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 (4293), Defensive Holding (3100), Roughing the Passer (1713), Illegal Contact (1040), Illegal Use of Hands (893), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (342), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (234), Taunting (134), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (39), 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	274	1.478	0.526	0.423	0.485	0.033	0.292	0.146	12.489	16.299
Minnesota	280	1.329	0.493	0.364	0.432	0.039	0.275	0.143	11.575	15.296
Cleveland	273	1.443	0.487	0.473	0.440	0.037	0.297	0.168	12.223	17.132
Dallas	280	1.525	0.518	0.489	0.454	0.046	0.279	0.143	12.661	15.657
Carolina	278	1.270	0.446	0.385	0.410	0.025	0.252	0.112	10.655	14.406
Cincinnati	282	1.340	0.440	0.433	0.436	0.021	0.262	0.145	11.496	14.631
Arizona	276	1.500	0.562	0.514	0.399	0.022	0.243	0.123	12.935	16.014
Tennessee	277	1.458	0.538	0.437	0.433	0.047	0.285	0.141	12.610	16.942
San Francisco	291	1.433	0.450	0.450	0.505	0.027	0.313	0.168	12.309	15.749
LA Chargers	278	1.403	0.450	0.381	0.496	0.061	0.313	0.137	11.612	14.716
Baltimore	291	1.646	0.581	0.512	0.467	0.072	0.268	0.134	13.955	18.368
Pittsburgh	285	1.333	0.439	0.481	0.358	0.046	0.204	0.109	11.228	15.365
Washington	277	1.372	0.498	0.412	0.412	0.043	0.224	0.108	11.267	15.866
Atlanta	279	1.226	0.427	0.355	0.409	0.022	0.240	0.100	10.366	13.652
N.Y. Giants	278	1.309	0.439	0.403	0.421	0.043	0.291	0.137	11.227	15.421
Las Vegas	271	1.734	0.635	0.483	0.568	0.044	0.387	0.177	15.011	19.173
Indianapolis	283	1.290	0.438	0.403	0.413	0.025	0.233	0.099	10.297	13.876
Chicago	274	1.248	0.361	0.409	0.442	0.029	0.226	0.080	9.931	15.372
Denver	282	1.642	0.599	0.500	0.511	0.025	0.337	0.135	14.071	17.904
LA Rams	283	1.375	0.488	0.410	0.428	0.039	0.276	0.141	11.802	15.053
Green Bay	294	1.276	0.473	0.347	0.415	0.024	0.221	0.092	10.082	13.425
Philadelphia	288	1.451	0.483	0.431	0.507	0.021	0.313	0.170	12.257	15.729
Houston	284	1.574	0.514	0.542	0.479	0.035	0.296	0.144	13.268	18.306
Kansas City	297	1.495	0.552	0.387	0.505	0.037	0.296	0.165	12.508	15.997
Seattle	289	1.529	0.502	0.453	0.543	0.024	0.339	0.149	12.727	17.055
Detroit	277	1.751	0.614	0.484	0.596	0.043	0.339	0.155	14.653	18.365
New England	296	1.351	0.483	0.416	0.436	0.010	0.267	0.101	11.230	15.419
Tampa Bay	280	1.429	0.586	0.393	0.393	0.050	0.225	0.118	12.339	14.936
New Orleans	285	1.758	0.586	0.561	0.537	0.067	0.316	0.119	14.537	19.593
Buffalo	283	1.509	0.562	0.463	0.449	0.032	0.307	0.138	12.763	15.572
N.Y. Jets	276	1.696	0.587	0.453	0.580	0.058	0.370	0.199	14.370	18.960
Jacksonville	275	1.425	0.578	0.378	0.429	0.036	0.251	0.109	11.956	16.738