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 (4105), Defensive Holding (2980), Roughing the Passer (1650), Illegal Contact (974), Illegal Use of Hands (862), Face Mask (15 Yards) (771), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (333), Horse Collar Tackle (252), Personal Foul (237), Face Mask (190), Taunting (127), 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
Atlanta	269	1.643	0.535	0.506	0.539	0.052	0.316	0.156	13.472	17.000
Cleveland	263	1.399	0.445	0.456	0.441	0.053	0.285	0.125	11.719	14.829
Minnesota	270	1.578	0.544	0.444	0.533	0.041	0.319	0.141	12.530	17.948
Tampa Bay	270	1.537	0.600	0.441	0.452	0.037	0.289	0.156	13.241	18.263
Green Bay	284	1.588	0.500	0.458	0.588	0.028	0.317	0.130	12.947	19.306
Jacksonville	265	1.468	0.525	0.453	0.445	0.042	0.264	0.125	12.381	16.196
Houston	273	1.363	0.480	0.410	0.432	0.026	0.271	0.121	11.440	14.652
Seattle	279	1.351	0.505	0.384	0.405	0.047	0.251	0.125	11.419	15.961
Denver	271	1.546	0.506	0.469	0.520	0.041	0.310	0.133	12.845	17.520
Baltimore	280	1.368	0.432	0.464	0.436	0.029	0.264	0.136	11.611	17.261
LA Chargers	267	1.573	0.584	0.468	0.457	0.056	0.288	0.124	13.491	16.333
N.Y. Giants	267	1.434	0.547	0.408	0.431	0.041	0.217	0.109	11.760	14.910
Cincinnati	272	1.529	0.574	0.463	0.445	0.037	0.265	0.154	12.857	16.559
Detroit	266	1.462	0.556	0.451	0.429	0.023	0.293	0.135	12.620	15.808
New England	285	1.618	0.523	0.554	0.495	0.035	0.291	0.137	13.582	17.530
Arizona	266	1.639	0.586	0.511	0.492	0.038	0.331	0.135	14.008	18.214
Kansas City	284	1.493	0.563	0.444	0.433	0.046	0.271	0.148	13.032	14.197
Dallas	271	1.498	0.480	0.506	0.480	0.026	0.325	0.122	12.609	15.251
San Francisco	280	1.318	0.475	0.339	0.468	0.036	0.289	0.146	10.964	13.861
Pittsburgh	275	1.516	0.560	0.495	0.422	0.025	0.247	0.113	12.545	18.687
Buffalo	271	1.292	0.450	0.395	0.413	0.026	0.277	0.144	11.306	15.229
Washington	264	1.402	0.466	0.424	0.462	0.042	0.273	0.136	11.761	14.542
Las Vegas	262	1.408	0.508	0.389	0.450	0.053	0.321	0.156	12.076	17.363
N.Y. Jets	266	1.353	0.429	0.417	0.466	0.030	0.267	0.124	11.346	15.444
New Orleans	275	1.229	0.378	0.396	0.436	0.018	0.229	0.091	10.182	12.811
Philadelphia	275	1.411	0.516	0.455	0.407	0.018	0.251	0.109	12.215	16.695
Chicago	264	1.394	0.462	0.405	0.481	0.034	0.284	0.170	11.879	15.239
Indianapolis	273	1.601	0.623	0.447	0.505	0.026	0.344	0.154	13.842	19.744
LA Rams	272	1.268	0.434	0.401	0.408	0.026	0.250	0.129	10.537	14.474
Miami	263	1.373	0.574	0.357	0.414	0.023	0.221	0.141	11.692	16.137
Tennessee	267	1.427	0.479	0.382	0.517	0.037	0.345	0.150	11.734	14.663
Carolina	267	1.356	0.438	0.401	0.464	0.045	0.258	0.120	11.382	14.199