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 (4352), Defensive Holding (3130), Roughing the Passer (1730), Illegal Contact (1060), Illegal Use of Hands (902), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (255), Face Mask (249), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (138), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (41), 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	277	1.477	0.523	0.422	0.487	0.032	0.296	0.148	12.466	16.343
Minnesota	284	1.324	0.493	0.363	0.430	0.039	0.275	0.141	11.528	15.275
Cleveland	277	1.437	0.484	0.473	0.437	0.036	0.292	0.166	12.137	17.051
Dallas	285	1.516	0.516	0.484	0.453	0.046	0.277	0.140	12.533	15.558
Carolina	281	1.274	0.445	0.388	0.413	0.025	0.256	0.117	10.790	14.423
Cincinnati	286	1.343	0.437	0.434	0.434	0.028	0.259	0.143	11.490	14.654
Arizona	280	1.489	0.557	0.514	0.393	0.021	0.239	0.121	12.832	15.914
Tennessee	281	1.463	0.552	0.434	0.427	0.046	0.281	0.139	12.662	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	281	1.399	0.445	0.384	0.495	0.060	0.310	0.135	11.566	14.633
Baltimore	295	1.637	0.576	0.512	0.464	0.071	0.264	0.132	13.871	18.251
Pittsburgh	289	1.329	0.436	0.478	0.356	0.048	0.204	0.107	11.170	15.253
Washington	280	1.375	0.507	0.411	0.407	0.043	0.221	0.107	11.314	15.811
Atlanta	283	1.247	0.431	0.367	0.413	0.021	0.240	0.102	10.541	13.837
N.Y. Giants	281	1.302	0.441	0.399	0.416	0.043	0.288	0.135	11.178	15.367
Las Vegas	276	1.739	0.630	0.486	0.576	0.043	0.388	0.178	15.025	19.337
Indianapolis	287	1.300	0.443	0.408	0.415	0.024	0.237	0.101	10.443	13.913
Chicago	278	1.241	0.360	0.406	0.439	0.029	0.227	0.079	9.871	15.342
Denver	285	1.646	0.596	0.502	0.512	0.028	0.333	0.137	14.081	17.944
LA Rams	287	1.366	0.484	0.404	0.425	0.042	0.275	0.143	11.721	14.889
Green Bay	298	1.265	0.466	0.346	0.413	0.023	0.221	0.094	10.030	13.279
Philadelphia	292	1.449	0.479	0.435	0.503	0.021	0.312	0.171	12.229	15.634
Houston	288	1.569	0.510	0.538	0.479	0.038	0.295	0.146	13.247	18.302
Kansas City	301	1.508	0.551	0.402	0.502	0.037	0.296	0.163	12.561	16.113
Seattle	293	1.529	0.498	0.451	0.549	0.024	0.348	0.150	12.754	17.024
Detroit	281	1.747	0.609	0.484	0.598	0.043	0.338	0.153	14.548	18.263
New England	299	1.348	0.482	0.411	0.438	0.010	0.264	0.100	11.181	15.421
Tampa Bay	284	1.412	0.581	0.387	0.387	0.049	0.222	0.116	12.218	14.743
New Orleans	289	1.744	0.578	0.557	0.536	0.066	0.315	0.121	14.422	19.488
Buffalo	287	1.509	0.564	0.467	0.443	0.031	0.303	0.136	12.798	15.627
N.Y. Jets	280	1.696	0.593	0.446	0.582	0.057	0.375	0.204	14.443	18.989
Jacksonville	279	1.437	0.577	0.387	0.434	0.036	0.258	0.111	12.047	16.799