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 (253), Defensive Holding (149), Roughing the Passer (90), Illegal Contact (68), Face Mask (15 Yards) (53), Personal Foul (51), Illegal Use of Hands (50), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (21), Horse Collar Tackle (19), Tripping (2), and Taunting (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
Chicago	16	1.563	0.688	0.250	0.563	0.063	0.438	0.313	13.875	18.125
Indianapolis	17	2.176	0.588	0.706	0.824	0.059	0.412	0.235	17.353	28.235
N.Y. Jets	16	1.875	0.563	0.563	0.750	0.000	0.313	0.000	13.688	14.813
Houston	18	1.222	0.222	0.500	0.500	0.000	0.278	0.056	8.889	16.667
Denver	17	2.000	0.647	0.706	0.529	0.118	0.294	0.118	17.529	18.941
Oakland	16	1.375	0.438	0.250	0.438	0.250	0.313	0.188	10.313	18.625
Baltimore	20	1.850	0.450	0.600	0.750	0.050	0.450	0.150	15.600	21.450
San Diego	16	1.250	0.438	0.125	0.688	0.000	0.563	0.250	12.875	13.188
Kansas City	16	1.125	0.375	0.188	0.563	0.000	0.313	0.125	10.313	14.438
Detroit	16	1.188	0.313	0.563	0.313	0.000	0.250	0.000	8.875	14.500
Minnesota	17	1.294	0.353	0.471	0.412	0.059	0.235	0.118	9.471	15.882
Atlanta	18	1.556	0.389	0.722	0.444	0.000	0.278	0.167	13.833	12.556
San Francisco	19	1.000	0.263	0.421	0.263	0.053	0.053	0.000	6.368	10.526
Arizona	16	0.875	0.313	0.188	0.375	0.000	0.375	0.063	9.188	9.750
Miami	16	1.813	0.688	0.438	0.688	0.000	0.375	0.188	15.438	22.438
Cincinnati	17	1.118	0.412	0.235	0.412	0.059	0.353	0.294	11.471	14.529
Washington	17	1.176	0.471	0.176	0.471	0.059	0.353	0.235	10.176	13.765
N.Y. Giants	16	2.000	0.563	0.750	0.625	0.063	0.313	0.250	18.125	22.813
Philadelphia	16	1.188	0.375	0.500	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.000	9.500	15.563
Green Bay	18	2.000	0.833	0.444	0.667	0.000	0.278	0.111	15.556	23.278
New England	18	1.722	0.667	0.500	0.556	0.000	0.333	0.111	13.556	19.944
Tennessee	16	1.375	0.438	0.375	0.563	0.000	0.438	0.125	11.813	12.125
New Orleans	16	1.063	0.250	0.625	0.188	0.000	0.125	0.125	10.563	12.313
Seattle	18	1.167	0.444	0.333	0.333	0.056	0.167	0.111	9.556	16.111
Tampa Bay	16	1.188	0.500	0.438	0.250	0.000	0.188	0.125	12.500	13.188
Carolina	16	1.813	0.438	0.625	0.750	0.000	0.313	0.063	13.688	15.688
Buffalo	16	0.938	0.438	0.375	0.125	0.000	0.000	0.000	7.000	11.875
Jacksonville	16	1.500	0.875	0.313	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.000	12.625	15.938
Pittsburgh	16	1.313	0.500	0.438	0.375	0.000	0.250	0.125	11.938	17.875
Dallas	16	1.500	0.625	0.625	0.250	0.000	0.188	0.125	13.563	16.813
Cleveland	16	1.063	0.500	0.188	0.375	0.000	0.188	0.063	8.063	12.563
St. Louis	16	0.938	0.500	0.125	0.313	0.000	0.250	0.125	9.813	10.625