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 (190), Defensive Holding (104), Illegal Contact (92), Face Mask (15 Yards) (82), Roughing the Passer (69), Illegal Use of Hands (30), Personal Foul (28), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (21), Horse Collar Tackle (16), Tripping (4), Taunting (4), and Roughing the Kicker (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	16	1.438	0.625	0.563	0.250	0.000	0.125	0.063	12.063	16.375
Minnesota	18	0.889	0.667	0.000	0.167	0.056	0.111	0.000	7.611	9.222
Cleveland	16	1.500	0.375	0.750	0.375	0.000	0.250	0.125	13.938	16.938
Dallas	18	1.389	0.389	0.556	0.444	0.000	0.222	0.111	11.056	12.278
Carolina	16	1.063	0.063	0.688	0.250	0.063	0.063	0.125	7.688	10.313
Cincinnati	17	0.824	0.118	0.353	0.294	0.059	0.118	0.059	8.941	10.353
Arizona	18	1.222	0.389	0.389	0.389	0.056	0.278	0.222	9.778	15.778
Tennessee	16	1.188	0.563	0.250	0.313	0.063	0.063	0.063	10.438	17.375
San Francisco	16	1.125	0.125	0.375	0.500	0.125	0.313	0.250	8.813	8.938
San Diego	17	1.059	0.353	0.176	0.471	0.059	0.353	0.176	9.235	10.000
Baltimore	18	2.000	0.500	0.778	0.611	0.111	0.333	0.222	17.000	27.000
Pittsburgh	16	0.938	0.438	0.375	0.125	0.000	0.063	0.000	8.625	13.063
Washington	16	0.875	0.313	0.188	0.375	0.000	0.250	0.125	7.938	10.625
Atlanta	16	1.063	0.188	0.250	0.625	0.000	0.250	0.125	7.563	11.688
N.Y. Giants	16	1.188	0.313	0.500	0.313	0.063	0.125	0.188	9.125	14.500
Oakland	16	1.688	0.313	0.750	0.625	0.000	0.438	0.188	13.875	15.625
Indianapolis	19	0.632	0.211	0.263	0.158	0.000	0.000	0.000	4.579	6.526
Chicago	16	0.750	0.188	0.438	0.125	0.000	0.063	0.000	5.563	10.563
Denver	16	1.125	0.125	0.500	0.500	0.000	0.250	0.000	9.688	14.188
St. Louis	16	1.375	0.313	0.563	0.500	0.000	0.375	0.125	11.938	15.438
Green Bay	17	2.235	0.941	0.647	0.647	0.000	0.353	0.176	18.529	24.353
Philadelphia	17	1.471	0.529	0.353	0.588	0.000	0.412	0.235	13.706	19.059
Houston	16	1.625	0.625	0.500	0.438	0.063	0.188	0.063	13.063	17.875
Kansas City	16	1.000	0.438	0.313	0.250	0.000	0.063	0.063	9.938	10.500
Seattle	16	1.125	0.188	0.563	0.375	0.000	0.188	0.063	8.063	17.250
Detroit	16	1.375	0.500	0.313	0.563	0.000	0.188	0.063	9.125	15.188
New England	17	0.882	0.588	0.118	0.176	0.000	0.059	0.059	8.176	15.294
Tampa Bay	16	1.125	0.500	0.375	0.188	0.063	0.188	0.063	9.063	9.188
New Orleans	19	1.211	0.526	0.421	0.211	0.053	0.053	0.000	10.158	14.737
Buffalo	16	1.000	0.625	0.125	0.250	0.000	0.125	0.063	9.188	12.125
N.Y. Jets	19	1.316	0.474	0.263	0.474	0.105	0.316	0.105	10.105	11.789
Jacksonville	16	0.688	0.313	0.188	0.188	0.000	0.188	0.125	6.500	6.250