What 1st Downs by Penalty is

First downs by penalty: new sets of downs the offense was handed by a defensive penalty. Small numbers, and gifts rather than production.

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

In 2021 the Rams led at 0; the league average was 1.76.

League snapshot — 2021

League leader

LAR · 0

League average

1.76

Best to worst

2.35

All 32 teams, lower is better.

Rank	Team	Value	Games
1	LAR	0	17
2	CIN	1.12	17
3	IND	1.18	17
4	DEN	1.24	17
5	NE	1.24	17
6	GB	1.35	17
7	NYG	1.35	17
8	PIT	1.41	17
9	WAS	1.47	17
10	ATL	1.53	17
11	DET	1.53	17
12	BAL	1.59	17
13	CAR	1.71	17
14	HOU	1.71	17
15	JAX	1.71	17
16	MIA	1.88	17
17	KC	1.94	17
18	CHI	2.06	17
19	CLE	2.06	17
20	NO	2.06	17
21	PHI	2.06	17
22	TB	2.06	17
23	ARI	2.12	17
24	MIN	2.12	17
25	SEA	2.12	17
26	DAL	2.18	17
27	TEN	2.18	17
28	LV	2.24	17
29	NYJ	2.24	17
30	BUF	2.29	17
31	LAC	2.35	17
32	SF	2.35	17

At a glance — 2021

Where the 32 teams sit on this stat this season.

League leader

LAR · 0

League laggard

LAC · 2.35

League average

1.76

Spread (max − min)

2.35

Rank	Team	Value	Δ vs avg	Percentile
1	LAR	0	-1.76	100%
2	CIN	1.12	-0.65	96.8%
3	IND	1.18	-0.59	93.5%
4	DEN	1.24	-0.53	90.3%
5	NE	1.24	-0.53	87.1%
6	GB	1.35	-0.41	83.9%
7	NYG	1.35	-0.41	80.6%
8	PIT	1.41	-0.35	77.4%
9	WAS	1.47	-0.29	74.2%
10	ATL	1.53	-0.23	71%
11	DET	1.53	-0.23	67.7%
12	BAL	1.59	-0.17	64.5%
13	CAR	1.71	-0.06	61.3%
14	HOU	1.71	-0.06	58.1%
15	JAX	1.71	-0.06	54.8%
16	MIA	1.88	0.12	51.6%
17	KC	1.94	0.18	48.4%
18	CHI	2.06	0.30	45.2%
19	CLE	2.06	0.30	41.9%
20	NO	2.06	0.30	38.7%
21	PHI	2.06	0.30	35.5%
22	TB	2.06	0.30	32.3%
23	ARI	2.12	0.35	29%
24	MIN	2.12	0.35	25.8%
25	SEA	2.12	0.35	22.6%
26	DAL	2.18	0.41	19.4%
27	TEN	2.18	0.41	16.1%
28	LV	2.24	0.47	12.9%
29	NYJ	2.24	0.47	9.7%
30	BUF	2.29	0.53	6.5%
31	LAC	2.35	0.59	3.2%
32	SF	2.35	0.59	0%

Does 1st Downs by Penalty matter against the spread?

Run as a one-stat algorithm against the closing line, this stat went 809–769–37 ATS (51.3%) across 2020–2025, #214 of 296 ranked.

Its best season was 2020 (139–115, 54.7%); its worst 2024 (123–140, 46.8%).

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

Season	Games	ATS record	ATS %
2020	256	139–115–2	54.7%
2021	272	137–133–2	50.7%
2022	271	137–127–7	51.9%
2023	272	135–123–14	52.3%
2024	272	123–140–9	46.8%
2025	272	138–131–3	51.3%

1st Downs by Penalty in 2021 vs 2020

Rams lead at 0 — they ranked #1 last year. 49ers are last at 2.35 — #21 last year.

The league average is 1.76, down 0.15 from 1.91 last year.

Biggest riser: Colts, #19 → #3. Biggest faller: Chargers, #10 → #31.

Spread between first and last: 2.35; 24 teams are within 0.49 of the average.

