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
Atlanta	266	1.647	0.541	0.508	0.534	0.053	0.312	0.158	13.538	16.974
Cleveland	260	1.381	0.442	0.446	0.435	0.054	0.281	0.123	11.554	14.665
Minnesota	266	1.568	0.541	0.436	0.534	0.041	0.320	0.143	12.436	17.966
Tampa Bay	266	1.538	0.598	0.436	0.459	0.038	0.293	0.158	13.252	18.308
Green Bay	280	1.604	0.507	0.461	0.593	0.029	0.318	0.129	13.068	19.454
Jacksonville	262	1.481	0.531	0.454	0.450	0.042	0.267	0.126	12.496	16.351
Houston	269	1.375	0.487	0.416	0.435	0.022	0.271	0.119	11.546	14.665
Seattle	276	1.355	0.504	0.388	0.406	0.047	0.254	0.127	11.442	15.989
Denver	268	1.560	0.511	0.470	0.526	0.041	0.313	0.134	12.951	17.698
Baltimore	276	1.370	0.431	0.460	0.442	0.029	0.268	0.138	11.598	17.344
LA Chargers	264	1.564	0.580	0.470	0.451	0.057	0.288	0.125	13.428	16.242
N.Y. Giants	264	1.443	0.549	0.409	0.436	0.042	0.220	0.110	11.818	15.038
Cincinnati	269	1.520	0.569	0.461	0.442	0.037	0.260	0.156	12.773	16.613
Detroit	263	1.475	0.559	0.456	0.433	0.023	0.297	0.137	12.726	15.932
New England	282	1.610	0.525	0.550	0.493	0.032	0.294	0.135	13.486	17.535
Arizona	263	1.631	0.582	0.510	0.490	0.038	0.335	0.137	13.989	18.209
Kansas City	281	1.495	0.562	0.445	0.434	0.046	0.274	0.149	13.053	14.221
Dallas	268	1.500	0.481	0.507	0.478	0.026	0.325	0.123	12.619	15.276
San Francisco	277	1.325	0.473	0.343	0.473	0.036	0.292	0.148	11.011	13.931
Pittsburgh	271	1.528	0.568	0.502	0.421	0.022	0.247	0.111	12.616	18.871
Buffalo	267	1.296	0.453	0.390	0.419	0.026	0.281	0.146	11.326	15.348
Washington	260	1.388	0.462	0.423	0.454	0.042	0.265	0.127	11.600	14.435
Las Vegas	259	1.413	0.510	0.386	0.456	0.054	0.324	0.158	12.135	17.506
N.Y. Jets	263	1.357	0.430	0.418	0.468	0.030	0.266	0.125	11.376	15.536
New Orleans	272	1.228	0.379	0.397	0.434	0.018	0.232	0.092	10.188	12.801
Philadelphia	271	1.402	0.524	0.446	0.399	0.018	0.240	0.103	12.129	16.491
Chicago	261	1.398	0.460	0.410	0.487	0.034	0.287	0.172	11.939	15.318
Indianapolis	270	1.607	0.630	0.441	0.511	0.026	0.348	0.156	13.904	19.593
LA Rams	268	1.276	0.433	0.403	0.414	0.026	0.254	0.131	10.612	14.541
Miami	260	1.381	0.573	0.362	0.419	0.023	0.223	0.142	11.750	16.215
Tennessee	264	1.420	0.477	0.375	0.519	0.038	0.348	0.152	11.701	14.572
Carolina	264	1.360	0.443	0.402	0.462	0.045	0.258	0.121	11.458	14.212