NFL Penalties Need Fixing

Football is a game that has hundreds of plays that determine the outcome. No single play determines a game. One play can certainly influence a game more than another play, but any one play by itself does not decide which team wins and which team loses. I will never blame a loss on the refs for blowing one call, no matter when it is made in the game, it just doesn't work that way. I will certainly be pissed off about a call, but I won't blame a loss entirely on the referees. 

While the game is played between two teams, every game is heavily influenced by the refereeing, no matter what. The end goal being that the officiating isn't noticed or thought about when the game is over. Essentially every play of every game has something that can be called a penalty, it is up to the referee's discretion to know what to call and when to call it. For the flow of the game, it is so important that the refs strike that balance on calling only what needs to be called. The NFL's rules and guidlines have setup its refs to fail.

There is so much going on with each play and so many penalties and nuances for those penalties that can be called with each play that the refs are bound to miss some, no matter how obvious it is. The league just hopes those missed or blown calls do not happen at a critical juncture in a game. Well the league can hope in one hand and play like the Dolphins in the other hand and see which one fills up first because once again penalties came into play at a critical juncture last week. 

At the end of the Lions-Seahawks game last Monday Calvin Johnson fumbled the ball while attempting to reach for the end zone to score a go-ahead touchdown. A Seahawks player, instead of recovering the fumble, intentionally batted the ball out of the end zone because if the ball goes out of the end zone the Seahawks would receive it at the 20-yard line - and that's exactly what happened. The Seahawks took over and ran out the clock to win the game.

My issue with this play is only partially to do with the officials. They have to make that call, they absolutely HAVE to make that call. However it was a fluke play that almost never happens, so it escaped them, or they were so scared to make a call for a rule that may not exist they were afraid to do so. A lot of people in the country feel the Lions got jobbed and that the refs blew the game - that might be true - but how many of these so called "experts" around the country realized immediately that the play was not a legal play? My guess is not many. This is the league setting the officials up to fail.

That play also highlighted a huge pet peeve of mine: rules that don't make any Rodgersdamn sense. 

Why the hell does the defense get the ball if the offense fumbles it out of the end zone? They never recovered it, the offense was the last to possess the ball. If the ball were to go out of bounds anywhere else on the field, the offense would retain possession. So why at the very most important area of the field do they just change up the rules for no reason?

That rule is not an anomaly either, there are plenty of rules that do not seem to make sense. Why can the ball-carrier hit defenders in the face with an open hand as hard as they want, but if any other player on the field simply touches someone else's facemask, it's a penalty? For player safety, you cannot jump on top of your teammate's back in an attempt to block a kick or you will be penalized, but each time there is a loose ball eight guys will all jump on top of each other in a pile to try and recover the ball even though six of them have absolutely nothing to do with the recovery and are only prolonging a chance for the ball to change hands for whoever magically wrestles the ball away at the bottom of the pile.

Then there are things like offensive holding being a ten-yard penalty, meanwhile defensive holding is a five-yard penalty (no matter where it happens on the field) and an automatic first down. That makes no sense. Defensive holding is on the rise as well. Maybe my mind is playing tricks on me, but I see defensive holding on almost every single play now because Seattle proved they can get away with it enough to justify the risk. Guys in coverage are tugging on jerseys all the time and the ones that are called are seemingly the more ticky-tac tugs, not the obvious ones. If these plays are called on third down, like was the case with an illegal contact penalty on the Packers' first offensive series last week, the offense is completely bailed out.  In this case the play was 3rd and 11 and Cobb was nudged 10 yards down the field. Was it a penalty by the letter of the law? Yes. Should it have been called? No. Should it have been a first down? Absolutely not. But it was and instead of punting or having a 3rd and 6 play, the Packers got a new set of downs and scored one of their two touchdowns on the day. This is the type of game the NFL wants because they have chosen to do nothing about it.

This rant isn't even going to go into all the penalties that are called for what Aaron Nagler would say is, "just playing football."

