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
New England	18	1.722	0.722	0.722	0.278	0.000	0.222	0.056	15.444	22.500
Pittsburgh	18	1.778	0.556	0.611	0.500	0.056	0.278	0.222	14.667	26.333
Green Bay	18	2.278	0.389	0.778	1.000	0.056	0.611	0.278	19.667	31.333
Washington	17	1.412	0.529	0.353	0.412	0.118	0.118	0.059	10.882	14.294
Miami	16	1.313	0.688	0.375	0.188	0.063	0.125	0.125	10.563	15.438
Houston	17	1.471	0.647	0.353	0.471	0.000	0.294	0.118	11.529	16.353
Arizona	18	2.500	0.889	0.944	0.667	0.000	0.500	0.389	20.722	28.556
Baltimore	16	1.063	0.188	0.375	0.500	0.000	0.313	0.188	9.750	9.063
Tennessee	16	1.938	0.500	0.375	0.875	0.063	0.813	0.188	14.063	19.063
Dallas	16	2.000	0.500	0.563	0.938	0.000	0.625	0.188	15.250	15.000
Atlanta	16	1.813	0.750	0.563	0.375	0.125	0.188	0.125	16.688	14.313
Buffalo	16	0.938	0.313	0.313	0.250	0.000	0.188	0.063	8.313	12.438
N.Y. Giants	16	2.000	0.500	0.813	0.688	0.000	0.438	0.125	16.063	22.625
Chicago	16	1.125	0.250	0.438	0.438	0.000	0.188	0.125	8.750	17.500
Detroit	16	1.313	0.438	0.313	0.563	0.000	0.438	0.188	10.625	11.750
Tampa Bay	16	1.688	0.750	0.375	0.438	0.125	0.250	0.188	14.500	19.250
Oakland	16	1.750	0.563	0.438	0.625	0.125	0.500	0.063	14.813	21.750
Jacksonville	16	1.375	0.313	0.250	0.688	0.125	0.438	0.250	10.688	16.188
Philadelphia	16	1.875	0.750	0.750	0.375	0.000	0.313	0.313	18.500	22.813
Minnesota	17	1.412	0.353	0.529	0.529	0.000	0.471	0.118	12.353	15.353
St. Louis	16	1.063	0.250	0.375	0.438	0.000	0.188	0.063	7.563	16.625
Cincinnati	17	2.059	0.941	0.529	0.529	0.000	0.353	0.176	19.235	24.235
Indianapolis	16	2.000	0.813	0.563	0.625	0.000	0.438	0.125	16.313	19.563
Cleveland	16	1.813	0.563	0.750	0.438	0.063	0.375	0.063	16.688	15.688
San Diego	16	1.500	0.563	0.375	0.500	0.063	0.375	0.313	15.063	15.375
Denver	19	1.526	0.579	0.421	0.526	0.000	0.263	0.000	11.895	13.105
San Francisco	16	1.188	0.375	0.500	0.313	0.000	0.188	0.125	10.188	11.125
N.Y. Jets	16	1.063	0.438	0.375	0.250	0.000	0.125	0.000	8.875	11.938
Kansas City	18	1.556	0.889	0.167	0.389	0.111	0.222	0.111	15.389	15.333
Carolina	19	1.053	0.368	0.263	0.421	0.000	0.316	0.053	9.316	9.579
Seattle	18	0.611	0.167	0.167	0.278	0.000	0.167	0.056	5.722	8.056
New Orleans	16	2.188	0.688	0.813	0.688	0.000	0.313	0.125	17.938	17.875