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 (4279), Defensive Holding (3094), Roughing the Passer (1708), Illegal Contact (1036), Illegal Use of Hands (890), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (342), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (231), 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	273	1.476	0.524	0.421	0.487	0.033	0.293	0.147	12.458	16.289
Minnesota	279	1.333	0.495	0.366	0.434	0.039	0.276	0.143	11.616	15.351
Cleveland	272	1.449	0.489	0.474	0.441	0.037	0.298	0.169	12.268	17.195
Dallas	280	1.525	0.518	0.489	0.454	0.046	0.279	0.143	12.661	15.657
Carolina	277	1.260	0.440	0.386	0.404	0.025	0.249	0.112	10.617	14.390
Cincinnati	281	1.335	0.431	0.434	0.438	0.021	0.263	0.146	11.395	14.552
Arizona	275	1.498	0.560	0.513	0.400	0.022	0.244	0.124	12.920	16.036
Tennessee	276	1.460	0.536	0.438	0.435	0.047	0.286	0.141	12.620	16.953
San Francisco	290	1.438	0.452	0.452	0.507	0.028	0.314	0.169	12.352	15.803
LA Chargers	277	1.397	0.448	0.383	0.495	0.058	0.310	0.137	11.592	14.585
Baltimore	290	1.652	0.583	0.514	0.469	0.072	0.269	0.134	14.003	18.431
Pittsburgh	284	1.335	0.440	0.482	0.356	0.046	0.201	0.109	11.239	15.366
Washington	276	1.377	0.500	0.413	0.413	0.043	0.225	0.109	11.308	15.924
Atlanta	278	1.230	0.428	0.356	0.410	0.022	0.241	0.101	10.403	13.701
N.Y. Giants	277	1.310	0.440	0.401	0.422	0.043	0.292	0.137	11.242	15.350
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	273	1.249	0.363	0.407	0.443	0.029	0.227	0.081	9.930	15.410
Denver	281	1.637	0.601	0.498	0.505	0.025	0.331	0.132	13.968	17.641
LA Rams	282	1.372	0.489	0.404	0.429	0.039	0.277	0.142	11.777	15.043
Green Bay	293	1.273	0.471	0.345	0.416	0.024	0.222	0.092	10.061	13.410
Philadelphia	287	1.456	0.484	0.432	0.509	0.021	0.314	0.171	12.300	15.784
Houston	283	1.572	0.512	0.544	0.477	0.035	0.293	0.141	13.244	18.290
Kansas City	296	1.500	0.554	0.389	0.507	0.037	0.297	0.166	12.551	16.051
Seattle	288	1.535	0.503	0.455	0.545	0.024	0.340	0.149	12.771	17.115
Detroit	276	1.750	0.616	0.486	0.591	0.043	0.333	0.152	14.638	18.384
New England	295	1.356	0.485	0.417	0.437	0.010	0.268	0.102	11.268	15.471
Tampa Bay	279	1.427	0.584	0.394	0.391	0.050	0.226	0.118	12.333	14.882
New Orleans	285	1.758	0.586	0.561	0.537	0.067	0.316	0.119	14.537	19.593
Buffalo	282	1.511	0.564	0.461	0.450	0.032	0.309	0.138	12.773	15.574
N.Y. Jets	275	1.695	0.585	0.455	0.578	0.058	0.367	0.200	14.364	18.993
Jacksonville	274	1.427	0.580	0.376	0.431	0.036	0.252	0.109	11.953	16.781