Automatic First Downs

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 (214), Defensive Holding (131), Illegal Contact (78), Roughing the Passer (73), Face Mask (46), Illegal Use of Hands (30), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (12), Taunting (8), Tripping (5), and Horse Collar Tackle (2)

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
Philadelphia	12	1.833	0.667	0.667	0.500	0.000	0.250	0.083	15.000	21.750
Cincinnati	12	1.500	0.750	0.333	0.333	0.083	0.167	0.083	12.417	11.583
Cleveland	12	1.250	0.500	0.333	0.417	0.000	0.417	0.250	13.417	12.417
Jacksonville	12	2.167	0.667	0.750	0.583	0.167	0.333	0.083	16.083	22.750
New Orleans	12	1.500	0.583	0.167	0.667	0.083	0.500	0.167	11.167	14.333
Arizona	12	1.750	0.500	0.917	0.167	0.083	0.000	0.000	13.833	11.667
Las Vegas	12	1.250	0.250	0.250	0.583	0.167	0.250	0.167	7.917	15.000
N.Y. Jets	12	1.833	0.583	0.333	0.833	0.083	0.667	0.333	18.250	21.333
Tennessee	12	1.417	0.500	0.500	0.417	0.000	0.250	0.083	10.417	14.167
San Francisco	13	1.385	0.462	0.462	0.385	0.077	0.154	0.154	12.769	10.923
Baltimore	12	1.250	0.750	0.000	0.417	0.083	0.167	0.000	10.500	15.917
Chicago	12	1.833	0.667	0.500	0.583	0.000	0.333	0.167	16.750	22.333
LA Rams	12	1.333	0.500	0.583	0.250	0.000	0.250	0.167	13.833	11.583
N.Y. Giants	13	2.000	0.692	0.692	0.538	0.077	0.385	0.154	18.615	27.769
Dallas	13	1.308	0.385	0.231	0.538	0.154	0.231	0.077	8.462	16.385
Denver	12	2.417	0.667	0.750	0.750	0.250	0.583	0.750	22.167	30.917
Indianapolis	12	2.250	0.750	0.667	0.667	0.167	0.500	0.167	18.500	21.500
Carolina	13	0.846	0.154	0.154	0.538	0.000	0.308	0.154	7.154	9.923
LA Chargers	12	1.250	0.083	0.417	0.500	0.250	0.333	0.083	6.667	12.750
Miami	12	1.667	0.917	0.500	0.250	0.000	0.167	0.083	18.583	16.000
Atlanta	12	1.083	0.333	0.333	0.417	0.000	0.250	0.167	9.833	14.750
Green Bay	12	1.833	0.417	0.333	0.917	0.083	0.417	0.250	12.500	13.917
Houston	12	1.750	0.917	0.583	0.250	0.000	0.250	0.167	18.583	16.750
Minnesota	12	1.000	0.667	0.167	0.167	0.000	0.083	0.083	9.000	11.083
New England	13	1.231	0.308	0.538	0.385	0.000	0.231	0.000	7.538	12.077
Pittsburgh	12	1.417	0.333	0.583	0.333	0.167	0.167	0.000	10.333	13.417
Tampa Bay	12	1.500	0.583	0.667	0.250	0.000	0.167	0.000	13.417	14.917
Kansas City	12	1.750	0.583	0.583	0.417	0.083	0.333	0.333	14.750	18.000
Detroit	13	1.692	0.308	0.462	0.692	0.154	0.615	0.231	12.769	15.000
Seattle	12	1.667	0.583	0.583	0.500	0.000	0.333	0.083	13.500	14.000
Buffalo	12	1.083	0.333	0.500	0.250	0.000	0.167	0.167	10.167	9.167
Washington	12	1.167	0.417	0.333	0.167	0.167	0.000	0.000	8.333	14.000