First day of Cavs and Halloween costumes: While We’re Waiting…
October 28, 2015WFNY CFP computer ranking: Week 8
October 28, 2015I know you’re all feeling the same way about the amount of flags the Browns seem to be drawing this year. In fact, it seems that everyone’s complaining about the number of penalties being called in the NFL in general this season. With those two things happening, I wanted to see if it was just my perception that the Browns were being penalized like crazy, or if it was just a part of the league-wide trend. The results indicate that while there might be a league-wide trend, it’s also especially bad for the guys in Berea.
According to the aptly named website NFLPenalties.com the Cleveland Browns are fourth-worst in the NFL with regard to the number of penalties per game. Their 8.57 penalties per game is better than only the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, and Oakland Raiders. Is it a coincidence that Mike Pettine’s mentor Rex Ryan’s Bills are in the conversation? If you’re looking for a silver lining, the Browns are only seventh-worst when it comes to counting up actual yardage of 70.29 penalty yards per game.
The road has also been especially harsh on the Browns as they’ve averaged 11 penalties per game on the road and only 5.33 penalties per game at home. The offense alone had seven penalties in the Week 1 loss on the road to the Jets and a putrid eight against the Rams in the dome. Out of the 60 penalties by the Browns, 30 have been offensive, 15 defensive and another 15 on special teams—some of them bigger than others. As I pointed out the Browns aren’t doing well among their peers, but what about the overall league?
It’s an ugly picture for the NFL overall. There have been ups and downs since 2010, but so far, the trend for 2015 is not good. After seven weeks it has exploded to 236.41 penalties per week when you add up the averages for all the teams. Back in 2010 it was at its lowest at 193.29.
It’s an ugly trend that shouldn’t surprise anyone who has watched NFL football this year. It felt like what the numbers bear out.
Since 2013, the penalties rose 8.5 percent in 2014 and so far are up another 12 percent on top of that increase here in 2015. Player safety is of utmost importance to the game whether we’re talking about practice time or extra penalties for illegal tackling and contact, but the NFL also has to be wary of the watchability of their sport. I don’t know what they can do, but something they’ve done over the last two years has caused a spike. It’s a trend, one that the NFL should look into reversing as soon as possible. Nobody watches football for the flags, but that’s a whole lot more of what’s dominating the game.
40 Comments
It renders the game almost unwatchable. Not because of all of the interruptions in play (the NFL is slow as it is) but because the refs are having a greater impact on the game than the players. I’m not watching the National Referee League.
not only that but the inconsistency of their application of the rules makes the Referees impact that much more pronounced. Why bother getting all worked up or being invested when, at the end of the day, its going to come down to the men in stripes.
The constant flag fear has worsened the fan experience, but it’s hard to know what the spike means without a breakdown of the types of penalties being increasingly called and an analysis of why. For head shots and chop blocks the reason could be increased safety concerns. I would love to know why it seems like a third of all kickoff and punt returns feature an illegal block in the back penalty when this just wasn’t happening 20-30 years ago – a change in rule interpretation which coaches and players are willing to risk in the hope of a huge return? The negotiated lessening of less contact in practice leading to poorer execution by young or fringe roster players?
When it comes to all the flags against this year’s Browns, though, we have no legit complaints. All the illegal formations by special teams, the incorrect number of men on the field, those are not subjective judgment calls but coaching and player competence. The repeated false starts by o-linemen last week was not caused by “deafening noise” in a half-empty stadium populated by a tepid fan base. It was guys repeatedly beaten so badly that they were jumping so as not to get beaten yet again.
If I had to change one rule in the NFL, it would be blocking on kickoffs/punts. I realize the safety concerns, but there’s nothing worse than an exciting return being negated because of an illegal block. At this point, I wonder why they don’t get rid of returns completely.
yep. those false starts were directly attributable to the Rams latest iteration of the Fearsome Foursome
I don’t understand why, after 100 years of the forward pass, the NFL suddenly forgot what a catch is. I’m not blaming instant replay, but it sure seems it’s inception coincided with the game becoming an exercise in legalese.
Listening to that ex-head ref on whichever network has convinced me there is little to no consistency in how the rules are applied.
Some of the incomplete pass calls under the new rules blow me away. The when and whether someone controlled the ball – I’d almost rather the league say to the refs: you’ve been playing catch since you were a small child. You know what a catch is – call it.
I thought it was because of the loud stadium which was half empty.
OMG Mike Carey hasn’t gotten a call right yet. Sadly, I thought he was one of the better officials when he was active. Shows how much I know
Its pretty bad though, when people who used to do that job for a living cant tell you ahead of time what the call will be. I wonder if the NFL will tell their broadcast partners to put a lid on that feature, just so it doesnt highlight the inconsistency in rule application/interpretation
Every time he talks, I know it’s going to be gobbledygook.
