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 (207), Defensive Holding (106), Roughing the Passer (79), Illegal Contact (75), Face Mask (15 Yards) (43), Personal Foul (36), Illegal Use of Hands (26), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (17), Horse Collar Tackle (15), Tripping (5), and Taunting (2)

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
Cleveland	16	0.875	0.375	0.188	0.188	0.125	0.188	0.188	7.688	11.313
Indianapolis	17	0.529	0.235	0.176	0.118	0.000	0.118	0.000	4.059	8.000
Denver	16	1.063	0.250	0.688	0.000	0.063	0.000	0.063	8.063	17.813
Jacksonville	16	1.125	0.500	0.063	0.500	0.063	0.188	0.125	8.500	9.938
Oakland	16	2.125	1.000	0.625	0.500	0.000	0.438	0.313	20.875	28.188
Carolina	16	1.438	0.438	0.313	0.688	0.000	0.438	0.125	12.188	18.500
N.Y. Giants	16	1.000	0.250	0.438	0.250	0.000	0.250	0.125	7.625	11.875
Pittsburgh	19	1.526	0.421	0.789	0.316	0.000	0.211	0.105	13.211	18.000
Philadelphia	17	1.529	0.412	0.588	0.529	0.000	0.471	0.353	14.706	18.941
Dallas	16	1.375	0.188	0.750	0.375	0.000	0.375	0.063	10.938	14.625
N.Y. Jets	19	1.474	0.316	0.526	0.579	0.053	0.421	0.211	14.368	19.000
Green Bay	20	1.300	0.650	0.350	0.300	0.000	0.100	0.000	11.600	13.300
Arizona	16	1.500	0.813	0.375	0.250	0.063	0.250	0.188	14.000	15.438
Seattle	18	0.833	0.222	0.111	0.444	0.056	0.222	0.111	6.722	12.000
New England	17	1.294	0.353	0.471	0.412	0.000	0.235	0.176	10.235	17.294
New Orleans	17	1.294	0.353	0.529	0.412	0.000	0.235	0.059	9.824	18.294
Detroit	16	2.000	0.563	0.688	0.750	0.000	0.250	0.125	15.063	16.625
St. Louis	16	1.313	0.688	0.125	0.500	0.000	0.313	0.188	11.000	16.500
Washington	16	0.625	0.000	0.500	0.125	0.000	0.063	0.063	4.813	4.063
Houston	16	1.313	0.375	0.375	0.438	0.063	0.000	0.000	8.750	10.750
San Diego	16	0.813	0.375	0.125	0.313	0.000	0.250	0.063	7.063	10.688
Miami	16	0.625	0.188	0.188	0.250	0.000	0.188	0.188	7.125	8.125
Buffalo	16	1.000	0.313	0.375	0.313	0.000	0.188	0.125	8.000	8.000
Cincinnati	16	1.063	0.375	0.375	0.250	0.063	0.188	0.063	8.938	13.375
Baltimore	18	0.944	0.278	0.167	0.444	0.056	0.278	0.222	7.667	11.722
Tennessee	16	1.500	0.688	0.313	0.500	0.000	0.313	0.063	13.125	18.938
Atlanta	17	0.824	0.235	0.176	0.353	0.000	0.176	0.000	5.118	11.882
Kansas City	17	0.941	0.588	0.059	0.294	0.000	0.059	0.059	7.882	11.118
Chicago	18	0.944	0.222	0.389	0.278	0.056	0.111	0.000	6.611	13.389
San Francisco	16	0.875	0.250	0.313	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.063	5.625	12.688
Tampa Bay	16	0.813	0.375	0.250	0.188	0.000	0.063	0.000	6.500	9.938
Minnesota	16	0.688	0.125	0.313	0.250	0.000	0.063	0.063	5.500	7.750