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 (3518), Defensive Holding (2618), Roughing the Passer (1452), Illegal Contact (827), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Illegal Use of Hands (764), Personal Foul (237), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (32), 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
Miami	228	1.421	0.496	0.404	0.491	0.018	0.294	0.136	11.750	15.908
Minnesota	235	1.281	0.460	0.379	0.413	0.030	0.255	0.132	11.055	14.523
Cleveland	228	1.408	0.461	0.461	0.443	0.035	0.281	0.154	11.772	16.711
Dallas	236	1.470	0.466	0.475	0.479	0.030	0.297	0.144	12.186	14.975
Carolina	233	1.215	0.429	0.373	0.386	0.021	0.240	0.099	10.167	13.687
Cincinnati	238	1.202	0.391	0.374	0.408	0.017	0.244	0.122	10.130	12.966
Arizona	232	1.401	0.496	0.504	0.379	0.022	0.241	0.138	12.125	14.784
Tennessee	233	1.270	0.498	0.378	0.356	0.034	0.232	0.103	10.798	14.996
San Francisco	243	1.358	0.420	0.424	0.486	0.029	0.313	0.160	11.654	14.613
LA Chargers	232	1.319	0.418	0.349	0.496	0.043	0.306	0.125	10.862	13.651
Baltimore	243	1.494	0.514	0.481	0.432	0.053	0.263	0.119	12.621	16.350
Pittsburgh	239	1.243	0.423	0.456	0.322	0.042	0.176	0.096	10.548	14.623
Washington	229	1.201	0.441	0.393	0.354	0.013	0.197	0.083	10.052	13.769
Atlanta	235	1.174	0.396	0.332	0.409	0.021	0.230	0.089	9.787	13.085
N.Y. Giants	233	1.219	0.433	0.369	0.369	0.043	0.236	0.116	10.258	13.803
Las Vegas	228	1.741	0.649	0.500	0.548	0.039	0.382	0.175	15.232	19.123
Indianapolis	239	1.201	0.406	0.372	0.397	0.017	0.222	0.100	9.715	13.134
Chicago	230	1.161	0.330	0.396	0.404	0.026	0.200	0.070	8.996	14.048
Denver	236	1.496	0.525	0.462	0.483	0.017	0.297	0.102	12.797	15.869
LA Rams	236	1.263	0.428	0.390	0.407	0.025	0.250	0.119	10.653	14.106
Green Bay	247	1.186	0.462	0.332	0.360	0.024	0.190	0.081	9.603	12.761
Philadelphia	239	1.368	0.452	0.423	0.469	0.021	0.285	0.163	11.469	14.276
Houston	236	1.496	0.462	0.525	0.470	0.034	0.301	0.144	12.568	17.572
Kansas City	246	1.435	0.545	0.378	0.472	0.033	0.268	0.150	12.069	15.130
Seattle	245	1.376	0.424	0.408	0.518	0.016	0.322	0.139	11.420	15.212
Detroit	229	1.568	0.594	0.415	0.524	0.026	0.306	0.131	13.328	16.598
New England	251	1.303	0.466	0.402	0.418	0.012	0.255	0.112	11.108	15.243
Tampa Bay	233	1.292	0.515	0.356	0.373	0.047	0.206	0.112	11.155	13.511
New Orleans	241	1.722	0.577	0.544	0.527	0.071	0.307	0.124	14.432	18.971
Buffalo	234	1.427	0.556	0.436	0.410	0.026	0.291	0.132	12.325	15.115
N.Y. Jets	232	1.586	0.547	0.422	0.552	0.052	0.332	0.172	13.263	17.987
Jacksonville	231	1.333	0.537	0.342	0.424	0.026	0.251	0.108	11.104	15.680