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 (314), Defensive Holding (175), Roughing the Passer (127), Illegal Contact (59), Face Mask (15 Yards) (53), Illegal Use of Hands (31), Lowering the Head to Initiate Contact (31), Horse Collar Tackle (21), Unsportsmanlike Conduct (9), Taunting (5), and Tripping (1)

Scroll left and right for additional columns.

Team	Defensive Plays	Total	Yardage Mitigated	Penalty Yards
Houston	1068	0.020	0.119	0.200
Atlanta	1032	0.026	0.190	0.265
Seattle	1182	0.014	0.133	0.129
N.Y. Jets	1079	0.036	0.306	0.444
Buffalo	1238	0.019	0.140	0.222
New England	981	0.018	0.161	0.209
Baltimore	1119	0.033	0.271	0.438
Chicago	1095	0.029	0.251	0.327
Jacksonville	1067	0.036	0.290	0.521
Indianapolis	1050	0.024	0.187	0.321
New Orleans	1110	0.040	0.310	0.495
Tampa Bay	1287	0.022	0.187	0.256
San Francisco	996	0.027	0.265	0.267
Arizona	1054	0.032	0.272	0.343
Carolina	1024	0.029	0.211	0.241
Las Vegas	1104	0.031	0.262	0.322
LA Rams	1118	0.013	0.101	0.208
Pittsburgh	1060	0.017	0.102	0.187
Denver	1111	0.014	0.108	0.181
Dallas	1054	0.029	0.263	0.328
Miami	998	0.024	0.214	0.253
Philadelphia	1058	0.020	0.178	0.265
Cincinnati	1021	0.017	0.145	0.189
Detroit	1068	0.026	0.217	0.314
Minnesota	1036	0.016	0.151	0.164
Kansas City	1214	0.035	0.275	0.376
Washington	1074	0.019	0.155	0.233
Tennessee	1137	0.020	0.165	0.242
Green Bay	1085	0.024	0.203	0.226
N.Y. Giants	1046	0.017	0.168	0.167
Cleveland	1181	0.014	0.125	0.189
LA Chargers	996	0.018	0.136	0.195