Officials do not need to call EVERY penalty, in fact it would be better if they didn't, they also don't need to try and control the game. What the NFL needs more than anything is consistency in its rules and in its play-calling. Just like a strike zone in baseball, even if it's not accurate, as long as the umpire is calling it consistently, the teams can adjust. Football is no different.

This season is already off to a record pace for accepted penalties and longer games with more downtime is the exact opposite of what the NFL needs. The NCAA is already expirimenting with adding an 8th referee to allow for more eyes on the field, the NFL meanwhile has just considered doing it sparingly in the preseason over the last couple of years. More eyes making more consistent calls, not more calls in general, can only help. College has also changed defensive holding from a five-yard penalty to a ten-yard penalty. It is nice to see them being proactive instead of waiting until they have to change.

Putting more refs on the field isn't going to solve this issue though, it needs to be a fundamental change coming from the top. When something like what happened Monday night happens, because of the way the league has setup their rules, the Lions couldn't even challenge the play because it was under two minutes to go in the game. The refs HAVE to make that call. That's a problem.

The league needs to change the rules to allow the referees to succeed. When the refs succeed, the game succeeds. While they are at it, if they could go and look-over what the penalty is for each infraction, that would be great too.

0 points
 

Comments (55)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
porupack's picture

October 08, 2015 at 06:26 am

Good bunch of questions, mike. I suppose like laws of the land, some rules were for a past age and set of problems that no longer exist when the game evolves. Maybe that endzone fumble rule is to disincentivize intentional fumbles at the goal. So one has to consider the unintended outcome if you tamper or remove that rule. But, on the surface, I agree.
I wonder about the fine line between offsides and unabated to the quarterback. The one allowed to play out, while the other is whistled dead. Do you think this offsides penalty gives disproportionate opportunity to the offense which....ahem, Rodgers so perfectly mastered? Might this rule come under scrutiny as a disproportionate scoring opportunity (maybe more so than slinging a ball and hoping to draw a defensive PI)? Even that tactic can't draw a desperate time score. Yet the offsides can get TD.

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 07:55 am

Why would a player intentionally fumble at the goal?

I'm thinking the difference in the rule maybe comes down to spotting? If a player fumbles at the 15 yard line and the ball rolls all the way out of the end zone, where should it be placed? At the spot of the fumble? But on sideline fumbles it gets places where it goes out of bounds, yea?

0 points
0
0
porupack's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:47 am

Why intentional fumble?
If player was stopped 4th and goal, shy of the goal with game on the line....you might fumble forward and hope teammate recovers in endzone. Rare, but could work. I'm not defending the rule, btw. Just supposing there once was valid reason.

0 points
0
0
zoellner25's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:55 am

you could also forward lateral to a teammate by making it look like a fumble.

0 points
0
0
SteveCheez's picture

October 08, 2015 at 10:43 am

Dave Casper

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:11 am

I suppose, yea...

0 points
0
0
D.D.Driver's picture

October 08, 2015 at 06:43 am

Geez. An eighth ref on the field just means one more flag to throw. I'd only want another ref if that ref was not allowed to throw flags but to overrule called penalties.

0 points
0
0
RCPackerFan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 06:55 am

'A lot of people in the country feel the Lions got jobbed and that the refs blew the game - that might be true - but how many of these so called "experts" around the country realized immediately that the play was not a legal play? My guess is not many. This is the league setting the officials up to fail.'
This is true. I didn't know that was the rule, I thought it was a smart play by the defender. But its not my job or any other person's job who is watching the game to know all the rules. Its the Refs job to know the rules.

I do agree that there need to be changes made to the penalty system.
You were talking about the Penalty on the opening drive in which they held Cobb and gave him a first down. That to me shouldn't have been called, I have seen a lot worse not get called. Such as a play later in the game when the Safety came down and absolutely blew up Cobb while he was in route. There was no flag for that. They need to clean up that penalty.

