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.

"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 (314), Defensive Holding (175), Roughing the Passer (127), Illegal Contact (59), Face Mask (15 Yards) (53), Illegal Use of Hands (31), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (31), and Tripping (1)

Scroll left and right for additional columns.

Team	Defensive Plays	Total	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Houston	1068	0.019	0.110	0.186
Atlanta	1032	0.025	0.188	0.264
Seattle	1182	0.013	0.116	0.115
N.Y. Jets	1079	0.035	0.288	0.430
Buffalo	1238	0.019	0.140	0.222
New England	981	0.018	0.161	0.209
Baltimore	1119	0.031	0.257	0.411
Chicago	1095	0.027	0.232	0.313
Jacksonville	1067	0.035	0.280	0.507
Indianapolis	1050	0.022	0.170	0.292
New Orleans	1110	0.038	0.294	0.468
Tampa Bay	1287	0.019	0.167	0.224
San Francisco	996	0.026	0.255	0.258
Arizona	1054	0.030	0.256	0.314
Carolina	1024	0.028	0.207	0.239
Las Vegas	1104	0.031	0.262	0.322
LA Rams	1118	0.013	0.101	0.208
Pittsburgh	1060	0.016	0.096	0.183
Denver	1111	0.013	0.089	0.163
Dallas	1054	0.028	0.253	0.328
Miami	998	0.023	0.213	0.253
Philadelphia	1058	0.018	0.155	0.240
Cincinnati	1021	0.016	0.135	0.174
Detroit	1068	0.024	0.199	0.286
Minnesota	1036	0.016	0.151	0.164
Kansas City	1214	0.034	0.273	0.364
Washington	1074	0.018	0.146	0.219
Tennessee	1137	0.020	0.165	0.242
Green Bay	1085	0.024	0.203	0.226
N.Y. Giants	1046	0.017	0.168	0.167
Cleveland	1181	0.014	0.117	0.176
LA Chargers	996	0.018	0.136	0.195