What Are Penalty First Downs Per Game?
Penalty first downs per game measures the average number of first downs awarded to opponents due to penalties. This stat reflects discipline in critical situations.
Penalty First Downs Per Game | NFL Team Stats
| Team | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | 0.8 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 0.8 | - | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 |
| 1 |  | 0.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | - | 1.0 | 0.7 | 1.8 |
| 3 |  | 1.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.2 | - | 1.3 | 1.0 | 2.1 |
| 3 |  | 1.2 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | - | 0.7 | 1.7 | 1.9 |
| 5 |  | 1.3 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | - | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
| 6 |  | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.4 | - | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.2 |
| 7 |  | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.4 | - | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 |
| 8 |  | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.6 | - | 2.0 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
| 8 |  | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 1.6 | - | 1.0 | 2.3 | 1.5 |
| 8 |  | 1.7 | 0.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | - | 3.0 | 0.3 | 1.8 |
| 8 |  | 1.7 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 1.8 | - | 2.0 | 1.3 | 2.5 |
| 12 |  | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.2 | - | 1.7 | 2.0 | 1.6 |
| 12 |  | 1.8 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 1.8 | - | 2.0 | 1.5 | 1.8 |
| 12 |  | 1.8 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 1.8 | - | 1.5 | 2.5 | 1.4 |
| 15 |  | 2.0 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.0 | - | 1.7 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
| 15 |   | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.7 | 1.4 | - | 2.8 | 0.5 | 2.1 |
| 15 |  | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | - | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
| 15 |  | 2.0 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.0 | - | 2.0 | 2.0 | 1.4 |
| 19 |  | 2.2 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 2.6 | - | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 |
| 19 |  | 2.2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 2.2 | - | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 |
| 19 |  | 2.2 | 5.0 | 2.7 | 2.4 | - | 3.0 | 1.3 | 2.2 |
| 22 |  | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 2.6 | - | 4.0 | 1.5 | 1.6 |
| 22 |   | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.7 | 2.6 | - | 2.0 | 3.0 | 1.4 |
| 22 |  | 2.3 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.2 | - | 2.7 | 2.0 | 1.9 |
| 22 |  | 2.3 | 3.0 | 2.7 | 2.4 | - | 2.0 | 2.5 | 1.8 |
| 26 |  | 2.6 | 2.0 | 2.3 | 2.6 | - | 2.5 | 2.7 | 1.3 |
| 27 |  | 2.7 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 2.4 | - | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.7 |
| 27 |  | 2.7 | 2.0 | 4.3 | 3.0 | - | 2.7 | 2.7 | 1.8 |
| 29 |  | 2.8 | 4.0 | 2.0 | 2.4 | - | 2.3 | 3.3 | 1.9 |
| 30 |  | 3.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 3.4 | - | 3.5 | 2.8 | 2.0 |
| 30 |  | 3.0 | 4.0 | 3.7 | 3.0 | - | 2.7 | 3.5 | 1.8 |
| 32 |  | 3.3 | 4.0 | 3.0 | 3.0 | - | 2.3 | 4.3 | 1.5 |
Which teams have the fewest penalty first downs per game in the NFL in 2026?
Through games played October 22, 2026, Minnesota & Indianapolis are tied for the fewest penalty first downs per game in the NFL at 0.8. Tennessee & Chicago are tied for third at 1.2. Pittsburgh is fifth at 1.3. A gap of 1.5 downs separates the leaders from the 25th-ranked team.
Only 0.9 downs separate first from tenth. Miami is sixth at 1.4 & Houston seventh at 1.5. New Orleans, Atlanta, Washington & Denver are tied for eighth at 1.7.
Seven separate ranks inside the top 25 are shared by more than one team. New England, San Francisco & Tampa Bay are tied 12th at 1.8 & Las Vegas, the New York Giants, Cleveland and Carolina tied 15th at 2.0.
The last seven teams in the ranking sit inside 0.1 downs of each other. Jacksonville, Detroit & Philadelphia are tied 19th at 2.2 & Baltimore, the Los Angeles Rams, Seattle and Arizona tied 22nd at 2.3.
How this ranking is measured
32 NFL teams are ranked for the 2026 regular season. The top 25 appear above, ranked lowest first. Penalty first downs per game measures the average number of first downs awarded to opponents due to penalties. This stat reflects discipline in critical situations. Figures are as of October 22, 2026 & are recalculated on StatRankings after each game's play-by-play is processed.
