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 (4362), Defensive Holding (3140), Roughing the Passer (1735), Illegal Contact (1064), Illegal Use of Hands (903), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (255), Face Mask (251), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (138), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (43), 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	278	1.475	0.525	0.421	0.486	0.032	0.295	0.147	12.457	16.302
Minnesota	285	1.333	0.491	0.365	0.439	0.039	0.284	0.144	11.632	15.361
Cleveland	278	1.432	0.482	0.471	0.435	0.036	0.291	0.165	12.094	16.989
Dallas	286	1.510	0.514	0.483	0.451	0.045	0.276	0.140	12.490	15.503
Carolina	282	1.277	0.447	0.390	0.411	0.025	0.255	0.117	10.791	14.390
Cincinnati	287	1.338	0.436	0.432	0.432	0.028	0.258	0.143	11.449	14.603
Arizona	281	1.491	0.555	0.520	0.391	0.021	0.238	0.121	12.826	15.872
Tennessee	282	1.461	0.553	0.433	0.426	0.046	0.280	0.138	12.652	16.936
San Francisco	294	1.422	0.446	0.446	0.503	0.027	0.313	0.167	12.211	15.605
LA Chargers	282	1.394	0.443	0.383	0.493	0.060	0.309	0.135	11.525	14.582
Baltimore	295	1.637	0.576	0.512	0.464	0.071	0.264	0.132	13.871	18.251
Pittsburgh	290	1.331	0.438	0.476	0.355	0.052	0.203	0.107	11.172	15.300
Washington	281	1.377	0.505	0.409	0.409	0.046	0.224	0.110	11.327	15.840
Atlanta	284	1.246	0.430	0.366	0.415	0.021	0.243	0.102	10.528	13.806
N.Y. Giants	282	1.301	0.440	0.401	0.415	0.043	0.287	0.135	11.163	15.330
Las Vegas	277	1.740	0.628	0.484	0.581	0.043	0.394	0.181	15.072	19.426
Indianapolis	287	1.300	0.443	0.408	0.415	0.024	0.237	0.101	10.443	13.913
Chicago	279	1.244	0.362	0.405	0.441	0.029	0.226	0.079	9.875	15.394
Denver	286	1.647	0.598	0.503	0.510	0.028	0.332	0.136	14.098	17.972
LA Rams	288	1.368	0.483	0.410	0.424	0.042	0.274	0.142	11.750	14.872
Green Bay	299	1.268	0.468	0.344	0.415	0.023	0.224	0.097	10.097	13.301
Philadelphia	293	1.447	0.478	0.433	0.505	0.020	0.314	0.174	12.256	15.706
Houston	289	1.567	0.509	0.540	0.478	0.038	0.294	0.145	13.232	18.253
Kansas City	302	1.507	0.550	0.401	0.503	0.036	0.295	0.162	12.533	16.076
Seattle	294	1.527	0.497	0.452	0.548	0.024	0.347	0.150	12.745	16.983
Detroit	282	1.745	0.610	0.482	0.596	0.043	0.337	0.152	14.532	18.216
New England	299	1.348	0.482	0.411	0.438	0.010	0.264	0.100	11.181	15.421
Tampa Bay	285	1.407	0.579	0.386	0.386	0.049	0.221	0.116	12.175	14.691
New Orleans	290	1.738	0.576	0.555	0.534	0.066	0.314	0.121	14.372	19.421
Buffalo	288	1.510	0.566	0.465	0.444	0.031	0.306	0.139	12.844	15.642
N.Y. Jets	281	1.690	0.591	0.445	0.580	0.057	0.374	0.203	14.391	18.922
Jacksonville	280	1.436	0.575	0.389	0.432	0.036	0.257	0.111	12.036	16.757