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 (210), Defensive Holding (124), Roughing the Passer (100), Illegal Contact (70), Face Mask (15 Yards) (68), Personal Foul (42), Illegal Use of Hands (42), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (23), Horse Collar Tackle (16), Taunting (2), Tripping (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
Green Bay	17	0.765	0.235	0.118	0.353	0.059	0.235	0.118	5.706	7.765
Kansas City	16	1.125	0.625	0.125	0.375	0.000	0.250	0.125	10.438	12.375
Atlanta	17	0.882	0.294	0.353	0.118	0.059	0.059	0.000	7.176	8.294
Philadelphia	16	1.563	0.563	0.375	0.563	0.000	0.375	0.125	11.313	16.250
Seattle	16	1.938	0.563	0.688	0.625	0.063	0.438	0.125	14.688	16.375
Minnesota	16	1.250	0.625	0.313	0.313	0.000	0.250	0.188	13.063	15.188
Cleveland	16	1.500	0.313	0.438	0.750	0.000	0.500	0.313	11.875	16.500
Cincinnati	17	1.000	0.294	0.412	0.294	0.000	0.176	0.059	8.000	14.353
Oakland	16	2.938	1.188	0.938	0.688	0.125	0.563	0.375	28.438	32.313
Indianapolis	16	0.625	0.063	0.250	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.125	5.000	4.563
Arizona	16	2.250	1.125	0.438	0.688	0.000	0.500	0.250	20.563	26.375
Tampa Bay	16	1.750	0.750	0.375	0.563	0.063	0.000	0.063	13.938	15.625
Carolina	16	1.250	0.625	0.313	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.063	10.438	16.875
Dallas	16	1.375	0.500	0.438	0.438	0.000	0.125	0.063	10.750	14.500
New England	19	1.053	0.474	0.263	0.316	0.000	0.158	0.105	8.526	16.263
Denver	18	1.444	0.611	0.500	0.333	0.000	0.278	0.056	14.444	16.167
Houston	18	1.556	0.389	0.778	0.389	0.000	0.333	0.222	13.889	21.444
St. Louis	16	1.313	0.563	0.125	0.563	0.063	0.438	0.250	12.500	15.750
Miami	16	1.438	0.563	0.250	0.563	0.063	0.500	0.250	14.063	19.250
N.Y. Jets	16	1.188	0.438	0.563	0.188	0.000	0.125	0.063	11.313	13.188
Baltimore	18	1.167	0.556	0.444	0.111	0.056	0.111	0.000	11.278	12.333
Washington	16	0.938	0.375	0.313	0.250	0.000	0.250	0.125	9.375	15.125
Tennessee	16	1.000	0.563	0.250	0.188	0.000	0.063	0.063	9.000	11.875
New Orleans	18	1.444	0.389	0.333	0.611	0.111	0.389	0.333	13.556	13.444
San Diego	16	1.250	0.313	0.500	0.438	0.000	0.188	0.125	10.938	12.500
Pittsburgh	17	1.235	0.471	0.412	0.235	0.118	0.176	0.118	10.647	12.118
Buffalo	16	1.250	0.500	0.250	0.500	0.000	0.250	0.188	9.938	14.313
N.Y. Giants	20	1.050	0.350	0.250	0.400	0.050	0.300	0.250	9.600	11.450
San Francisco	18	0.944	0.389	0.333	0.222	0.000	0.111	0.056	8.444	16.056
Detroit	17	2.000	0.706	0.353	0.882	0.059	0.294	0.176	13.765	21.941
Jacksonville	16	0.813	0.438	0.125	0.250	0.000	0.188	0.063	7.500	13.063
Chicago	16	0.750	0.125	0.313	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.063	5.125	8.875