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 (243), Defensive Holding (219), Roughing the Passer (102), Illegal Use of Hands (80), Face Mask (15 Yards) (67), Illegal Contact (62), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (39), Horse Collar Tackle (12), Taunting (9), Personal Foul (4), and Tripping (4)

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
Pittsburgh	18	1.444	0.667	0.500	0.278	0.000	0.111	0.000	13.444	18.278
New England	18	1.444	0.167	0.556	0.667	0.056	0.333	0.000	10.278	15.222
Chicago	16	1.063	0.375	0.313	0.375	0.000	0.125	0.063	8.563	16.375
Miami	16	1.813	0.563	0.500	0.750	0.000	0.375	0.125	13.625	20.188
Washington	17	1.059	0.588	0.235	0.235	0.000	0.235	0.000	10.118	11.412
Kansas City	18	1.722	0.556	0.500	0.500	0.111	0.389	0.167	13.111	18.389
New Orleans	16	2.750	0.938	0.813	0.938	0.063	0.563	0.125	22.375	27.313
Denver	19	2.158	0.789	0.632	0.737	0.000	0.684	0.105	18.947	25.895
Tampa Bay	16	1.563	0.688	0.188	0.688	0.000	0.375	0.188	13.500	15.813
N.Y. Giants	16	1.313	0.375	0.563	0.250	0.125	0.063	0.125	10.500	12.688
Philadelphia	16	1.375	0.375	0.688	0.313	0.000	0.188	0.063	10.938	13.813
Buffalo	16	1.938	0.875	0.625	0.438	0.000	0.438	0.125	17.125	20.375
Atlanta	16	1.500	0.438	0.500	0.563	0.000	0.313	0.063	12.188	20.188
Arizona	18	1.333	0.444	0.556	0.333	0.000	0.222	0.056	13.222	13.389
Minnesota	17	2.000	0.471	0.824	0.588	0.118	0.353	0.353	17.353	23.118
Baltimore	16	2.000	0.625	0.875	0.438	0.063	0.313	0.063	17.375	23.500
Oakland	16	2.500	1.125	0.313	0.938	0.125	0.375	0.125	19.250	24.563
Dallas	16	1.625	0.625	0.500	0.500	0.000	0.250	0.188	13.750	14.313
Seattle	18	1.222	0.333	0.444	0.444	0.000	0.444	0.222	11.833	15.722
N.Y. Jets	16	1.188	0.500	0.188	0.375	0.063	0.250	0.188	10.063	13.188
San Diego	16	1.250	0.313	0.438	0.438	0.063	0.250	0.125	10.875	12.625
St. Louis	16	1.313	0.500	0.313	0.500	0.000	0.313	0.188	12.313	15.500
Jacksonville	16	1.938	0.688	0.625	0.500	0.063	0.375	0.063	14.438	21.563
Indianapolis	16	1.875	0.563	0.438	0.750	0.000	0.438	0.250	15.188	20.438
Cleveland	16	1.563	0.938	0.125	0.500	0.000	0.438	0.250	14.625	24.000
Houston	17	1.529	0.412	0.529	0.529	0.059	0.471	0.235	13.882	17.235
Green Bay	18	0.833	0.222	0.444	0.167	0.000	0.111	0.056	5.944	10.167
San Francisco	16	1.563	0.375	0.563	0.625	0.000	0.438	0.250	12.625	10.750
Detroit	16	1.563	0.438	0.500	0.625	0.000	0.438	0.250	14.875	18.063
Carolina	19	1.263	0.474	0.211	0.474	0.053	0.316	0.211	9.579	13.316
Cincinnati	17	1.529	0.353	0.588	0.588	0.000	0.471	0.176	13.706	14.882
Tennessee	16	1.313	0.563	0.438	0.188	0.125	0.125	0.188	13.938	10.375