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 (4251), Defensive Holding (3072), Roughing the Passer (1699), Illegal Contact (1030), Illegal Use of Hands (888), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (341), Horse Collar Tackle (254), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (227), Taunting (130), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (38), 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	276	1.645	0.536	0.514	0.533	0.051	0.312	0.156	13.583	17.105
Cleveland	271	1.413	0.439	0.458	0.461	0.052	0.299	0.125	11.790	14.705
Minnesota	277	1.578	0.549	0.437	0.531	0.043	0.318	0.141	12.520	17.975
Tampa Bay	278	1.561	0.601	0.460	0.453	0.040	0.284	0.155	13.460	18.482
Green Bay	291	1.595	0.509	0.460	0.584	0.027	0.313	0.127	12.986	19.265
Jacksonville	272	1.474	0.533	0.445	0.452	0.040	0.272	0.132	12.555	16.294
Houston	281	1.381	0.498	0.413	0.431	0.025	0.270	0.125	11.658	14.552
Seattle	286	1.360	0.514	0.388	0.399	0.049	0.245	0.122	11.486	15.986
Denver	279	1.556	0.505	0.470	0.523	0.047	0.312	0.129	12.824	17.563
Baltimore	288	1.354	0.431	0.462	0.427	0.028	0.257	0.132	11.535	16.958
LA Chargers	275	1.571	0.578	0.473	0.458	0.055	0.287	0.120	13.469	16.309
N.Y. Giants	275	1.473	0.549	0.411	0.451	0.055	0.236	0.127	12.076	15.415
Cincinnati	280	1.536	0.579	0.471	0.432	0.043	0.257	0.150	12.832	16.596
Detroit	274	1.449	0.555	0.442	0.427	0.022	0.292	0.131	12.471	15.584
New England	293	1.614	0.512	0.553	0.498	0.041	0.297	0.143	13.638	17.444
Arizona	273	1.645	0.586	0.513	0.498	0.037	0.330	0.136	13.993	18.440
Kansas City	295	1.492	0.559	0.437	0.441	0.044	0.278	0.153	12.983	14.342
Dallas	279	1.534	0.480	0.523	0.498	0.025	0.326	0.129	12.849	15.864
San Francisco	288	1.316	0.476	0.337	0.469	0.035	0.295	0.146	10.969	13.747
Pittsburgh	282	1.511	0.550	0.482	0.436	0.025	0.259	0.110	12.415	18.507
Buffalo	280	1.311	0.457	0.389	0.425	0.032	0.282	0.143	11.411	15.354
Washington	274	1.412	0.460	0.427	0.471	0.047	0.274	0.139	11.770	14.639
Las Vegas	269	1.405	0.502	0.383	0.461	0.052	0.327	0.160	12.026	17.164
N.Y. Jets	274	1.347	0.427	0.423	0.453	0.033	0.259	0.120	11.354	15.336
New Orleans	283	1.258	0.382	0.420	0.438	0.018	0.230	0.095	10.470	13.025
Philadelphia	286	1.395	0.517	0.441	0.402	0.021	0.248	0.115	12.091	16.580
Chicago	271	1.387	0.461	0.402	0.480	0.033	0.288	0.170	11.830	15.041
Indianapolis	281	1.594	0.623	0.452	0.495	0.025	0.338	0.153	13.872	19.673
LA Rams	280	1.296	0.450	0.400	0.421	0.025	0.254	0.125	10.693	14.664
Miami	271	1.354	0.568	0.347	0.413	0.022	0.221	0.140	11.542	15.889
Tennessee	275	1.425	0.484	0.382	0.502	0.047	0.335	0.149	11.684	14.502
Carolina	275	1.382	0.444	0.407	0.469	0.051	0.258	0.124	11.516	14.298