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 (4316), Defensive Holding (3104), Roughing the Passer (1719), Illegal Contact (1047), Illegal Use of Hands (893), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (342), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Face Mask (238), Personal Foul (237), 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	280	1.646	0.536	0.514	0.536	0.050	0.314	0.154	13.554	17.036
Cleveland	274	1.420	0.442	0.460	0.464	0.051	0.296	0.124	11.861	14.785
Minnesota	281	1.580	0.552	0.438	0.530	0.043	0.320	0.142	12.612	17.996
Tampa Bay	281	1.559	0.601	0.459	0.452	0.039	0.285	0.157	13.459	18.452
Green Bay	296	1.581	0.500	0.463	0.578	0.027	0.307	0.125	12.848	19.220
Jacksonville	276	1.486	0.536	0.453	0.449	0.043	0.272	0.130	12.681	16.424
Houston	285	1.382	0.505	0.414	0.425	0.025	0.267	0.123	11.691	14.604
Seattle	290	1.362	0.517	0.393	0.393	0.048	0.241	0.121	11.507	15.979
Denver	282	1.539	0.500	0.465	0.518	0.046	0.309	0.128	12.688	17.376
Baltimore	292	1.356	0.435	0.455	0.432	0.027	0.264	0.137	11.589	17.055
LA Chargers	278	1.561	0.572	0.475	0.453	0.054	0.284	0.119	13.392	16.205
N.Y. Giants	279	1.477	0.556	0.412	0.448	0.054	0.237	0.125	12.151	15.462
Cincinnati	283	1.530	0.580	0.466	0.431	0.042	0.258	0.148	12.795	16.594
Detroit	279	1.434	0.548	0.434	0.423	0.022	0.290	0.133	12.337	15.427
New England	297	1.613	0.515	0.549	0.495	0.044	0.296	0.141	13.582	17.404
Arizona	277	1.639	0.581	0.513	0.498	0.036	0.332	0.134	13.921	18.296
Kansas City	299	1.502	0.565	0.441	0.441	0.043	0.281	0.154	13.157	14.635
Dallas	283	1.548	0.477	0.541	0.495	0.025	0.325	0.131	12.915	16.071
San Francisco	292	1.312	0.476	0.339	0.462	0.034	0.291	0.144	10.945	13.637
Pittsburgh	286	1.514	0.556	0.483	0.434	0.024	0.259	0.108	12.479	18.580
Buffalo	284	1.313	0.461	0.391	0.423	0.032	0.278	0.141	11.415	15.349
Washington	277	1.415	0.458	0.430	0.469	0.047	0.271	0.137	11.758	14.625
Las Vegas	273	1.407	0.502	0.392	0.454	0.051	0.322	0.158	12.015	17.190
N.Y. Jets	277	1.336	0.422	0.419	0.451	0.032	0.260	0.123	11.289	15.188
New Orleans	286	1.255	0.378	0.427	0.434	0.017	0.227	0.094	10.472	13.017
Philadelphia	289	1.391	0.512	0.436	0.408	0.021	0.253	0.118	12.038	16.474
Chicago	275	1.393	0.465	0.404	0.480	0.033	0.291	0.171	11.880	15.000
Indianapolis	284	1.588	0.620	0.451	0.493	0.025	0.338	0.155	13.849	19.595
LA Rams	284	1.289	0.447	0.398	0.415	0.028	0.250	0.123	10.602	14.539
Miami	274	1.343	0.566	0.343	0.409	0.022	0.219	0.139	11.453	15.755
Tennessee	278	1.421	0.486	0.378	0.500	0.047	0.335	0.151	11.683	14.446
Carolina	279	1.376	0.441	0.401	0.473	0.050	0.262	0.122	11.459	14.229