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