On fourth-and-2, go for it everywhere beyond your 28-yard line.

On fourth-and-3, go for it almost everywhere beyond your 40.

As the down-to-go distance increases, your chances of successfully converting a first down become smaller — and the decisions become more nuanced. On fourth-and-medium, punting is a good idea close to your end zone, and kicking a field goal is wise closer to your opponent’s. But around midfield, depending on the distance you have to go, I still recommend that coaches go for it.

Again, those rules of thumb, which vary depending on the specific teams involved:

On fourth-and-4, go for it between your 45 and your opponent’s 29.

On fourth-and-5, go for it between midfield and your opponent’s 33.

On fourth-and-6, go for it between your opponent’s 47 and your opponent’s 35.

As the yards-to-go increases, the low risk of succeeding on fourth down makes punting or kicking a field goal a wiser option for most places on the field, except in that nether region where you’re barely out of field-goal range but too close to punt. There, the risk of missing a field goal is too high, and the field position advantage you gain by punting is not as positive, especially if you punt in the end zone.

On fourth-and-7, go for it between your opponent’s 44 and your opponent’s 36.

On fourth-and-8, go for it between your opponent’s 41 and your opponent’s 37.

On fourth-and-9, the only place I recommend going for it is around your opponent’s 38.

On fourth-and-10 and worse, I don’t recommend rewarding your offense with another down.

Punting vs. Kicking

In general, if the numbers do not favor going for the first down, I recommend attempting a field goal rather than punting anywhere inside the opponent’s 37-yard line.