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 (4251), Defensive Holding (3072), Roughing the Passer (1699), Illegal Contact (1030), Illegal Use of Hands (888), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (340), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (227), Taunting (130), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (38), 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	271	1.476	0.520	0.421	0.491	0.033	0.295	0.148	12.450	16.317
Minnesota	277	1.332	0.487	0.368	0.437	0.040	0.278	0.144	11.592	15.318
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	275	1.269	0.444	0.389	0.407	0.025	0.251	0.113	10.695	14.495
Cincinnati	280	1.332	0.432	0.432	0.436	0.021	0.261	0.143	11.389	14.571
Arizona	273	1.505	0.564	0.513	0.403	0.022	0.245	0.125	13.004	16.147
Tennessee	275	1.462	0.538	0.436	0.436	0.047	0.287	0.142	12.644	16.960
San Francisco	288	1.444	0.451	0.455	0.510	0.028	0.316	0.170	12.403	15.896
LA Chargers	275	1.404	0.451	0.382	0.498	0.058	0.313	0.138	11.658	14.673
Baltimore	288	1.649	0.576	0.517	0.469	0.073	0.267	0.135	13.948	18.340
Pittsburgh	282	1.337	0.440	0.482	0.358	0.046	0.202	0.110	11.234	15.397
Washington	273	1.377	0.495	0.418	0.418	0.044	0.227	0.110	11.322	15.890
Atlanta	276	1.236	0.431	0.359	0.409	0.022	0.239	0.098	10.438	13.746
N.Y. Giants	275	1.298	0.429	0.400	0.422	0.044	0.291	0.138	11.109	15.291
Las Vegas	269	1.743	0.639	0.483	0.572	0.045	0.390	0.178	15.056	19.260
Indianapolis	281	1.288	0.438	0.402	0.413	0.025	0.231	0.100	10.281	13.833
Chicago	271	1.247	0.354	0.410	0.446	0.030	0.229	0.081	9.856	15.424
Denver	279	1.645	0.606	0.498	0.509	0.025	0.333	0.133	14.047	17.763
LA Rams	280	1.379	0.493	0.404	0.432	0.039	0.279	0.143	11.825	15.107
Green Bay	291	1.271	0.471	0.347	0.412	0.024	0.223	0.093	10.076	13.454
Philadelphia	286	1.458	0.486	0.430	0.510	0.021	0.315	0.171	12.308	15.766
Houston	281	1.566	0.509	0.537	0.480	0.036	0.295	0.142	13.160	18.295
Kansas City	294	1.503	0.554	0.388	0.510	0.037	0.299	0.167	12.582	16.092
Seattle	286	1.535	0.503	0.455	0.545	0.024	0.343	0.150	12.787	17.147
Detroit	274	1.748	0.617	0.485	0.591	0.044	0.332	0.150	14.628	18.438
New England	293	1.358	0.485	0.416	0.440	0.010	0.270	0.102	11.276	15.485
Tampa Bay	278	1.424	0.583	0.392	0.392	0.050	0.227	0.119	12.338	14.888
New Orleans	283	1.753	0.587	0.562	0.534	0.064	0.311	0.120	14.523	19.544
Buffalo	280	1.518	0.564	0.464	0.454	0.032	0.311	0.139	12.829	15.668
N.Y. Jets	274	1.682	0.584	0.449	0.573	0.058	0.369	0.201	14.252	18.876
Jacksonville	272	1.419	0.574	0.371	0.434	0.037	0.254	0.110	11.879	16.636