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 (249), Defensive Holding (247), Roughing the Passer (118), Face Mask (15 Yards) (67), Illegal Use of Hands (57), Illegal Contact (44), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (31), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (15), Horse Collar Tackle (12), Taunting (10), 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
Atlanta	16	1.750	0.438	0.625	0.688	0.000	0.500	0.188	16.188	18.313
Buffalo	16	1.313	0.688	0.375	0.250	0.000	0.188	0.125	11.063	18.188
Baltimore	17	1.647	0.412	0.706	0.529	0.000	0.412	0.118	15.588	17.294
Pittsburgh	16	1.500	0.625	0.375	0.375	0.125	0.250	0.188	13.438	19.750
Indianapolis	18	1.167	0.500	0.333	0.222	0.111	0.111	0.056	12.278	11.722
Minnesota	16	1.938	0.688	0.500	0.688	0.063	0.438	0.250	16.063	19.375
Houston	17	1.353	0.588	0.353	0.412	0.000	0.294	0.235	11.294	15.353
New Orleans	18	2.167	0.778	0.667	0.667	0.056	0.444	0.167	17.833	25.722
Tampa Bay	16	1.375	0.688	0.438	0.188	0.063	0.188	0.125	12.625	14.500
Jacksonville	16	1.688	0.875	0.375	0.375	0.063	0.188	0.125	14.563	20.938
Carolina	16	0.938	0.438	0.313	0.188	0.000	0.125	0.000	9.125	14.688
N.Y. Jets	16	2.063	0.938	0.375	0.688	0.000	0.313	0.250	17.000	19.750
Detroit	16	1.938	1.000	0.500	0.438	0.000	0.188	0.188	18.063	17.938
Oakland	16	1.438	0.625	0.625	0.188	0.000	0.188	0.125	13.313	20.063
Cincinnati	16	1.125	0.563	0.313	0.188	0.000	0.125	0.063	10.500	11.000
Cleveland	16	1.688	0.313	0.813	0.500	0.063	0.375	0.188	13.625	14.563
Kansas City	18	2.111	0.722	0.667	0.667	0.056	0.444	0.333	17.556	20.389
Tennessee	16	0.938	0.313	0.313	0.250	0.063	0.188	0.063	8.313	9.813
Washington	16	1.500	0.500	0.438	0.500	0.063	0.250	0.063	11.250	18.750
San Francisco	16	1.875	0.750	0.625	0.500	0.000	0.500	0.375	17.250	21.938
N.Y. Giants	16	2.063	0.938	0.500	0.500	0.125	0.313	0.125	16.625	23.688
Miami	16	1.813	0.625	0.375	0.813	0.000	0.500	0.063	15.438	23.438
Philadelphia	18	1.167	0.333	0.389	0.333	0.111	0.111	0.167	8.611	12.611
Green Bay	16	1.750	0.813	0.500	0.375	0.063	0.250	0.125	14.688	19.500
Chicago	17	1.412	0.235	0.412	0.706	0.000	0.353	0.176	10.294	15.941
New England	19	1.474	0.474	0.632	0.368	0.000	0.263	0.158	13.368	13.263
Seattle	17	1.824	0.706	0.647	0.353	0.118	0.235	0.118	16.000	20.059
Arizona	16	1.625	0.438	0.875	0.313	0.000	0.313	0.188	14.000	14.375
LA Chargers	18	1.611	0.556	0.222	0.722	0.056	0.444	0.222	12.500	15.500
Dallas	18	1.111	0.278	0.222	0.556	0.000	0.389	0.222	9.500	10.278
LA Rams	19	1.737	0.684	0.632	0.368	0.053	0.316	0.158	15.316	19.053
Denver	16	1.938	1.000	0.500	0.438	0.000	0.375	0.250	18.438	13.563