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 (4325), Defensive Holding (3112), Roughing the Passer (1724), Illegal Contact (1052), Illegal Use of Hands (895), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Face Mask (239), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (135), 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	275	1.476	0.524	0.425	0.484	0.033	0.291	0.145	12.476	16.258
Minnesota	282	1.326	0.493	0.365	0.429	0.039	0.273	0.142	11.550	15.291
Cleveland	275	1.444	0.487	0.476	0.436	0.036	0.295	0.167	12.218	17.156
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	284	1.342	0.440	0.430	0.437	0.025	0.261	0.144	11.465	14.669
Arizona	278	1.489	0.558	0.511	0.396	0.022	0.241	0.122	12.842	15.899
Tennessee	279	1.455	0.541	0.434	0.430	0.047	0.283	0.140	12.591	16.892
San Francisco	293	1.423	0.447	0.447	0.502	0.027	0.311	0.167	12.225	15.642
LA Chargers	279	1.405	0.448	0.384	0.498	0.061	0.312	0.136	11.609	14.720
Baltimore	293	1.642	0.580	0.509	0.468	0.072	0.266	0.133	13.908	18.317
Pittsburgh	287	1.331	0.436	0.481	0.355	0.049	0.202	0.108	11.185	15.331
Washington	278	1.367	0.496	0.410	0.410	0.043	0.223	0.108	11.227	15.809
Atlanta	281	1.228	0.423	0.359	0.409	0.021	0.238	0.100	10.384	13.740
N.Y. Giants	280	1.304	0.439	0.400	0.418	0.043	0.289	0.136	11.182	15.361
Las Vegas	274	1.734	0.635	0.478	0.573	0.044	0.387	0.179	14.978	19.263
Indianapolis	285	1.309	0.446	0.411	0.418	0.025	0.239	0.102	10.516	14.011
Chicago	276	1.250	0.362	0.409	0.442	0.029	0.228	0.080	9.942	15.453
Denver	283	1.643	0.597	0.498	0.512	0.028	0.336	0.138	14.057	17.876
LA Rams	285	1.372	0.488	0.407	0.428	0.039	0.277	0.144	11.789	14.982
Green Bay	296	1.270	0.470	0.345	0.416	0.024	0.223	0.095	10.064	13.351
Philadelphia	290	1.455	0.483	0.438	0.503	0.021	0.310	0.169	12.279	15.710
Houston	286	1.573	0.514	0.542	0.479	0.035	0.297	0.147	13.304	18.360
Kansas City	299	1.505	0.548	0.401	0.502	0.037	0.294	0.164	12.535	16.154
Seattle	291	1.526	0.502	0.450	0.543	0.024	0.340	0.148	12.711	16.973
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	282	1.418	0.582	0.390	0.390	0.050	0.223	0.117	12.252	14.830
New Orleans	287	1.746	0.582	0.557	0.533	0.066	0.314	0.118	14.436	19.456
Buffalo	285	1.509	0.561	0.467	0.446	0.032	0.305	0.137	12.782	15.586
N.Y. Jets	278	1.701	0.590	0.450	0.586	0.058	0.378	0.205	14.439	19.094
Jacksonville	277	1.433	0.574	0.386	0.433	0.036	0.256	0.108	11.986	16.744