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
Miami	248	1.476	0.512	0.411	0.508	0.032	0.302	0.153	12.202	16.528
Minnesota	253	1.352	0.494	0.383	0.431	0.043	0.273	0.142	11.771	15.518
Cleveland	247	1.478	0.486	0.490	0.457	0.036	0.300	0.174	12.356	17.672
Dallas	255	1.545	0.529	0.490	0.467	0.039	0.290	0.145	12.941	15.804
Carolina	251	1.267	0.438	0.390	0.406	0.028	0.255	0.116	10.669	14.478
Cincinnati	256	1.305	0.426	0.434	0.414	0.020	0.246	0.133	11.152	14.434
Arizona	250	1.524	0.576	0.512	0.416	0.020	0.260	0.132	13.280	16.380
Tennessee	251	1.426	0.542	0.430	0.402	0.048	0.255	0.120	12.331	16.773
San Francisco	264	1.443	0.436	0.462	0.519	0.027	0.326	0.174	12.405	15.970
LA Chargers	250	1.408	0.456	0.376	0.516	0.044	0.320	0.140	11.788	14.968
Baltimore	263	1.608	0.567	0.521	0.456	0.053	0.266	0.125	13.681	17.947
Pittsburgh	258	1.341	0.438	0.481	0.364	0.047	0.202	0.116	11.306	15.647
Washington	247	1.336	0.498	0.409	0.389	0.036	0.219	0.105	11.061	15.279
Atlanta	253	1.261	0.431	0.372	0.419	0.024	0.245	0.099	10.573	13.984
N.Y. Giants	251	1.283	0.438	0.394	0.402	0.044	0.271	0.127	10.932	14.653
Las Vegas	246	1.785	0.675	0.496	0.573	0.037	0.402	0.179	15.573	19.687
Indianapolis	257	1.272	0.428	0.397	0.416	0.019	0.233	0.101	10.163	13.872
Chicago	248	1.254	0.363	0.407	0.448	0.032	0.230	0.081	9.823	15.391
Denver	254	1.583	0.571	0.484	0.500	0.020	0.319	0.110	13.465	16.866
LA Rams	255	1.392	0.510	0.404	0.427	0.039	0.267	0.133	11.851	15.290
Green Bay	267	1.262	0.472	0.367	0.393	0.022	0.221	0.094	10.206	13.644
Philadelphia	258	1.461	0.488	0.442	0.500	0.023	0.314	0.171	12.411	15.729
Houston	256	1.563	0.480	0.539	0.504	0.035	0.305	0.148	12.875	18.512
Kansas City	268	1.511	0.556	0.399	0.511	0.034	0.291	0.160	12.604	16.160
Seattle	263	1.506	0.487	0.441	0.548	0.023	0.342	0.156	12.616	16.897
Detroit	250	1.704	0.612	0.456	0.592	0.036	0.324	0.152	14.196	18.048
New England	269	1.331	0.483	0.413	0.416	0.011	0.260	0.108	11.212	15.346
Tampa Bay	253	1.407	0.581	0.379	0.383	0.055	0.221	0.119	12.221	14.877
New Orleans	259	1.795	0.595	0.575	0.548	0.069	0.324	0.124	14.931	19.954
Buffalo	255	1.541	0.596	0.451	0.455	0.035	0.318	0.145	13.078	16.365
N.Y. Jets	250	1.660	0.572	0.432	0.588	0.048	0.372	0.204	14.024	18.532
Jacksonville	249	1.390	0.562	0.369	0.422	0.032	0.245	0.104	11.590	16.562