Year-over-year — 2021 vs 2020

Biggest movers from last season.

Biggest riser

MIN · +0.74

Biggest faller

NO · −1.07

Most consistent

LAR · 0

League trend 2021 vs 2020

▼ -0.15

Rank	Team	2021	2020	Δ
1	MIN	2.12	1.38	+0.74
2	LAC	2.35	1.63	+0.73
3	CLE	2.06	1.38	+0.68
4	BUF	2.29	1.69	+0.61
5	SEA	2.12	1.63	+0.49
6	TB	2.06	1.63	+0.43
7	SF	2.35	2.06	+0.29
8	HOU	1.71	1.44	+0.27
9	TEN	2.18	1.94	+0.24
10	MIA	1.88	1.88	+0.01
11	LAR	0	0	0
12	PHI	2.06	2.06	−0.00
13	NE	1.24	1.31	−0.08
14	NYG	1.35	1.44	−0.08
15	PIT	1.41	1.50	−0.09
16	DAL	2.18	2.31	−0.14
17	CHI	2.06	2.31	−0.25
18	ARI	2.12	2.38	−0.26
19	WAS	1.47	1.75	−0.28
20	DEN	1.24	1.63	−0.39
21	ATL	1.53	1.94	−0.41
22	KC	1.94	2.38	−0.43
23	CIN	1.12	1.56	−0.44
24	LV	2.24	2.69	−0.45
25	GB	1.35	1.81	−0.46
26	CAR	1.71	2.19	−0.48
27	NYJ	2.24	2.88	−0.64
28	DET	1.53	2.19	−0.66
29	BAL	1.59	2.38	−0.79
30	IND	1.18	2	−0.82
31	JAX	1.71	2.75	−1.04
32	NO	2.06	3.13	−1.07

Multi-year context

7-year window (2020–2026)

Multi-year leader

LAR · 0

Multi-year laggard

NYJ · 2.43

Biggest improver

NO · −0.21/yr

Biggest decliner

CIN · +0.15/yr

Rank	Team	Avg	Slope/yr	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026
1	LAR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2	MIN	1.35	−0.10	1.38	2.12	1.29	0.94	1.41	1.53	0.80
3	PIT	1.49	+0.01	1.50	1.41	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.65	1.40
4	ATL	1.50	−0.01	1.94	1.53	0.88	1.88	0.94	1.53	1.80
5	IND	1.57	−0.10	2	1.18	1.94	1.82	1.41	1.82	0.80
6	NE	1.57	+0.08	1.31	1.24	1.76	1.41	1.88	1.59	1.80
7	CIN	1.58	+0.15	1.56	1.12	1.25	1.35	1.88	1.29	2.60
8	CHI	1.59	−0.19	2.31	2.06	1.53	1.35	1.18	1.88	0.80
9	TB	1.63	−0.02	1.63	2.06	1.47	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.80
10	CLE	1.69	+0.00	1.38	2.06	2	1.76	1.12	1.29	2.20
11	NYG	1.72	+0.09	1.44	1.35	2.12	1.59	1.47	2.06	2
12	CAR	1.74	−0.06	2.19	1.71	1.59	1.59	1.94	1.41	1.75
13	SF	1.76	−0.12	2.06	2.35	1.53	1.88	1.29	1.76	1.40
14	WAS	1.76	+0.06	1.75	1.47	1.71	1.47	2.18	1.76	2
15	HOU	1.78	+0.06	1.44	1.71	1.53	2.18	2	2	1.60
16	GB	1.79	+0.11	1.81	1.35	1.71	1.82	1.35	1.88	2.60
17	PHI	1.80	−0.03	2.06	2.06	1.41	1.76	1.47	2.24	1.60
18	MIA	1.82	−0.05	1.88	1.88	2.24	1.53	1.59	2.24	1.40
19	ARI	1.82	−0.04	2.38	2.12	1.24	1.82	1.18	1.82	2.20
20	JAX	1.85	−0.04	2.75	1.71	1.47	1	1.94	2.29	1.80
21	DEN	1.90	+0.12	1.63	1.24	2.06	1.71	2.41	2.47	1.80
22	KC	1.91	+0.02	2.38	1.94	1.65	1.41	1.47	1.76	2.75
23	LV	1.91	−0.11	2.69	2.24	1.65	1.53	1.59	1.71	2
24	SEA	1.92	+0.07	1.63	2.12	1.71	2	1.71	1.88	2.40
25	TEN	1.95	−0.10	1.94	2.18	1.82	2.47	2.18	2.06	1
26	LAC	1.96	+0.10	1.63	2.35	1.41	1.82	1.94	1.76	2.80
27	BAL	2.01	+0.04	2.38	1.59	1.53	2.06	2.53	1.59	2.40
28	NO	2.04	−0.21	3.13	2.06	2.24	1.94	1.59	1.71	1.60
29	BUF	2.04	+0.11	1.69	2.29	1.81	2	1.76	1.53	3.20
30	DAL	2.07	−0.02	2.31	2.18	2	2.18	1.53	1.71	2.60
31	DET	2.16	+0.08	2.19	1.53	1.94	2.29	2.71	2.24	2.20
32	NYJ	2.43	+0.08	2.88	2.24	1.59	2.18	2.76	2	3.40

