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 (4394), Defensive Holding (3159), Roughing the Passer (1744), Illegal Contact (1069), Illegal Use of Hands (911), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (351), Face Mask (260), 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
Atlanta	286	1.647	0.538	0.517	0.531	0.049	0.315	0.154	13.591	16.986
Cleveland	280	1.414	0.450	0.454	0.457	0.050	0.293	0.125	11.893	14.754
Minnesota	287	1.582	0.561	0.439	0.523	0.042	0.317	0.139	12.624	17.930
Tampa Bay	287	1.582	0.610	0.470	0.456	0.038	0.286	0.160	13.617	18.585
Green Bay	302	1.570	0.500	0.457	0.573	0.026	0.301	0.123	12.735	19.136
Jacksonville	283	1.481	0.548	0.445	0.442	0.042	0.269	0.127	12.710	16.343
Houston	292	1.397	0.503	0.418	0.438	0.024	0.284	0.127	11.901	14.784
Seattle	296	1.358	0.517	0.392	0.392	0.047	0.243	0.122	11.544	15.828
Denver	288	1.517	0.490	0.465	0.507	0.045	0.302	0.125	12.552	17.101
Baltimore	298	1.346	0.433	0.450	0.430	0.027	0.262	0.134	11.493	16.856
LA Chargers	285	1.561	0.572	0.474	0.456	0.053	0.284	0.119	13.358	16.225
N.Y. Giants	284	1.479	0.553	0.412	0.454	0.053	0.246	0.130	12.243	15.511
Cincinnati	289	1.533	0.592	0.464	0.426	0.042	0.253	0.145	12.834	16.668
Detroit	284	1.426	0.542	0.426	0.423	0.028	0.289	0.130	12.201	15.363
New England	303	1.604	0.512	0.541	0.495	0.043	0.294	0.139	13.449	17.294
Arizona	283	1.611	0.569	0.502	0.491	0.039	0.329	0.131	13.668	17.943
Kansas City	304	1.487	0.563	0.434	0.438	0.043	0.276	0.151	13.023	14.589
Dallas	288	1.542	0.479	0.538	0.490	0.024	0.323	0.128	12.885	15.969
San Francisco	298	1.312	0.473	0.349	0.456	0.034	0.289	0.141	10.916	13.523
Pittsburgh	293	1.509	0.556	0.478	0.433	0.024	0.263	0.109	12.481	18.481
Buffalo	291	1.313	0.450	0.388	0.430	0.038	0.278	0.144	11.399	15.333
Washington	283	1.435	0.459	0.438	0.477	0.049	0.279	0.141	11.943	15.057
Las Vegas	279	1.405	0.495	0.405	0.448	0.050	0.315	0.154	11.993	17.000
N.Y. Jets	283	1.325	0.420	0.410	0.449	0.035	0.258	0.124	11.173	15.258
New Orleans	292	1.250	0.373	0.428	0.432	0.017	0.229	0.099	10.548	12.955
Philadelphia	296	1.385	0.503	0.432	0.412	0.024	0.257	0.122	11.966	16.382
Chicago	282	1.383	0.457	0.404	0.479	0.032	0.287	0.170	11.777	14.770
Indianapolis	290	1.593	0.624	0.448	0.497	0.024	0.345	0.159	13.986	19.800
LA Rams	291	1.285	0.436	0.405	0.412	0.031	0.247	0.124	10.509	14.385
Miami	280	1.318	0.557	0.336	0.400	0.021	0.214	0.136	11.243	15.514
Tennessee	284	1.408	0.475	0.373	0.504	0.046	0.338	0.151	11.570	14.391
Carolina	285	1.361	0.432	0.404	0.467	0.049	0.256	0.119	11.333	14.084