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 (4390), Defensive Holding (3157), Roughing the Passer (1743), Illegal Contact (1069), Illegal Use of Hands (910), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (351), Face Mask (258), Horse Collar Tackle (256), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (140), 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	280	1.479	0.532	0.418	0.486	0.032	0.293	0.146	12.493	16.339
Minnesota	287	1.328	0.491	0.362	0.436	0.038	0.282	0.143	11.585	15.272
Cleveland	280	1.432	0.486	0.468	0.436	0.036	0.293	0.168	12.125	17.029
Dallas	288	1.514	0.510	0.486	0.455	0.045	0.281	0.142	12.566	15.628
Carolina	284	1.278	0.447	0.391	0.412	0.025	0.257	0.120	10.842	14.433
Cincinnati	289	1.332	0.436	0.429	0.429	0.028	0.256	0.142	11.405	14.554
Arizona	283	1.484	0.555	0.516	0.389	0.021	0.237	0.120	12.770	15.816
Tennessee	284	1.458	0.556	0.430	0.423	0.046	0.278	0.137	12.634	16.930
San Francisco	297	1.421	0.444	0.444	0.505	0.027	0.316	0.165	12.192	15.589
LA Chargers	284	1.391	0.440	0.380	0.496	0.060	0.313	0.134	11.500	14.549
Baltimore	298	1.638	0.574	0.510	0.466	0.070	0.265	0.131	13.836	18.228
Pittsburgh	292	1.329	0.435	0.479	0.353	0.051	0.202	0.106	11.178	15.298
Washington	283	1.378	0.505	0.410	0.410	0.046	0.226	0.110	11.329	15.802
Atlanta	286	1.248	0.427	0.367	0.416	0.024	0.245	0.105	10.542	13.857
N.Y. Giants	284	1.299	0.437	0.405	0.412	0.042	0.285	0.134	11.151	15.285
Las Vegas	279	1.728	0.624	0.480	0.577	0.043	0.391	0.179	14.964	19.287
Indianapolis	290	1.297	0.445	0.407	0.410	0.024	0.234	0.100	10.448	13.876
Chicago	281	1.242	0.359	0.406	0.441	0.028	0.228	0.078	9.854	15.317
Denver	288	1.639	0.597	0.500	0.507	0.028	0.330	0.135	14.035	17.941
LA Rams	290	1.362	0.483	0.407	0.421	0.041	0.272	0.141	11.703	14.821
Green Bay	301	1.262	0.465	0.346	0.412	0.023	0.223	0.096	10.047	13.319
Philadelphia	295	1.464	0.481	0.441	0.512	0.020	0.319	0.176	12.386	16.037
Houston	291	1.570	0.512	0.540	0.478	0.038	0.296	0.144	13.265	18.299
Kansas City	304	1.503	0.549	0.401	0.500	0.036	0.293	0.161	12.513	16.003
Seattle	296	1.520	0.493	0.453	0.544	0.024	0.345	0.149	12.693	16.899
Detroit	284	1.746	0.613	0.482	0.595	0.042	0.335	0.151	14.532	18.141
New England	302	1.344	0.487	0.407	0.434	0.010	0.262	0.099	11.169	15.457
Tampa Bay	287	1.401	0.575	0.387	0.383	0.049	0.220	0.115	12.129	14.606
New Orleans	292	1.733	0.572	0.555	0.534	0.065	0.315	0.123	14.356	19.476
Buffalo	290	1.507	0.562	0.462	0.445	0.034	0.307	0.141	12.800	15.603
N.Y. Jets	283	1.693	0.590	0.445	0.583	0.057	0.378	0.205	14.438	18.965
Jacksonville	282	1.433	0.578	0.387	0.429	0.035	0.255	0.110	12.057	16.748