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
LAR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
CIN	1.56	1.12	1.25	1.35	1.88	1.29	2.60
IND	2	1.18	1.94	1.82	1.41	1.82	0.80
DEN	1.63	1.24	2.06	1.71	2.41	2.47	1.80
NE	1.31	1.24	1.76	1.41	1.88	1.59	1.80
GB	1.81	1.35	1.71	1.82	1.35	1.88	2.60
NYG	1.44	1.35	2.12	1.59	1.47	2.06	2
PIT	1.50	1.41	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.65	1.40
WAS	1.75	1.47	1.71	1.47	2.18	1.76	2
ATL	1.94	1.53	0.88	1.88	0.94	1.53	1.80
DET	2.19	1.53	1.94	2.29	2.71	2.24	2.20
BAL	2.38	1.59	1.53	2.06	2.53	1.59	2.40
CAR	2.19	1.71	1.59	1.59	1.94	1.41	1.75
HOU	1.44	1.71	1.53	2.18	2	2	1.60
JAX	2.75	1.71	1.47	1	1.94	2.29	1.80
MIA	1.88	1.88	2.24	1.53	1.59	2.24	1.40
KC	2.38	1.94	1.65	1.41	1.47	1.76	2.75
CHI	2.31	2.06	1.53	1.35	1.18	1.88	0.80
CLE	1.38	2.06	2	1.76	1.12	1.29	2.20
NO	3.13	2.06	2.24	1.94	1.59	1.71	1.60
PHI	2.06	2.06	1.41	1.76	1.47	2.24	1.60
TB	1.63	2.06	1.47	1.35	1.76	1.35	1.80
ARI	2.38	2.12	1.24	1.82	1.18	1.82	2.20
MIN	1.38	2.12	1.29	0.94	1.41	1.53	0.80
SEA	1.63	2.12	1.71	2	1.71	1.88	2.40
DAL	2.31	2.18	2	2.18	1.53	1.71	2.60
TEN	1.94	2.18	1.82	2.47	2.18	2.06	1
LV	2.69	2.24	1.65	1.53	1.59	1.71	2
NYJ	2.88	2.24	1.59	2.18	2.76	2	3.40
BUF	1.69	2.29	1.81	2	1.76	1.53	3.20
LAC	1.63	2.35	1.41	1.82	1.94	1.76	2.80
SF	2.06	2.35	1.53	1.88	1.29	1.76	1.40

1st Downs by Penalty since 2018

Leaders since 2018: 2018 Rams (0), 2019 Rams (0), 2020 Rams (0), 2021 Rams (0).

Rams have led this stat 4 of 4 seasons.

The best season on record is Rams 2018 at 0; the worst Raiders 2019 at 3.25.

Distribution

How the 32 teams cluster for 2021.

About this stat

Stat ID: off_team_stats_pen_fd
Side: offensive
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.