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 (4374), Defensive Holding (3150), Roughing the Passer (1739), Illegal Contact (1068), Illegal Use of Hands (907), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (256), Face Mask (255), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (139), 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	279	1.477	0.530	0.419	0.484	0.032	0.294	0.147	12.484	16.315
Minnesota	286	1.329	0.490	0.364	0.437	0.038	0.283	0.143	11.591	15.308
Cleveland	279	1.430	0.480	0.470	0.437	0.036	0.294	0.168	12.108	16.982
Dallas	287	1.516	0.512	0.488	0.453	0.045	0.279	0.139	12.544	15.568
Carolina	283	1.276	0.445	0.389	0.413	0.025	0.258	0.120	10.827	14.392
Cincinnati	288	1.333	0.434	0.431	0.431	0.028	0.257	0.142	11.410	14.552
Arizona	282	1.489	0.557	0.518	0.390	0.021	0.238	0.121	12.816	15.872
Tennessee	283	1.456	0.551	0.431	0.424	0.046	0.279	0.138	12.608	16.876
San Francisco	296	1.419	0.443	0.446	0.503	0.027	0.314	0.166	12.169	15.588
LA Chargers	283	1.396	0.442	0.382	0.498	0.060	0.314	0.134	11.541	14.601
Baltimore	297	1.636	0.572	0.512	0.465	0.071	0.263	0.131	13.818	18.212
Pittsburgh	291	1.330	0.436	0.478	0.354	0.052	0.203	0.107	11.182	15.299
Washington	282	1.383	0.507	0.411	0.411	0.046	0.227	0.110	11.369	15.858
Atlanta	284	1.246	0.430	0.366	0.415	0.021	0.243	0.102	10.528	13.806
N.Y. Giants	283	1.300	0.438	0.403	0.413	0.042	0.286	0.134	11.145	15.293
Las Vegas	278	1.734	0.626	0.482	0.579	0.043	0.392	0.180	15.018	19.356
Indianapolis	289	1.291	0.439	0.405	0.412	0.024	0.235	0.100	10.370	13.817
Chicago	280	1.246	0.361	0.407	0.443	0.029	0.229	0.079	9.889	15.371
Denver	287	1.645	0.599	0.502	0.509	0.028	0.331	0.136	14.084	18.003
LA Rams	288	1.368	0.483	0.410	0.424	0.042	0.274	0.142	11.750	14.872
Green Bay	300	1.263	0.467	0.343	0.413	0.023	0.223	0.097	10.063	13.257
Philadelphia	294	1.449	0.476	0.432	0.510	0.020	0.316	0.177	12.265	15.759
Houston	290	1.572	0.510	0.541	0.479	0.038	0.297	0.145	13.276	18.259
Kansas City	303	1.502	0.548	0.399	0.502	0.036	0.294	0.162	12.492	16.023
Seattle	295	1.525	0.495	0.454	0.546	0.024	0.346	0.149	12.736	16.956
Detroit	283	1.749	0.615	0.484	0.594	0.042	0.336	0.152	14.576	18.205
New England	301	1.346	0.485	0.409	0.435	0.010	0.262	0.100	11.173	15.419
Tampa Bay	286	1.402	0.577	0.385	0.385	0.049	0.220	0.115	12.133	14.640
New Orleans	291	1.735	0.574	0.553	0.536	0.065	0.316	0.124	14.371	19.526
Buffalo	289	1.509	0.564	0.464	0.446	0.031	0.308	0.142	12.841	15.606
N.Y. Jets	282	1.695	0.592	0.447	0.582	0.057	0.376	0.202	14.418	18.989
Jacksonville	281	1.438	0.580	0.388	0.431	0.036	0.256	0.110	12.100	16.808