One thing that I think needs to happen is to make any play review-able in the final 2 minutes of the game, and in OT. Like the Calvin Johnson play the other night, I see no reason why that play couldn't have been reviewed, and determined that he batted the ball out of bounds on purpose. You can't have the refs impact the game in a negative way, especially in the final 2 minutes. During most of the game teams have the ability to overcome a refs penalty. However in the final 2 minutes and OT a bad decision by the refs can really impact the game.

And I agree with you that it makes no sense, how the defense gets the ball if it goes out of bounds when the offense fumbles it and no one recovers it. Why shouldn't it go back to the team who last possessed the ball. Like you said if the QB fumbles the ball at the 50 yard line, no one recovers it and it goes out of bounds, it goes back to the offense at the 50. It makes no sense.

I do think they need to do a better job of putting the refs in better position to succeed. So perhaps they need to add a ref that isn't on the field that has the ability to use replay to help the refs on the field out.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:15 am

I watched the lolions/seachickens post game show, and Steve Young , Dilpher, and Ray Lewis didn't know the rule. Also I think refs are afraid to make a call that decides a game, especially in a hostile enviroment like Seattle. Look at the facts, "fail mary" and the "batted ball." And then to find out the refs discussed it and still didn't throw the flag? The ball going out of the end zone and the other team getting it, is the dumbest rule ever. Why not make pass int in the end an automatic TD? A defensive back might as well maul a receiver and maybe the offense will fumble on the next play, and they will get the ball back.

0 points
0
0
Packer_Pete's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:51 am

Absolutely. I also saw quite a few 'experts' on twitter after that play praising the LB for a 'heads-up' play and batting it out of bounds so that no Lion could recover....
I also agree that refs are a little scared in hostile environments to call certain fouls. But besides the people in the stands, it also has a lot to do with coaches and certain players, IMHO. That waffling from Carroll after the game about it, and I'm sure he was constantly in the ears of the refs in any way about something, and the BS from Sherman, Chancellor, and Wilson about 'didn't really see the play' , I think some teams / coaches / players get the benefit of the doubt. Not blaming Seattle solely here, I also think #12 gets more slack than other QBs in certain situations. In the interest of a fair game, this has to stop.
But sure, all I want to say to the Seahawks players, at least be honest about it. KJ Wright was. Does anyone really believe Wilson didn't watch when the game was on the line and the Lions in the red zone, and even if he didn't see it live, watch it on jumbotron afterwards?

0 points
0
0
croatpackfan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 07:04 am

I heard opinion that rules book is to thick. And I tend to agree... If you have so many rules there will be situation where referees will find themselves lost in them. Make rules simple and clear. Avoid exceptions of the rules... That also helps.
I agree with you, Mike that if teams fumbles and defense clearly does not recover the ball before it goes out of bounds it is till offensive ball (of course if it is not on the 4th down, when possessions changes, by the rule)... Also, I'm with you that penalties should be equalized for O and D by penalty (O holding D holding) and by act (e. g. face mask!)...
But, I do disagree with you about influence of the wrong or missing flags on the outcome of the game... As I'm in Europe, we have a heavy dose of soccer here... FIFA & UEFA firmly rejects to implement technology to the soccer's games. That allows them to make influence on the outcome of the games, clearly favoring wealthier teams or teams with larger fan base. Their argument is that referees mistakes are the part of the game...
As I'm not for throwing under the bus referee who make the mistake (I was basketball referee once in my life), because that mistake can be really mistake of the moment or the result of the bad day. I do not want to believe that there is any intention in referees actions on the field, to favoring anybody.
Still you have to try to avoid all game changing mistakes. Replay system can help that. Any unclear situation inside 20 yards or 2 minutes should be reviewed and referees should be able to change their call after getting advice from replay referees...
To cut this comment, I want to point out another danger in allowing to much freedom to referees - If you let the referees on the field to many freedom in deciding what they will call and what not, you are in dangerous to directly interfere with outcome of the game. You mentioned Seattle. Lets say, first game referees decided to let more freedom and to allow them illegal contact massively - Seattle win. Second game referees decide to flag every , the most tiny illegal contact - Seattle lose... This is dangerous area...
But, I will repeat: make rules simple and less in number!

