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 (253), Defensive Holding (149), Roughing the Passer (90), Illegal Contact (68), Face Mask (15 Yards) (53), Personal Foul (51), Illegal Use of Hands (50), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (21), Horse Collar Tackle (19), Tripping (2), and Taunting (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
Indianapolis	17	1.647	0.588	0.529	0.471	0.000	0.235	0.059	12.118	17.118
Chicago	16	1.063	0.313	0.438	0.313	0.000	0.313	0.125	9.625	10.813
Buffalo	16	1.688	0.750	0.438	0.500	0.000	0.438	0.188	14.063	18.438
Miami	16	1.500	0.500	0.688	0.250	0.063	0.125	0.000	10.688	17.250
Houston	18	1.611	0.444	0.333	0.722	0.111	0.444	0.278	12.889	17.167
Pittsburgh	16	1.438	0.563	0.438	0.438	0.000	0.188	0.125	12.438	25.563
New England	18	1.556	0.500	0.667	0.389	0.000	0.222	0.000	13.500	20.278
Kansas City	16	1.000	0.188	0.250	0.563	0.000	0.375	0.250	8.563	11.375
San Diego	16	1.563	0.313	0.500	0.563	0.188	0.375	0.188	13.938	16.250
Minnesota	17	1.353	0.647	0.176	0.529	0.000	0.353	0.176	11.882	17.000
Detroit	16	1.500	0.500	0.563	0.375	0.063	0.313	0.063	13.188	21.500
Carolina	16	1.438	0.375	0.500	0.563	0.000	0.313	0.125	10.875	17.750
N.Y. Jets	16	1.750	0.500	0.500	0.750	0.000	0.375	0.188	13.688	19.438
Arizona	16	1.063	0.188	0.250	0.563	0.063	0.313	0.313	8.375	13.438
Jacksonville	16	2.000	0.563	0.375	0.938	0.125	0.375	0.188	14.688	24.688
Tampa Bay	16	1.313	0.438	0.438	0.375	0.063	0.313	0.188	13.813	14.688
Philadelphia	16	1.625	0.375	0.563	0.625	0.063	0.500	0.313	15.250	13.188
Green Bay	18	1.500	0.611	0.500	0.389	0.000	0.111	0.056	12.389	18.778
Cleveland	16	1.813	0.688	0.813	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.063	15.063	21.813
Cincinnati	17	1.412	0.412	0.529	0.471	0.000	0.353	0.118	11.941	16.882
Baltimore	20	1.700	0.700	0.600	0.400	0.000	0.250	0.050	14.800	18.700
Denver	17	1.706	0.765	0.294	0.647	0.000	0.294	0.059	13.941	18.941
New Orleans	16	1.750	0.500	0.688	0.500	0.063	0.375	0.125	17.313	18.813
Washington	17	1.412	0.706	0.588	0.118	0.000	0.059	0.000	12.588	16.118
San Francisco	19	1.474	0.526	0.579	0.368	0.000	0.211	0.158	13.368	15.421
Seattle	18	1.278	0.500	0.167	0.611	0.000	0.333	0.056	10.389	12.444
Oakland	16	1.125	0.438	0.250	0.438	0.000	0.375	0.188	9.813	14.500
N.Y. Giants	16	0.750	0.313	0.188	0.250	0.000	0.125	0.063	5.938	5.938
Dallas	16	1.500	0.375	0.500	0.625	0.000	0.250	0.063	12.500	13.813
Tennessee	16	1.188	0.625	0.250	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.125	10.750	12.375
St. Louis	16	1.125	0.313	0.188	0.563	0.063	0.313	0.125	8.500	11.813
Atlanta	18	0.500	0.222	0.056	0.167	0.056	0.111	0.000	4.333	4.833