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 (4374), Defensive Holding (3150), Roughing the Passer (1739), Illegal Contact (1068), Illegal Use of Hands (907), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (346), Horse Collar Tackle (256), Face Mask (255), Personal Foul (237), Taunting (139), 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
Atlanta	284	1.651	0.539	0.518	0.535	0.049	0.317	0.155	13.616	17.035
Cleveland	279	1.416	0.448	0.455	0.459	0.050	0.294	0.125	11.900	14.753
Minnesota	286	1.584	0.563	0.437	0.524	0.042	0.318	0.140	12.650	17.881
Tampa Bay	286	1.580	0.608	0.469	0.458	0.038	0.287	0.161	13.612	18.559
Green Bay	300	1.577	0.500	0.460	0.577	0.027	0.303	0.123	12.787	19.247
Jacksonville	281	1.480	0.544	0.448	0.441	0.043	0.267	0.128	12.701	16.327
Houston	290	1.393	0.500	0.414	0.441	0.024	0.286	0.128	11.831	14.752
Seattle	295	1.356	0.515	0.393	0.390	0.047	0.241	0.122	11.519	15.827
Denver	287	1.523	0.491	0.467	0.509	0.045	0.303	0.125	12.596	17.160
Baltimore	297	1.347	0.434	0.448	0.431	0.027	0.263	0.135	11.498	16.862
LA Chargers	283	1.565	0.576	0.470	0.459	0.053	0.286	0.120	13.406	16.216
N.Y. Giants	283	1.481	0.555	0.413	0.452	0.053	0.244	0.127	12.219	15.449
Cincinnati	288	1.531	0.587	0.465	0.427	0.042	0.253	0.146	12.819	16.622
Detroit	283	1.431	0.544	0.428	0.424	0.028	0.290	0.131	12.244	15.417
New England	301	1.608	0.512	0.545	0.495	0.043	0.296	0.140	13.488	17.332
Arizona	282	1.617	0.571	0.504	0.493	0.039	0.330	0.131	13.716	18.007
Kansas City	303	1.492	0.564	0.436	0.439	0.043	0.277	0.152	13.066	14.637
Dallas	287	1.544	0.481	0.537	0.491	0.024	0.324	0.129	12.885	15.979
San Francisco	296	1.311	0.473	0.345	0.459	0.034	0.291	0.142	10.922	13.554
Pittsburgh	291	1.509	0.553	0.481	0.433	0.024	0.261	0.110	12.467	18.481
Buffalo	289	1.318	0.453	0.391	0.429	0.038	0.277	0.142	11.408	15.398
Washington	282	1.418	0.454	0.429	0.475	0.050	0.277	0.142	11.816	14.762
Las Vegas	278	1.403	0.493	0.403	0.450	0.050	0.317	0.155	11.968	17.025
N.Y. Jets	282	1.326	0.422	0.411	0.450	0.032	0.259	0.124	11.209	15.259
New Orleans	291	1.251	0.375	0.430	0.430	0.017	0.227	0.096	10.529	12.924
Philadelphia	294	1.395	0.507	0.435	0.415	0.024	0.259	0.122	12.048	16.493
Chicago	280	1.389	0.461	0.407	0.479	0.032	0.289	0.171	11.854	14.875
Indianapolis	289	1.595	0.623	0.450	0.498	0.024	0.346	0.159	14.000	19.765
LA Rams	288	1.292	0.441	0.406	0.417	0.028	0.250	0.125	10.587	14.465
Miami	279	1.319	0.556	0.337	0.401	0.022	0.215	0.136	11.247	15.473
Tennessee	283	1.413	0.477	0.375	0.505	0.046	0.339	0.152	11.611	14.442
Carolina	283	1.360	0.435	0.399	0.466	0.049	0.258	0.120	11.332	14.060