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
Dallas	13	2.538	0.462	1.231	0.769	0.000	0.308	0.308	19.077	32.308
Cleveland	12	1.750	0.333	0.500	0.917	0.000	0.500	0.083	14.000	12.583
Cincinnati	12	1.583	0.750	0.500	0.167	0.167	0.083	0.000	11.500	17.833
Carolina	13	1.692	0.462	0.385	0.615	0.154	0.308	0.154	12.154	13.769
Arizona	12	1.500	0.417	0.500	0.583	0.000	0.333	0.083	10.833	18.583
New Orleans	12	1.833	0.333	1.167	0.333	0.000	0.167	0.167	17.000	17.083
New England	13	1.385	0.308	0.385	0.462	0.231	0.385	0.231	12.538	13.308
Pittsburgh	12	1.417	0.417	0.250	0.667	0.000	0.500	0.000	10.833	15.833
Denver	12	1.250	0.333	0.333	0.417	0.167	0.250	0.000	8.083	12.667
Seattle	12	1.583	0.833	0.583	0.083	0.083	0.000	0.000	13.417	15.500
Buffalo	12	1.583	0.500	0.250	0.583	0.250	0.333	0.083	11.500	17.417
Minnesota	12	1.583	0.667	0.250	0.500	0.083	0.417	0.167	13.917	18.000
San Francisco	13	1.154	0.462	0.385	0.308	0.000	0.308	0.077	10.308	8.154
Tennessee	12	1.333	0.583	0.333	0.167	0.250	0.167	0.167	10.583	9.333
Baltimore	12	1.167	0.500	0.250	0.417	0.000	0.250	0.167	11.333	12.667
N.Y. Giants	13	2.231	0.692	0.462	0.769	0.308	0.615	0.462	19.231	25.615
Indianapolis	12	1.417	0.583	0.583	0.250	0.000	0.250	0.250	15.917	18.917
Las Vegas	12	1.417	0.333	0.500	0.583	0.000	0.333	0.167	10.583	13.333
Green Bay	12	1.417	0.500	0.583	0.333	0.000	0.083	0.000	10.500	17.167
Jacksonville	12	1.917	0.917	0.417	0.500	0.083	0.417	0.250	19.917	21.750
Philadelphia	12	1.083	0.583	0.083	0.333	0.083	0.250	0.250	9.417	12.667
LA Rams	12	1.833	0.750	0.333	0.667	0.083	0.333	0.083	12.917	17.250
N.Y. Jets	12	0.917	0.250	0.417	0.167	0.083	0.083	0.083	9.417	10.500
Tampa Bay	12	1.917	0.583	0.833	0.417	0.083	0.167	0.167	17.250	21.167
LA Chargers	12	1.417	0.333	0.583	0.500	0.000	0.167	0.000	11.333	15.750
Kansas City	12	1.583	0.583	0.417	0.583	0.000	0.500	0.333	16.167	23.250
Washington	12	1.917	0.333	0.583	0.667	0.250	0.250	0.250	13.250	18.333
Miami	12	0.583	0.333	0.000	0.250	0.000	0.167	0.083	5.250	6.083
Houston	12	2.083	1.083	0.583	0.417	0.000	0.333	0.250	20.083	15.000
Atlanta	12	1.750	0.667	0.667	0.417	0.000	0.250	0.083	15.583	18.000
Chicago	12	1.333	0.500	0.417	0.417	0.000	0.417	0.167	11.333	8.917
Detroit	13	0.923	0.385	0.077	0.385	0.000	0.308	0.077	6.923	8.538