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 (4058), Defensive Holding (2948), Roughing the Passer (1635), Illegal Contact (963), Illegal Use of Hands (854), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (328), Horse Collar Tackle (250), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (175), Taunting (125), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (70), Tripping (34), Lowering the Head to Make Forcible Contact (5), 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
Miami	260	1.469	0.504	0.419	0.500	0.035	0.300	0.150	12.192	16.315
Minnesota	266	1.342	0.481	0.376	0.444	0.041	0.286	0.147	11.677	15.459
Cleveland	260	1.458	0.481	0.488	0.442	0.038	0.292	0.165	12.188	17.450
Dallas	268	1.530	0.522	0.493	0.455	0.041	0.284	0.146	12.813	15.556
Carolina	264	1.284	0.458	0.390	0.405	0.027	0.254	0.114	10.795	14.591
Cincinnati	269	1.331	0.428	0.435	0.435	0.022	0.264	0.149	11.424	14.840
Arizona	263	1.487	0.567	0.494	0.407	0.019	0.251	0.129	12.909	16.183
Tennessee	264	1.470	0.549	0.436	0.432	0.049	0.284	0.140	12.780	17.076
San Francisco	277	1.426	0.444	0.444	0.513	0.025	0.321	0.170	12.220	15.903
LA Chargers	264	1.413	0.466	0.379	0.504	0.049	0.314	0.136	11.788	14.864
Baltimore	276	1.667	0.580	0.536	0.467	0.069	0.268	0.138	14.145	18.464
Pittsburgh	271	1.328	0.443	0.472	0.358	0.044	0.203	0.114	11.218	15.509
Washington	260	1.346	0.504	0.404	0.396	0.038	0.219	0.108	11.127	15.419
Atlanta	266	1.241	0.429	0.365	0.410	0.023	0.237	0.094	10.406	13.812
N.Y. Giants	264	1.269	0.432	0.383	0.409	0.042	0.280	0.133	10.814	14.515
Las Vegas	259	1.761	0.656	0.490	0.571	0.039	0.394	0.181	15.375	19.525
Indianapolis	270	1.259	0.430	0.393	0.407	0.019	0.230	0.100	10.096	13.619
Chicago	261	1.234	0.349	0.410	0.441	0.031	0.226	0.077	9.705	15.257
Denver	268	1.604	0.590	0.485	0.504	0.019	0.325	0.112	13.646	17.354
LA Rams	268	1.388	0.493	0.403	0.440	0.041	0.284	0.146	11.836	15.373
Green Bay	280	1.246	0.471	0.350	0.393	0.021	0.218	0.089	10.014	13.311
Philadelphia	271	1.454	0.480	0.435	0.509	0.022	0.314	0.173	12.295	15.590
Houston	269	1.565	0.494	0.539	0.491	0.037	0.301	0.149	13.056	18.439
Kansas City	281	1.512	0.552	0.399	0.516	0.032	0.299	0.157	12.544	16.313
Seattle	276	1.525	0.496	0.446	0.551	0.025	0.344	0.152	12.707	17.167
Detroit	263	1.745	0.624	0.483	0.589	0.038	0.327	0.152	14.673	18.567
New England	282	1.351	0.489	0.408	0.436	0.011	0.270	0.106	11.369	15.550
Tampa Bay	266	1.410	0.583	0.380	0.387	0.053	0.222	0.117	12.147	14.789
New Orleans	272	1.772	0.585	0.581	0.533	0.066	0.309	0.118	14.702	19.853
Buffalo	267	1.521	0.577	0.457	0.449	0.034	0.315	0.139	12.891	15.940
N.Y. Jets	263	1.700	0.593	0.449	0.582	0.057	0.369	0.202	14.297	19.106
Jacksonville	262	1.405	0.573	0.366	0.431	0.031	0.256	0.111	11.821	16.477