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 (4128), Defensive Holding (2996), Roughing the Passer (1662), Illegal Contact (981), Illegal Use of Hands (868), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (336), Horse Collar Tackle (252), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (198), Taunting (129), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (34), 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	264	1.466	0.508	0.420	0.492	0.034	0.295	0.148	12.265	16.227
Minnesota	271	1.347	0.491	0.373	0.443	0.041	0.284	0.148	11.731	15.494
Cleveland	264	1.451	0.489	0.481	0.436	0.038	0.288	0.163	12.155	17.364
Dallas	272	1.518	0.515	0.496	0.449	0.040	0.279	0.143	12.676	15.452
Carolina	268	1.280	0.455	0.392	0.403	0.026	0.250	0.112	10.743	14.519
Cincinnati	273	1.344	0.429	0.436	0.447	0.022	0.267	0.147	11.487	14.821
Arizona	267	1.483	0.562	0.498	0.404	0.019	0.251	0.127	12.869	16.090
Tennessee	268	1.466	0.549	0.429	0.437	0.049	0.287	0.142	12.754	17.142
San Francisco	281	1.427	0.445	0.448	0.505	0.028	0.317	0.167	12.185	15.843
LA Chargers	268	1.407	0.463	0.381	0.496	0.052	0.310	0.138	11.787	14.754
Baltimore	282	1.660	0.571	0.528	0.472	0.074	0.270	0.138	14.032	18.479
Pittsburgh	276	1.322	0.438	0.475	0.355	0.043	0.203	0.112	11.181	15.359
Washington	268	1.384	0.504	0.414	0.418	0.045	0.231	0.112	11.396	15.888
Atlanta	270	1.233	0.430	0.359	0.407	0.022	0.237	0.096	10.407	13.700
N.Y. Giants	268	1.276	0.429	0.388	0.414	0.041	0.287	0.134	10.892	14.757
Las Vegas	263	1.753	0.650	0.487	0.570	0.042	0.392	0.179	15.247	19.468
Indianapolis	274	1.263	0.431	0.398	0.405	0.018	0.226	0.099	10.128	13.631
Chicago	265	1.234	0.355	0.404	0.438	0.030	0.223	0.075	9.675	15.355
Denver	272	1.603	0.592	0.485	0.500	0.018	0.324	0.110	13.647	17.235
LA Rams	274	1.380	0.489	0.401	0.438	0.040	0.281	0.146	11.785	15.168
Green Bay	286	1.248	0.469	0.346	0.395	0.024	0.213	0.091	9.962	13.315
Philadelphia	279	1.452	0.487	0.430	0.502	0.022	0.312	0.172	12.312	15.656
Houston	275	1.564	0.498	0.538	0.487	0.036	0.298	0.145	13.062	18.382
Kansas City	288	1.497	0.549	0.392	0.507	0.035	0.292	0.156	12.444	16.076
Seattle	280	1.521	0.500	0.443	0.546	0.025	0.343	0.150	12.700	17.111
Detroit	268	1.750	0.627	0.481	0.593	0.037	0.328	0.149	14.675	18.478
New England	286	1.346	0.490	0.406	0.434	0.010	0.266	0.105	11.315	15.503
Tampa Bay	271	1.421	0.587	0.380	0.395	0.052	0.225	0.122	12.266	14.937
New Orleans	276	1.761	0.587	0.572	0.529	0.065	0.308	0.116	14.605	19.717
Buffalo	274	1.526	0.569	0.467	0.453	0.033	0.310	0.135	12.883	15.828
N.Y. Jets	267	1.693	0.592	0.453	0.573	0.056	0.363	0.199	14.251	18.993
Jacksonville	266	1.402	0.568	0.368	0.429	0.034	0.252	0.113	11.797	16.526