which nfl team has the most 1st downs in a game after 1979

Since 1980, the New Orleans Saints have the most first downs by a team in a game, with 40 first downs against the Cowboys on November 10, 2013.

Interpreted as:
Which NFL team has the most 1st downs in a regular-season game after 1979?
TEAM1DWNDATETMOPPRESULTPASS 1DWNRUSH 1DWNPEN 1DWNTDOFFOPP OFF3DWN%4DWN%
1Saints
Saints
40
11/10/2013
vs
W
49-17
20
15
5
7
625
193
75.0
100.0
2Broncos
Broncos
39
12/8/2013
vs
W
51-28
25
9
5
6
551
254
38.5
100.0
3Texans
Texans
39
11/18/2012
vs
W
43-37
26
10
3
5
653
458
36.4
4Redskins
Redskins
39
11/4/1990
@
W
41-38
25
14
0
5
676
351
5Jets
Jets
39
11/27/1988
vs
W
38-34
23
13
3
5
597
440
6Lions
Lions
38
11/17/2024
vs
W
52-6
22
14
2
7
645
170
60.0
100.0
7Seahawks
Seahawks
38
9/30/2024
@
L
29-42
22
10
6
4
516
389
50.0
50.0
8Ravens
Ravens
36
11/7/2021
vs
W
34-31
15
17
4
4
500
318
40.0
100.0
9Saints
Saints
36
12/25/2020
vs
W
52-33
14
21
1
7
583
364
55.6
100.0
10Chiefs
Chiefs
36
11/22/2020
@
W
35-31
22
10
4
5
460
364
55.6
100.0
11Rams
Rams
36
9/29/2019
vs
L
40-55
27
3
6
5
518
464
36.4
0.0
12Dolphins
Dolphins
36
12/21/2014
vs
W
37-35
23
7
6
5
493
357
69.2
13Steelers
Steelers
36
11/30/2014
vs
L
32-35
25
6
5
3
538
393
42.9
0.0
14Lions
Lions
36
9/23/2012
@
L
41-44
23
11
2
4
583
437
25.0
0.0
15Saints
Saints
36
12/18/2011
@
W
42-20
23
9
4
6
573
207
72.7
0.0
16Saints
Saints
36
10/23/2011
vs
W
62-7
19
16
1
8
557
252
75.0
17Chiefs
Chiefs
36
10/24/2004
vs
W
56-10
14
21
1
8
540
222
60.0
1849ers
49ers
36
10/18/1998
vs
W
34-31
22
9
5
4
448
336
54.5
19Jaguars
Jaguars
36
10/20/1996
@
L
14-17
24
10
2
2
538
204
78.6
100.0
20Cowboys
Cowboys
35
10/4/2020
vs
L
38-49
29
6
0
5
566
508
54.5
50.0
21Texans
Texans
35
10/13/2019
@
W
31-24
20
12
3
4
472
309
41.7
66.7
22Packers
Packers
35
12/23/2018
@
W
44-38
19
9
7
5
540
370
41.7
100.0
23Bengals
Bengals
35
10/30/2016
vs
T
27-27
17
10
8
4
415
546
53.3
24Saints
Saints
35
11/1/2015
vs
W
52-49
24
10
1
7
608
416
63.6
100.0
25Patriots
Patriots
35
9/27/2015
vs
W
51-17
19
12
4
6
471
293
78.6

More Saints Stats

Team Leaders

PASS

2,384

Shough

Tyler Shough

RUSH

471

Kamara

Alvin Kamara

REC

1,163

Olave

Chris Olave
Team Rankings

PPG

18.0

28th

OPP PPG

22.5

16th

RUSH YDS/G

94.3

28th

PASS YDS/G

236.9

10th

2025 Division Standings
TEAMWLTPCT
8
9
0
.471
8
9
0
.471
8
9
0
.471
Saints Saints
6
11
0
.353
Last Game
NO Saints

6 - 11

17

Final

19

ATL Falcons

8 - 9

Sun 4 Jan 2026

NFL 2025 Leaders

NFL 2025 Rankings

NFL Fantasy 2025

NFL 2025 Betting

NFL 2025 Standings

AFC EastWLTPCT
14
3
0
.824
Bills Bills - w
12
5
0
.706
7
10
0
.412
Jets Jets - e
3
14
0
.176
AFC NorthWLTPCT
10
7
0
.588
8
9
0
.471
6
11
0
.353
5
12
0
.294
AFC SouthWLTPCT
13
4
0
.765
12
5
0
.706
Colts Colts - e
8
9
0
.471
3
14
0
.176
AFC WestWLTPCT
14
3
0
.824
11
6
0
.647
6
11
0
.353
3
14
0
.176
NFC EastWLTPCT
11
6
0
.647
7
9
1
.441
5
12
0
.294
4
13
0
.235
NFC NorthWLTPCT
Bears Bears - y
11
6
0
.647
9
7
1
.559
9
8
0
.529
Lions Lions - e
9
8
0
.529
NFC SouthWLTPCT
8
9
0
.471
8
9
0
.471
8
9
0
.471
6
11
0
.353
NFC WestWLTPCT
14
3
0
.824
Rams Rams - w
12
5
0
.706
49ers 49ers - w
12
5
0
.706
3
14
0
.176