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 2023 the Cowboys led at 22.35; the league average was 19.06.

League snapshot — 2023

League leader

DAL · 22.35

League average

19.06

Best to worst

7.29

All 32 teams, higher is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	DAL	22.35	17
2	SF	22.35	17
3	BUF	22.29	17
4	DET	21.88	17
5	PHI	21.82	17
6	MIA	21.06	17
7	BAL	20.88	17
8	LAR	20.47	17
9	KC	20.41	17
10	MIN	19.71	17
11	NO	19.71	17
12	GB	19.65	17
13	JAX	19.65	17
14	ARI	19.29	17
15	CIN	19.06	17
16	HOU	19.06	17
17	ATL	18.94	17
18	CLE	18.88	17
19	IND	18.82	17
20	CHI	18.76	17
21	LAC	18.65	17
22	WAS	18.53	17
23	SEA	18.47	17
24	TB	17.59	17
25	DEN	17.47	17
26	TEN	17.47	17
27	CAR	17.24	17
28	LV	16.94	17
29	PIT	16.76	17
30	NYG	15.47	17
31	NYJ	15.29	17
32	NE	15.06	17

At a glance — 2023

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

DAL · 22.35

League laggard

NE · 15.06

League average

19.06

Spread (max − min)

7.29

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	DAL	22.35	3.29	100%
2	SF	22.35	3.29	96.8%
3	BUF	22.29	3.23	93.5%
4	DET	21.88	2.82	90.3%
5	PHI	21.82	2.76	87.1%
6	MIA	21.06	2.00	83.9%
7	BAL	20.88	1.82	80.6%
8	LAR	20.47	1.41	77.4%
9	KC	20.41	1.35	74.2%
10	MIN	19.71	0.64	71%
11	NO	19.71	0.64	67.7%
12	GB	19.65	0.58	64.5%
13	JAX	19.65	0.58	61.3%
14	ARI	19.29	0.23	58.1%
15	CIN	19.06	0.00	54.8%
16	HOU	19.06	0.00	51.6%
17	ATL	18.94	-0.12	48.4%
18	CLE	18.88	-0.18	45.2%
19	IND	18.82	-0.24	41.9%
20	CHI	18.76	-0.30	38.7%
21	LAC	18.65	-0.42	35.5%
22	WAS	18.53	-0.53	32.3%
23	SEA	18.47	-0.59	29%
24	TB	17.59	-1.47	25.8%
25	DEN	17.47	-1.59	22.6%
26	TEN	17.47	-1.59	19.4%
27	CAR	17.24	-1.83	16.1%
28	LV	16.94	-2.12	12.9%
29	PIT	16.76	-2.30	9.7%
30	NYG	15.47	-3.59	6.5%
31	NYJ	15.29	-3.77	3.2%
32	NE	15.06	-4.00	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 2023 vs 2022

Cowboys lead at 22.35 — they ranked #11 last year. Patriots are last at 15.06 — #28 last year.

The league average is 19.06, down 0.46 from 19.52 last year.

Biggest riser: Rams, #27 → #8. Biggest faller: Giants, #9 → #30.

Spread between first and last: 7.29; 21 teams are within 1.98 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2023 vs 2022

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

LAR · +3.41

Biggest faller

NYG · −5.00

Most consistent

DET · +0.06

League trend 2023 vs 2022

▼ -0.46

Rank	Team	2023	2022	Δ
1	LAR	20.47	17.06	+3.41
2	HOU	19.06	16.12	+2.94
3	CHI	18.76	16.24	+2.53
4	DAL	22.35	20.35	+2
5	SF	22.35	20.35	+2
6	NO	19.71	17.88	+1.82
7	TEN	17.47	16.06	+1.41
8	MIA	21.06	19.82	+1.24
9	BAL	20.88	19.76	+1.12
10	CAR	17.24	16.29	+0.94
11	IND	18.82	18.24	+0.59
12	GB	19.65	19.47	+0.18
13	ARI	19.29	19.18	+0.12
14	DET	21.88	21.82	+0.06
15	ATL	18.94	19.06	−0.12
16	DEN	17.47	17.65	−0.18
17	BUF	22.29	22.75	−0.46
18	PHI	21.82	22.35	−0.53
19	JAX	19.65	20.47	−0.82
20	WAS	18.53	19.82	−1.29
21	CLE	18.88	20.41	−1.53
22	SEA	18.47	20.06	−1.59
23	NYJ	15.29	17.12	−1.82
24	NE	15.06	16.88	−1.82
25	LAC	18.65	20.65	−2
26	MIN	19.71	22.12	−2.41
27	TB	17.59	20.35	−2.76
28	CIN	19.06	22.06	−3.00
29	LV	16.94	20	−3.06
30	KC	20.41	23.65	−3.24
31	PIT	16.76	20.12	−3.35
32	NYG	15.47	20.47	−5.00

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

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).

Chiefs have led this stat 2 of 6 seasons.

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

The league average has fallen from 20.25 in 2018 to 19.06 in 2023.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2023.

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.