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 (4292), Defensive Holding (3099), Roughing the Passer (1713), Illegal Contact (1040), Illegal Use of Hands (893), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (342), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (234), 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
Atlanta	279	1.652	0.538	0.516	0.538	0.050	0.315	0.154	13.602	17.097
Cleveland	273	1.421	0.440	0.462	0.465	0.051	0.297	0.125	11.868	14.784
Minnesota	280	1.586	0.554	0.439	0.532	0.043	0.321	0.143	12.657	18.061
Tampa Bay	280	1.557	0.600	0.461	0.450	0.039	0.282	0.154	13.436	18.482
Green Bay	294	1.585	0.503	0.463	0.578	0.027	0.310	0.126	12.912	19.259
Jacksonville	275	1.491	0.538	0.455	0.451	0.044	0.273	0.131	12.727	16.484
Houston	284	1.380	0.504	0.412	0.426	0.025	0.268	0.123	11.662	14.585
Seattle	289	1.367	0.519	0.394	0.394	0.048	0.242	0.121	11.547	16.035
Denver	282	1.539	0.500	0.465	0.518	0.046	0.309	0.128	12.688	17.376
Baltimore	291	1.351	0.436	0.457	0.423	0.027	0.254	0.131	11.519	16.921
LA Chargers	278	1.561	0.572	0.475	0.453	0.054	0.284	0.119	13.392	16.205
N.Y. Giants	278	1.475	0.558	0.410	0.446	0.054	0.234	0.126	12.147	15.403
Cincinnati	282	1.532	0.578	0.468	0.433	0.043	0.259	0.149	12.805	16.557
Detroit	276	1.442	0.551	0.438	0.424	0.022	0.290	0.130	12.380	15.525
New England	296	1.611	0.514	0.551	0.497	0.041	0.297	0.142	13.591	17.345
Arizona	276	1.634	0.583	0.507	0.496	0.036	0.330	0.134	13.899	18.275
Kansas City	297	1.495	0.559	0.438	0.444	0.044	0.283	0.155	13.074	14.572
Dallas	280	1.529	0.479	0.521	0.496	0.025	0.325	0.129	12.804	15.807
San Francisco	291	1.316	0.478	0.340	0.464	0.034	0.292	0.144	10.983	13.684
Pittsburgh	285	1.512	0.558	0.481	0.432	0.025	0.256	0.109	12.477	18.512
Buffalo	283	1.318	0.463	0.392	0.424	0.032	0.279	0.141	11.456	15.403
Washington	277	1.415	0.458	0.430	0.469	0.047	0.271	0.137	11.758	14.625
Las Vegas	271	1.406	0.502	0.387	0.458	0.052	0.325	0.159	12.026	17.166
N.Y. Jets	276	1.341	0.424	0.420	0.453	0.033	0.261	0.123	11.330	15.243
New Orleans	285	1.253	0.379	0.421	0.435	0.018	0.228	0.095	10.432	12.975
Philadelphia	287	1.394	0.516	0.439	0.404	0.021	0.247	0.115	12.056	16.544
Chicago	274	1.394	0.467	0.401	0.482	0.033	0.292	0.172	11.891	15.033
Indianapolis	283	1.594	0.622	0.452	0.495	0.025	0.339	0.155	13.898	19.664
LA Rams	283	1.293	0.449	0.399	0.417	0.028	0.251	0.124	10.640	14.590
Miami	274	1.343	0.566	0.343	0.409	0.022	0.219	0.139	11.453	15.755
Tennessee	277	1.422	0.484	0.379	0.502	0.047	0.336	0.152	11.671	14.480
Carolina	278	1.381	0.442	0.403	0.475	0.050	0.263	0.122	11.500	14.281