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 (4238), Defensive Holding (3063), Roughing the Passer (1697), Illegal Contact (1027), Illegal Use of Hands (887), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (340), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (224), Taunting (130), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (37), 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	275	1.647	0.535	0.516	0.535	0.051	0.313	0.156	13.596	17.025
Cleveland	270	1.415	0.441	0.459	0.459	0.052	0.296	0.126	11.811	14.741
Minnesota	276	1.580	0.551	0.438	0.533	0.040	0.319	0.138	12.533	18.022
Tampa Bay	277	1.563	0.603	0.462	0.451	0.040	0.285	0.155	13.502	18.531
Green Bay	290	1.597	0.507	0.462	0.586	0.028	0.314	0.128	12.997	19.279
Jacksonville	272	1.474	0.533	0.445	0.452	0.040	0.272	0.132	12.555	16.294
Houston	280	1.382	0.500	0.414	0.429	0.025	0.271	0.125	11.689	14.586
Seattle	286	1.360	0.514	0.388	0.399	0.049	0.245	0.122	11.486	15.986
Denver	278	1.554	0.504	0.471	0.522	0.047	0.313	0.129	12.820	17.450
Baltimore	287	1.352	0.432	0.460	0.425	0.028	0.258	0.132	11.530	16.990
LA Chargers	274	1.569	0.580	0.471	0.456	0.055	0.288	0.120	13.474	16.277
N.Y. Giants	274	1.478	0.551	0.412	0.453	0.055	0.237	0.128	12.120	15.471
Cincinnati	279	1.541	0.581	0.473	0.434	0.043	0.258	0.151	12.878	16.656
Detroit	274	1.449	0.555	0.442	0.427	0.022	0.292	0.131	12.471	15.584
New England	292	1.613	0.514	0.551	0.497	0.041	0.295	0.140	13.599	17.469
Arizona	273	1.645	0.586	0.513	0.498	0.037	0.330	0.136	13.993	18.440
Kansas City	294	1.497	0.561	0.439	0.442	0.044	0.279	0.153	13.027	14.391
Dallas	278	1.525	0.482	0.518	0.493	0.025	0.324	0.126	12.849	15.860
San Francisco	287	1.321	0.477	0.338	0.470	0.035	0.296	0.146	11.007	13.794
Pittsburgh	281	1.505	0.552	0.484	0.431	0.025	0.253	0.110	12.395	18.477
Buffalo	279	1.312	0.459	0.391	0.423	0.032	0.280	0.143	11.427	15.391
Washington	273	1.414	0.458	0.429	0.473	0.048	0.275	0.139	11.777	14.637
Las Vegas	269	1.405	0.502	0.383	0.461	0.052	0.327	0.160	12.026	17.164
N.Y. Jets	273	1.348	0.429	0.421	0.454	0.033	0.260	0.121	11.359	15.374
New Orleans	282	1.262	0.383	0.422	0.440	0.018	0.230	0.096	10.507	13.071
Philadelphia	285	1.396	0.519	0.442	0.400	0.021	0.246	0.112	12.095	16.589
Chicago	270	1.389	0.463	0.404	0.478	0.033	0.285	0.170	11.852	15.078
Indianapolis	280	1.600	0.625	0.454	0.496	0.025	0.339	0.154	13.921	19.743
LA Rams	280	1.296	0.450	0.400	0.421	0.025	0.254	0.125	10.693	14.664
Miami	270	1.348	0.563	0.348	0.411	0.022	0.219	0.141	11.485	15.793
Tennessee	274	1.423	0.482	0.383	0.504	0.044	0.336	0.146	11.668	14.474
Carolina	274	1.380	0.442	0.405	0.471	0.051	0.259	0.124	11.504	14.296