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 (4394), Defensive Holding (3159), Roughing the Passer (1744), Illegal Contact (1069), Illegal Use of Hands (911), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (351), Face Mask (260), Horse Collar Tackle (256), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (140), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (44), 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	280	1.479	0.532	0.418	0.486	0.032	0.293	0.146	12.493	16.339
Minnesota	287	1.328	0.491	0.362	0.436	0.038	0.282	0.143	11.585	15.272
Cleveland	280	1.432	0.486	0.468	0.436	0.036	0.293	0.168	12.125	17.029
Dallas	288	1.514	0.510	0.486	0.455	0.045	0.281	0.142	12.566	15.628
Carolina	285	1.274	0.446	0.389	0.411	0.025	0.256	0.119	10.804	14.382
Cincinnati	289	1.332	0.436	0.429	0.429	0.028	0.256	0.142	11.405	14.554
Arizona	283	1.484	0.555	0.516	0.389	0.021	0.237	0.120	12.770	15.816
Tennessee	284	1.458	0.556	0.430	0.423	0.046	0.278	0.137	12.634	16.930
San Francisco	298	1.416	0.443	0.443	0.503	0.027	0.315	0.164	12.151	15.537
LA Chargers	285	1.386	0.439	0.379	0.495	0.060	0.312	0.133	11.460	14.498
Baltimore	298	1.638	0.574	0.510	0.466	0.070	0.265	0.131	13.836	18.228
Pittsburgh	293	1.328	0.433	0.481	0.352	0.051	0.201	0.106	11.177	15.273
Washington	283	1.378	0.505	0.410	0.410	0.046	0.226	0.110	11.329	15.802
Atlanta	286	1.248	0.427	0.367	0.416	0.024	0.245	0.105	10.542	13.857
N.Y. Giants	284	1.299	0.437	0.405	0.412	0.042	0.285	0.134	11.151	15.285
Las Vegas	279	1.728	0.624	0.480	0.577	0.043	0.391	0.179	14.964	19.287
Indianapolis	290	1.297	0.445	0.407	0.410	0.024	0.234	0.100	10.448	13.876
Chicago	282	1.238	0.358	0.404	0.440	0.028	0.227	0.078	9.819	15.262
Denver	288	1.639	0.597	0.500	0.507	0.028	0.330	0.135	14.035	17.941
LA Rams	291	1.364	0.481	0.409	0.423	0.041	0.271	0.141	11.704	14.873
Green Bay	302	1.258	0.464	0.344	0.411	0.023	0.222	0.096	10.013	13.275
Philadelphia	296	1.470	0.483	0.446	0.510	0.020	0.318	0.176	12.412	16.044
Houston	292	1.568	0.514	0.538	0.476	0.038	0.295	0.144	13.253	18.284
Kansas City	304	1.503	0.549	0.401	0.500	0.036	0.293	0.161	12.513	16.003
Seattle	296	1.520	0.493	0.453	0.544	0.024	0.345	0.149	12.693	16.899
Detroit	284	1.746	0.613	0.482	0.595	0.042	0.335	0.151	14.532	18.141
New England	303	1.347	0.485	0.413	0.432	0.010	0.261	0.099	11.175	15.521
Tampa Bay	287	1.401	0.575	0.387	0.383	0.049	0.220	0.115	12.129	14.606
New Orleans	292	1.733	0.572	0.555	0.534	0.065	0.315	0.123	14.356	19.476
Buffalo	291	1.505	0.560	0.460	0.447	0.034	0.309	0.141	12.784	15.567
N.Y. Jets	283	1.693	0.590	0.445	0.583	0.057	0.378	0.205	14.438	18.965
Jacksonville	283	1.428	0.576	0.385	0.428	0.035	0.254	0.110	12.014	16.689