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.

"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	Defensive Plays	Total	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Miami	968	0.024	0.199	0.271
Minnesota	1059	0.015	0.129	0.157
Cleveland	1072	0.022	0.208	0.253
Dallas	1095	0.023	0.182	0.202
Carolina	976	0.017	0.126	0.169
Cincinnati	1036	0.014	0.147	0.170
Arizona	1169	0.019	0.151	0.243
Tennessee	1037	0.018	0.161	0.268
San Francisco	1050	0.017	0.134	0.136
San Diego	1053	0.017	0.149	0.161
Baltimore	1125	0.032	0.272	0.432
Pittsburgh	967	0.016	0.143	0.216
Washington	1000	0.014	0.127	0.170
Atlanta	997	0.017	0.121	0.188
N.Y. Giants	953	0.020	0.153	0.243
Oakland	1021	0.026	0.217	0.245
Indianapolis	1257	0.010	0.069	0.099
Chicago	1032	0.012	0.086	0.164
Denver	1007	0.018	0.154	0.225
St. Louis	1016	0.022	0.188	0.243
Green Bay	1005	0.038	0.313	0.412
Philadelphia	1109	0.023	0.210	0.292
Houston	973	0.027	0.215	0.294
Kansas City	1063	0.015	0.150	0.158
Seattle	1024	0.018	0.126	0.270
Detroit	1028	0.021	0.142	0.236
New England	1003	0.015	0.139	0.259
Tampa Bay	1040	0.017	0.139	0.141
New Orleans	1242	0.019	0.155	0.225
Buffalo	1085	0.015	0.135	0.179
N.Y. Jets	1139	0.022	0.169	0.197
Jacksonville	983	0.011	0.106	0.102