Automatic First Downs

This page shows all penalties that resulted in an automatic first down based on the type of penalty. There are many additional penalties that based on the penalty yardage and distance remaining resulted in a first down.

"3rd & Long" is 3rd down and 6 or more yards. "Desperation" is 3rd and 10 or more or 4th and 6 or more. "Yardage Mitigated" is the total yardage the team had left to get a first down when the flag was thrown granting a gratis first down. Remember: There are more first down plays than 2nd down plays, more 2nd down plays than 3rd, and so on.

Beneficiary means the team benefitted from the penalty. Declined and Offsetting penalties are not shown in this table. Penalties occurring on special teams are not included.

The table below contains the following penalties: Defensive Pass Interference (247), Defensive Holding (175), Roughing the Passer (89), Face Mask (15 Yards) (54), Personal Foul (45), Illegal Use of Hands (40), Illegal Contact (38), Horse Collar Tackle (26), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (25), Taunting (16), and Tripping (1)

Scroll left and right for additional columns.

Team	Games	Total	1st Down	2nd Down	3rd Down	4th Down	3rd & Long	Desperation	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Denver	19	1.895	0.632	0.684	0.474	0.105	0.211	0.105	16.474	18.526
Seattle	19	1.895	0.632	0.368	0.895	0.000	0.526	0.316	17.316	25.105
Chicago	16	1.125	0.250	0.375	0.500	0.000	0.250	0.125	8.250	12.688
Cleveland	16	1.438	0.563	0.313	0.500	0.000	0.313	0.125	11.188	19.563
Minnesota	16	0.938	0.188	0.188	0.563	0.000	0.313	0.188	9.438	16.188
Oakland	16	1.500	0.500	0.438	0.563	0.000	0.438	0.188	12.875	16.125
Pittsburgh	16	1.063	0.375	0.313	0.375	0.000	0.125	0.063	7.625	11.250
Arizona	16	1.688	0.938	0.313	0.375	0.063	0.063	0.063	13.750	18.375
N.Y. Giants	16	1.063	0.500	0.250	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.000	7.438	13.750
Houston	16	1.813	0.563	0.500	0.750	0.000	0.500	0.063	13.938	30.313
N.Y. Jets	16	1.313	0.375	0.438	0.313	0.188	0.188	0.000	10.688	15.313
Atlanta	16	1.438	0.375	0.438	0.563	0.063	0.250	0.125	12.125	15.063
Baltimore	16	1.375	0.563	0.500	0.313	0.000	0.250	0.000	11.313	13.250
Buffalo	16	1.938	0.750	0.750	0.438	0.000	0.375	0.125	18.625	20.625
Carolina	17	1.588	0.353	0.471	0.647	0.118	0.471	0.294	12.588	13.882
Dallas	16	1.688	0.750	0.500	0.375	0.063	0.313	0.188	14.625	17.313
Philadelphia	17	1.294	0.529	0.294	0.471	0.000	0.176	0.176	11.000	16.176
Detroit	16	1.563	0.688	0.250	0.438	0.063	0.313	0.125	12.125	17.688
Tampa Bay	16	1.563	0.438	0.563	0.563	0.000	0.438	0.188	14.688	20.813
San Francisco	19	1.158	0.368	0.368	0.368	0.053	0.105	0.053	8.053	12.895
Cincinnati	17	1.412	0.588	0.588	0.176	0.000	0.118	0.059	12.059	20.471
St. Louis	16	2.188	0.938	0.688	0.500	0.063	0.313	0.125	19.563	21.063
Miami	16	1.188	0.375	0.313	0.500	0.000	0.313	0.125	10.313	15.063
New England	18	0.944	0.333	0.167	0.444	0.000	0.278	0.056	7.278	11.389
New Orleans	18	1.000	0.333	0.278	0.389	0.000	0.167	0.000	9.000	11.889
Tennessee	16	1.500	0.625	0.563	0.313	0.000	0.188	0.063	11.500	17.438
Jacksonville	16	1.375	0.688	0.438	0.188	0.063	0.125	0.000	12.625	16.875
San Diego	18	1.167	0.389	0.389	0.389	0.000	0.333	0.000	9.333	13.111
Kansas City	17	1.529	0.471	0.529	0.529	0.000	0.353	0.059	13.059	14.059
Indianapolis	18	1.500	0.556	0.278	0.667	0.000	0.389	0.111	10.333	15.000
Green Bay	17	0.882	0.294	0.353	0.176	0.059	0.059	0.000	5.529	10.706
Washington	16	1.313	0.625	0.438	0.250	0.000	0.250	0.063	11.063	12.688