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
Atlanta	235	1.587	0.536	0.481	0.523	0.043	0.319	0.170	13.323	16.379
Cleveland	228	1.303	0.408	0.430	0.408	0.053	0.254	0.105	10.702	13.443
Minnesota	235	1.404	0.464	0.404	0.481	0.038	0.281	0.111	10.881	15.753
Tampa Bay	233	1.438	0.562	0.433	0.408	0.026	0.262	0.146	12.524	17.193
Green Bay	247	1.563	0.474	0.478	0.571	0.032	0.312	0.138	12.842	18.304
Jacksonville	231	1.364	0.511	0.429	0.381	0.043	0.234	0.113	11.693	14.680
Houston	236	1.297	0.466	0.403	0.407	0.017	0.254	0.097	10.877	13.831
Seattle	245	1.196	0.412	0.363	0.380	0.033	0.233	0.114	10.065	14.053
Denver	236	1.521	0.504	0.453	0.513	0.042	0.314	0.136	12.767	17.250
Baltimore	243	1.251	0.407	0.416	0.412	0.012	0.263	0.123	10.704	16.374
LA Chargers	232	1.483	0.565	0.440	0.435	0.034	0.276	0.108	12.741	15.116
N.Y. Giants	233	1.378	0.519	0.403	0.416	0.030	0.223	0.112	11.382	14.039
Cincinnati	238	1.370	0.496	0.403	0.424	0.038	0.256	0.151	11.626	14.538
Detroit	229	1.459	0.546	0.450	0.437	0.022	0.288	0.140	12.485	15.603
New England	251	1.598	0.522	0.550	0.490	0.028	0.291	0.135	13.502	17.454
Arizona	232	1.565	0.552	0.517	0.466	0.022	0.310	0.112	13.332	17.384
Kansas City	246	1.378	0.508	0.419	0.415	0.028	0.252	0.130	11.805	12.679
Dallas	236	1.343	0.441	0.453	0.415	0.025	0.271	0.089	11.144	13.487
San Francisco	243	1.239	0.416	0.337	0.453	0.033	0.272	0.136	10.239	13.272
Pittsburgh	239	1.444	0.540	0.456	0.406	0.025	0.234	0.109	11.858	17.690
Buffalo	234	1.209	0.406	0.380	0.393	0.026	0.244	0.124	10.325	14.534
Washington	229	1.297	0.441	0.389	0.424	0.035	0.245	0.109	10.812	13.205
Las Vegas	228	1.329	0.491	0.355	0.421	0.057	0.281	0.140	11.364	16.456
N.Y. Jets	232	1.259	0.405	0.409	0.418	0.017	0.228	0.103	10.616	14.047
New Orleans	241	1.129	0.320	0.382	0.411	0.017	0.220	0.083	9.353	11.701
Philadelphia	239	1.347	0.502	0.410	0.406	0.013	0.247	0.109	11.707	16.552
Chicago	230	1.352	0.465	0.378	0.470	0.030	0.270	0.157	11.457	14.957
Indianapolis	239	1.527	0.607	0.393	0.502	0.025	0.339	0.155	13.197	18.435
LA Rams	236	1.131	0.360	0.373	0.369	0.030	0.212	0.110	9.220	12.559
Miami	228	1.320	0.522	0.346	0.421	0.026	0.219	0.140	11.114	15.588
Tennessee	233	1.300	0.425	0.339	0.485	0.039	0.335	0.142	10.657	13.120
Carolina	233	1.227	0.421	0.369	0.412	0.026	0.223	0.103	10.502	12.670