Automatic First Downs - 2009 to Present

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 (4262), Defensive Holding (3081), Roughing the Passer (1703), Illegal Contact (1032), Illegal Use of Hands (889), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (341), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (231), Taunting (131), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (39), Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact (5), Roughing the Kicker (1), and Clipping (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
Miami	272	1.471	0.518	0.419	0.489	0.033	0.294	0.147	12.404	16.257
Minnesota	278	1.327	0.486	0.367	0.435	0.040	0.277	0.144	11.550	15.263
Cleveland	271	1.450	0.491	0.476	0.439	0.037	0.295	0.166	12.255	17.240
Dallas	279	1.527	0.520	0.491	0.452	0.047	0.276	0.143	12.685	15.695
Carolina	276	1.264	0.442	0.388	0.406	0.025	0.250	0.112	10.656	14.442
Cincinnati	281	1.335	0.431	0.434	0.438	0.021	0.263	0.146	11.395	14.552
Arizona	273	1.505	0.564	0.513	0.403	0.022	0.245	0.125	13.004	16.147
Tennessee	276	1.460	0.536	0.438	0.435	0.047	0.286	0.141	12.620	16.953
San Francisco	289	1.443	0.453	0.453	0.509	0.028	0.315	0.170	12.394	15.858
LA Chargers	276	1.399	0.449	0.380	0.496	0.058	0.312	0.138	11.616	14.620
Baltimore	289	1.647	0.578	0.516	0.467	0.073	0.266	0.135	13.934	18.315
Pittsburgh	283	1.339	0.442	0.484	0.357	0.046	0.201	0.110	11.279	15.420
Washington	275	1.378	0.502	0.415	0.415	0.044	0.225	0.109	11.349	15.927
Atlanta	277	1.231	0.430	0.357	0.408	0.022	0.238	0.097	10.401	13.697
N.Y. Giants	276	1.301	0.431	0.402	0.420	0.043	0.290	0.138	11.141	15.283
Las Vegas	270	1.741	0.637	0.485	0.570	0.044	0.389	0.178	15.067	19.244
Indianapolis	282	1.287	0.440	0.401	0.411	0.025	0.230	0.099	10.280	13.837
Chicago	272	1.246	0.357	0.408	0.445	0.029	0.228	0.081	9.857	15.393
Denver	280	1.643	0.604	0.500	0.507	0.025	0.332	0.132	14.018	17.704
LA Rams	281	1.377	0.491	0.406	0.431	0.039	0.278	0.142	11.819	15.096
Green Bay	292	1.274	0.473	0.346	0.414	0.024	0.223	0.092	10.089	13.435
Philadelphia	286	1.458	0.486	0.430	0.510	0.021	0.315	0.171	12.308	15.766
Houston	282	1.560	0.507	0.535	0.479	0.035	0.294	0.142	13.113	18.230
Kansas City	296	1.500	0.554	0.389	0.507	0.037	0.297	0.166	12.551	16.051
Seattle	287	1.537	0.502	0.456	0.547	0.024	0.341	0.150	12.780	17.157
Detroit	275	1.753	0.618	0.487	0.593	0.044	0.335	0.153	14.691	18.447
New England	294	1.357	0.483	0.418	0.439	0.010	0.269	0.102	11.272	15.449
Tampa Bay	278	1.424	0.583	0.392	0.392	0.050	0.227	0.119	12.338	14.888
New Orleans	284	1.757	0.588	0.563	0.532	0.067	0.310	0.120	14.532	19.556
Buffalo	281	1.516	0.566	0.463	0.452	0.032	0.310	0.139	12.819	15.630
N.Y. Jets	274	1.682	0.584	0.449	0.573	0.058	0.369	0.201	14.252	18.876
Jacksonville	273	1.425	0.575	0.377	0.432	0.037	0.253	0.110	11.923	16.703