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 (127), Defensive Holding (82), Illegal Contact (53), Roughing the Passer (46), Face Mask (31), Illegal Use of Hands (22), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (6), Tripping (3), Taunting (3), 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
Dallas	7	2.571	0.571	1.000	1.000	0.000	0.286	0.286	22.143	39.429
Cleveland	7	2.000	0.286	0.571	1.143	0.000	0.714	0.143	15.286	11.429
Cincinnati	7	2.000	0.857	0.857	0.000	0.286	0.000	0.000	13.714	20.429
Carolina	7	2.286	0.571	0.571	0.714	0.286	0.286	0.286	16.143	18.000
Arizona	7	1.857	0.571	0.571	0.714	0.000	0.286	0.143	13.429	27.000
New Orleans	7	2.571	0.571	1.429	0.571	0.000	0.286	0.286	23.286	23.286
New England	7	1.429	0.143	0.429	0.571	0.286	0.429	0.286	14.286	15.000
Pittsburgh	6	1.000	0.167	0.000	0.833	0.000	0.500	0.000	5.500	8.833
Denver	7	1.857	0.429	0.571	0.571	0.286	0.429	0.000	11.857	14.714
Seattle	7	1.714	0.857	0.571	0.143	0.143	0.000	0.000	14.143	17.000
Buffalo	6	1.833	0.500	0.167	0.833	0.333	0.500	0.167	13.833	21.500
Minnesota	6	1.667	0.833	0.167	0.500	0.000	0.333	0.000	12.667	21.333
San Francisco	7	1.429	0.571	0.286	0.571	0.000	0.571	0.143	12.714	11.143
Tennessee	7	1.286	0.571	0.429	0.000	0.286	0.000	0.000	9.143	7.286
Baltimore	6	0.833	0.500	0.333	0.000	0.000	0.000	0.000	9.667	7.167
N.Y. Giants	7	3.143	0.714	0.571	1.286	0.571	1.000	0.857	25.857	36.857
Indianapolis	7	1.571	0.714	0.714	0.143	0.000	0.143	0.143	17.000	19.714
Las Vegas	7	1.286	0.286	0.143	0.857	0.000	0.571	0.286	10.143	9.714
Green Bay	6	2.000	0.833	0.667	0.500	0.000	0.167	0.000	15.333	18.000
Jacksonville	7	1.714	0.857	0.143	0.714	0.000	0.571	0.429	19.143	20.000
Philadelphia	7	1.143	0.857	0.143	0.000	0.143	0.000	0.143	10.143	14.857
LA Rams	7	2.571	1.143	0.429	1.000	0.000	0.429	0.000	18.286	24.143
N.Y. Jets	7	1.143	0.429	0.571	0.000	0.143	0.000	0.000	11.857	12.714
Tampa Bay	7	2.571	0.714	1.286	0.429	0.143	0.143	0.143	23.571	28.857
LA Chargers	7	1.429	0.429	0.571	0.429	0.000	0.286	0.000	12.857	14.143
Kansas City	7	1.429	0.429	0.286	0.714	0.000	0.571	0.429	12.857	19.143
Washington	7	2.143	0.286	0.714	0.857	0.286	0.429	0.286	15.286	22.143
Miami	7	0.429	0.143	0.000	0.286	0.000	0.143	0.143	3.714	2.857
Houston	6	2.500	1.500	0.667	0.333	0.000	0.333	0.333	25.000	14.000
Atlanta	6	1.833	0.500	1.000	0.333	0.000	0.167	0.167	19.167	18.167
Chicago	6	1.167	0.500	0.333	0.333	0.000	0.333	0.167	10.667	8.000
Detroit	7	1.000	0.571	0.143	0.286	0.000	0.286	0.000	8.286	7.143