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 (3812), Defensive Holding (2809), Roughing the Passer (1557), Illegal Contact (919), Illegal Use of Hands (814), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (319), Horse Collar Tackle (239), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (131), Taunting (122), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (33), Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact (4), 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	253	1.648	0.542	0.514	0.530	0.051	0.320	0.166	13.656	17.012
Cleveland	247	1.397	0.441	0.453	0.441	0.057	0.279	0.121	11.607	14.696
Minnesota	253	1.538	0.522	0.423	0.538	0.040	0.324	0.142	12.178	17.427
Tampa Bay	253	1.522	0.593	0.439	0.447	0.036	0.285	0.158	13.162	18.103
Green Bay	267	1.622	0.524	0.472	0.581	0.030	0.318	0.135	13.307	19.532
Jacksonville	249	1.514	0.534	0.470	0.462	0.044	0.269	0.129	12.743	16.823
Houston	256	1.391	0.504	0.422	0.434	0.020	0.270	0.113	11.664	15.000
Seattle	263	1.331	0.498	0.388	0.395	0.042	0.255	0.129	11.380	15.787
Denver	254	1.591	0.508	0.472	0.555	0.043	0.331	0.142	13.197	18.165
Baltimore	263	1.365	0.422	0.460	0.445	0.030	0.274	0.137	11.532	17.551
LA Chargers	250	1.568	0.588	0.460	0.456	0.056	0.288	0.120	13.456	16.192
N.Y. Giants	251	1.430	0.546	0.418	0.422	0.036	0.219	0.112	11.725	14.669
Cincinnati	256	1.496	0.543	0.453	0.457	0.035	0.266	0.156	12.656	16.320
Detroit	250	1.496	0.572	0.460	0.436	0.024	0.292	0.144	12.880	16.204
New England	269	1.621	0.532	0.546	0.502	0.030	0.297	0.134	13.513	17.699
Arizona	250	1.644	0.584	0.516	0.496	0.036	0.332	0.140	14.068	18.324
Kansas City	268	1.493	0.552	0.451	0.437	0.045	0.276	0.149	13.034	14.097
Dallas	255	1.467	0.478	0.490	0.463	0.027	0.314	0.118	12.341	15.090
San Francisco	264	1.322	0.470	0.345	0.470	0.038	0.288	0.148	10.985	13.917
Pittsburgh	258	1.504	0.558	0.492	0.415	0.023	0.244	0.109	12.395	18.473
Buffalo	255	1.282	0.443	0.396	0.412	0.024	0.267	0.145	11.169	15.243
Washington	247	1.377	0.462	0.417	0.453	0.036	0.267	0.126	11.534	14.109
Las Vegas	246	1.419	0.512	0.394	0.447	0.057	0.313	0.154	12.146	17.626
N.Y. Jets	250	1.340	0.428	0.424	0.448	0.028	0.256	0.116	11.292	15.212
New Orleans	259	1.243	0.382	0.409	0.436	0.015	0.232	0.089	10.328	13.012
Philadelphia	258	1.430	0.535	0.442	0.419	0.019	0.252	0.109	12.430	17.050
Chicago	248	1.391	0.472	0.403	0.480	0.028	0.278	0.161	11.839	15.298
Indianapolis	257	1.623	0.638	0.436	0.521	0.027	0.350	0.156	13.934	19.689
LA Rams	255	1.243	0.427	0.388	0.400	0.027	0.239	0.129	10.310	14.176
Miami	248	1.383	0.569	0.371	0.415	0.024	0.222	0.141	11.698	16.315
Tennessee	251	1.406	0.466	0.375	0.514	0.040	0.339	0.151	11.482	14.438
Carolina	251	1.359	0.446	0.402	0.462	0.044	0.259	0.112	11.490	14.139