I think it is absolutely the reason. Things look more pronounced in “frame by frame” mode.
Now, every time there is a big play, you first have to make sure there are no flags, then you have to hold your breath to make sure there’s no replay. Kinda sucks the wind out of the game, from a fans perspective.
it’s like being at work and listening to a middle manager engage in their primary function, which is making sure their own ass is covered
Return flags rose upon the illegalization of the wedge.
Atlanta taught us you don’t need fans to have a loud stadium (cannot seem to remember them being suspended for such…)
Is there a conclusion to this article or is it just a count?
There are more penalties this year, but is that due to more accurate officiating, miss-calls or sloppy play?
The Browns seem to be playing sloppier, I haven’t seen a flag yet that in replay was not born out. What about the rest of the league?
Is the shrunken practice time under the new CBA driving it? Looking at the graph above it appears the upward trend started with the new player agreements…
I think the reduced practices is the most likely explanation.
Also, the Browns penalties all appear to be earned to me as well.
Colts too right?
Not to toot my own horn, but I predicted this was going to happen when they instituted instant replay to begin with.
Maybe, although I’m unclear as to the connection between no wedgies and more blocks in the back. You can say it’s desperation, but that can cost a fringe guy his roster spot. In any case, since ST coaches get graded out on things like returns, penalties and field position, it still begs for an explanation as to why these penalties, if no longer increasing, certainly haven’t decreased.
No wedges mean the blockers are separated. Many NFL teams have taken to cross-blocking to compensate (instead of taking the guy straight ahead of you, you X-block with someone running alongside of you). But, if you do it slightly wrong or the guy you are trying to block changes direction last second, then you end up knocking him in the back.
I believe they were caught in the Peyton-era, right?
http://media.giphy.com/media/5avZzXSxYSf7y/giphy.gif
*toot toot*
I’m pretty that he is actually Steve Harvey pretending to be an ex- referee. It’s the only conclusion that makes any sense.
Dead on right. Any play that is going for more than 10 yards I find myself looking to the top of the TV screen for that yellow flag indicator. That’s even before the play is over.
More flags= longer games = more commercials = more $$$$
I though by rule the fumble in 1 drive vs STL should not have been a fumble, but for the sake of NFL football, I am glad it was not called an incomplete pass
Long gone are the days we can celebrate as we cross into the endzone. We now must wait 20 seconds or so and then celebrate…which makes us look stupid
hi HOP … there were a few times there were very questionable penalties. t.williams being flagged for being offsides on san diego’s game winning FG try that missed was a big one , as replay confirmed williams was not offsides & it is a non-reviewable play.
Penalties and commercials are killing the product this year.
@wfnycraig are prior year’s penalties/week also through just 7weeks? If not, you’d have to think games with more penalties occur (disproportionately) towards the beginning of the year (getting their sea-legs, etc.). Regardless, let’s not get too carried away: we’re talking about <2 more penalties/game and if those ~2 penalties per game are to curb head shots and chop blocks, then I think that's probably worth it.
Interesting question. The answer is no, those previous year numbers are complete years, so you’re correct it’s not an “apples to apples” comparison yet.
Indeed.
A lot of this has to do with the 2011 CBA, where they cut down on the amount of off-season practices a team could have. Things like blocking in the back, holding, false starts and illegal substitutions/12 men on the field penalties are generally cut down on by simple repetition, reps that players no longer get in the off-season.
You see in that graph as spike in 2011, then a bit down, then a steady trend upwards. That’s pretty much in line with how quickly the league churns out players. The percentage of players who would have been properly trained on how to avoid such penalties back in 2010 dwindles with every passing year. Some of it certainly has to do with rule changes – pass interference and defensive holding rules are big contributors – but there’s always been rules changing or having points of emphasis changed in the offseason. Now, teams have less time to adjust to those changes.
many of today’s special teamers only get to play 5 or 6 times per game. Maybe they feel that, since this is their only time to show, they have to try and do a little extra while they’re out there. Just a thought.
FTW!!!
why can’t he – and every analyst out there who isn’t Collinsworth or Aikman – just speak normally? Like, just tell me what you really see, in plain english. And if there seems like something is questionable, talk about it instead of just talking to hear yourself talk.
Kirk Herbstreit is about the worst at this.
more penalties doesn’t always mean more commercials, just more small stoppages of play. And by that logic, more injuries certainly means more commercials, so the NFL would want that, too.
I enjoy watching football, but I can’t sit through a game anymore without recording it, starting it late, and fast forwarding the commercials.
if theres ever a big play, Im up yelling “Come on baby! No flags! No Flags!”
you know who is a phenomenal color guy? Spielman