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 (4338), Defensive Holding (3119), Roughing the Passer (1728), Illegal Contact (1055), Illegal Use of Hands (898), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Face Mask (245), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (136), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (40), 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	276	1.475	0.522	0.424	0.486	0.033	0.293	0.149	12.467	16.341
Minnesota	283	1.325	0.491	0.364	0.431	0.039	0.276	0.141	11.534	15.286
Cleveland	276	1.438	0.486	0.475	0.435	0.036	0.293	0.167	12.174	17.094
Dallas	284	1.514	0.511	0.486	0.454	0.046	0.278	0.141	12.528	15.549
Carolina	280	1.264	0.443	0.382	0.411	0.025	0.254	0.114	10.614	14.357
Cincinnati	285	1.347	0.439	0.435	0.435	0.028	0.260	0.144	11.530	14.705
Arizona	279	1.491	0.556	0.516	0.394	0.022	0.240	0.122	12.842	15.885
Tennessee	280	1.461	0.550	0.432	0.429	0.046	0.282	0.139	12.654	16.939
San Francisco	293	1.423	0.447	0.447	0.502	0.027	0.311	0.167	12.225	15.642
LA Chargers	280	1.404	0.446	0.386	0.496	0.061	0.311	0.136	11.607	14.686
Baltimore	294	1.639	0.578	0.510	0.466	0.071	0.265	0.133	13.895	18.296
Pittsburgh	288	1.333	0.438	0.479	0.358	0.049	0.205	0.108	11.208	15.306
Washington	279	1.369	0.502	0.409	0.409	0.043	0.222	0.108	11.258	15.803
Atlanta	282	1.227	0.426	0.358	0.408	0.021	0.238	0.099	10.383	13.709
N.Y. Giants	280	1.304	0.439	0.400	0.418	0.043	0.289	0.136	11.182	15.361
Las Vegas	275	1.735	0.633	0.484	0.571	0.044	0.385	0.178	15.025	19.265
Indianapolis	286	1.304	0.444	0.409	0.416	0.024	0.238	0.101	10.479	13.962
Chicago	277	1.245	0.361	0.408	0.440	0.029	0.227	0.079	9.906	15.397
Denver	284	1.644	0.595	0.504	0.511	0.028	0.335	0.137	14.081	17.866
LA Rams	286	1.367	0.486	0.406	0.427	0.038	0.276	0.143	11.748	14.930
Green Bay	297	1.269	0.468	0.347	0.414	0.024	0.222	0.094	10.064	13.323
Philadelphia	291	1.454	0.481	0.436	0.505	0.021	0.313	0.172	12.271	15.687
Houston	287	1.571	0.512	0.540	0.481	0.035	0.296	0.146	13.275	18.348
Kansas City	300	1.507	0.547	0.403	0.503	0.037	0.297	0.163	12.537	16.133
Seattle	292	1.531	0.500	0.452	0.548	0.024	0.346	0.151	12.771	17.051
Detroit	280	1.746	0.611	0.482	0.596	0.043	0.339	0.154	14.582	18.311
New England	298	1.346	0.483	0.413	0.433	0.010	0.265	0.101	11.188	15.406
Tampa Bay	283	1.413	0.580	0.389	0.389	0.049	0.223	0.117	12.208	14.777
New Orleans	288	1.750	0.580	0.559	0.538	0.066	0.316	0.122	14.472	19.556
Buffalo	286	1.514	0.566	0.469	0.444	0.031	0.304	0.136	12.843	15.682
N.Y. Jets	279	1.695	0.588	0.448	0.584	0.057	0.376	0.204	14.387	19.025
Jacksonville	278	1.439	0.576	0.388	0.435	0.036	0.259	0.112	12.054	16.806