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
Green Bay	17	2.059	0.529	0.824	0.706	0.000	0.294	0.059	15.882	22.118
New England	17	1.882	0.706	0.706	0.471	0.000	0.353	0.059	14.412	21.176
Seattle	16	1.563	0.625	0.438	0.438	0.063	0.188	0.125	11.688	17.625
Minnesota	18	1.500	0.500	0.444	0.556	0.000	0.278	0.111	11.333	18.444
Detroit	16	1.500	0.438	0.500	0.438	0.125	0.125	0.063	11.688	18.750
Pittsburgh	16	1.500	0.500	0.500	0.500	0.000	0.188	0.125	13.438	17.875
Indianapolis	19	1.474	0.842	0.316	0.263	0.053	0.105	0.053	12.737	22.316
Cincinnati	17	1.471	0.588	0.353	0.471	0.059	0.353	0.235	13.059	13.353
Arizona	18	1.444	0.389	0.667	0.389	0.000	0.222	0.111	11.444	17.167
Denver	16	1.375	0.438	0.563	0.375	0.000	0.313	0.250	13.938	19.250
Kansas City	16	1.375	0.125	0.688	0.438	0.125	0.250	0.188	9.250	14.000
Atlanta	16	1.313	0.313	0.188	0.750	0.063	0.500	0.438	10.625	10.750
Buffalo	16	1.313	0.313	0.625	0.313	0.063	0.188	0.063	11.188	15.625
Chicago	16	1.313	0.313	0.500	0.438	0.063	0.250	0.125	10.438	14.625
N.Y. Giants	16	1.250	0.438	0.438	0.375	0.000	0.313	0.188	11.313	12.750
San Diego	17	1.235	0.529	0.412	0.294	0.000	0.059	0.000	11.647	14.529
Oakland	16	1.188	0.375	0.500	0.313	0.000	0.188	0.125	12.688	12.563
Philadelphia	17	1.176	0.353	0.235	0.588	0.000	0.412	0.059	9.529	11.294
Dallas	18	1.167	0.333	0.444	0.333	0.056	0.222	0.000	10.278	13.500
Washington	16	1.000	0.375	0.313	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.063	8.625	10.500
New Orleans	19	1.000	0.316	0.316	0.368	0.000	0.211	0.105	8.158	12.158
Tennessee	16	1.000	0.500	0.188	0.313	0.000	0.125	0.063	8.625	7.813
San Francisco	16	0.938	0.250	0.313	0.250	0.125	0.125	0.063	6.563	14.813
N.Y. Jets	19	0.895	0.368	0.316	0.211	0.000	0.105	0.053	8.158	9.474
Tampa Bay	16	0.875	0.375	0.250	0.250	0.000	0.125	0.125	7.563	11.813
Jacksonville	16	0.875	0.250	0.250	0.375	0.000	0.063	0.000	5.438	9.125
Miami	16	0.875	0.375	0.250	0.250	0.000	0.125	0.063	8.625	11.000
Baltimore	18	0.833	0.389	0.222	0.167	0.056	0.111	0.167	8.944	13.500
St. Louis	16	0.813	0.125	0.375	0.250	0.063	0.125	0.125	5.750	7.750
Carolina	16	0.750	0.313	0.188	0.188	0.063	0.063	0.000	6.313	6.375
Cleveland	16	0.688	0.250	0.250	0.188	0.000	0.188	0.063	6.125	9.438
Houston	16	0.688	0.250	0.250	0.188	0.000	0.063	0.000	4.875	6.875