
CIN	19.63	19.71	22.06	19.06	21.94	20.59	20.80
JAX	19.31	17.71	20.47	19.65	17.35	20.76	20.40
DEN	18.94	19.12	17.65	17.47	18.47	19.41	16.40
NYG	18.38	17.41	20.47	15.47	17.71	20	20.20
NYJ	16.75	18.24	17.12	15.29	18.24	15.71	16.60

1st Down since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Rams (24.63), 2019 Ravens (23.81), 2020 Bills (24.31).

The best season on record is Rams 2018 at 24.63; the worst Cardinals 2018 at 14.75.

The league average has risen from 20.25 in 2018 to 21.43 in 2020.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2020.

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.