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:00 am

Man, a basketball ref. Granted, I'm no big basketball fan, but I watch games here and there and have literally no idea what is and isn't a foul.

0 points
0
0
Since'61's picture

October 08, 2015 at 07:06 am

Mike - good article as usual. And I agree that the NFL rules are inconsistent at best. However, my understanding of the rules has been that it is illegal to deliberately swat the ball or bat the ball out of bounds. That call must be made as you say because the defensive player, by his actions, prevents an offensive player from making a recovery while the ball is still in the endzone. I remember thinking that the stupid Seattle player just gave the ball back to the Lions. Wright(I think) should have just fallen on the ball like we were all coached back in pee wee football. In fact we were always coached never to swat the ball out of bounds on either offense or defense at every level of football that I ever played. In any case none of this is an excuse for the officials not knowing or not understanding the rules. The back judge was right there on the end line with a clear view of the play. No excuse. The call should have been made. It's bad enough when officials make a bad call but not knowing the rules is unacceptable. Once again, a bad ruling by the officials in Seattle in the same end zone as the "Fail Mary". Maybe that end zone is the Bermuda triangle of the NFL. Go Pack! Thanks, Since '61

0 points
0
0
Chad Toporski's picture

October 08, 2015 at 07:29 am

"What the NFL needs more than anything is consistency in its rules and in its play-calling. Just like a strike zone in baseball, even if it's not accurate, as long as the umpire is calling it consistently, the teams can adjust. Football is no different."

BINGO!

The lack of consistency is what drove me crazy in the Packers-49ers game. I felt like there were a ton of missed calls and also erroneous flags on both teams, which only makes games frustrating to watch. Even if there's not consistency across the referee teams, at least be consistent within the team.

BTW... on a colloquial level, I love the title. Though in Pittsburgh we would say, "NFL Penalties Need Fixed."

0 points
0
0
Ibleedgreenmore's picture

October 08, 2015 at 07:37 am

Maybe its because I have been watching the Packers for 60 yrs but I knew that that was an illegal by the Seahawks player and said well nope not legal. It would seem the Hawks get several plays going their way.

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 07:57 am

Why not just an 8th ref either up in a booth somewhere or in NYC who can watch for egregious mistakes (like the Johnson play) and then buzz in with a special review.

Or is that what the replay official should be doing anyway?

0 points
0
0
Packer_Pete's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:00 am

that's what the replay official is for... and this was the Monday night game, no other games in parallel, end of the game situation. don't understand how this was not called. but then again, it was not a 'reviewable play'...

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 07:58 am

And as you brought up, I've never understood how a player running with the ball is allowed to stiff arm to the face.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:18 am

WTF constitutes illegal hands to the face?

0 points
0
0
RCPackerFan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:30 am

I have been 'ok' with if its just a stiff arm, but what I don't get is when you see RB's actually punch defenders in the face. How is that not a penalty? I think I saw Rashad Jennings do that recently?

But yes with the influence of player safety recent years, I don't really get how they haven't changed that rule. In todays game if a player with the ball pushes the other guy back with his facemask, that should be a penalty. Also, how is it any different then an OL or DL pushing the facemask of the opposing player? They have enforced that penalty the last few years, so how is it different with a ball carrier?

0 points
0
0
marpag1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 02:09 pm

I remember Mike Pereira (or someone) talking about this some time back.

Technically speaking, there is absolutely no difference between the running back or the tackler. Both are bound by the same rule, although it doesn't often seem to be called that way.

It is NOT ILLEGAL for the RB or the tackler to TOUCH the facemask. What is penalized is grasping, pulling, or twisting by the facemask, or striking a blow to the head.

Because the defender is almost always trying to grab, grasp, hold or hit the ball carrier, refs almost always call a personal foul when the defender's hands go to the mask.

If, on the other hand, the RB is just trying to "wall off" the defender, or he is just trying to keep him at arms length and elude him, and he places his open hand on the facemask of the tackler, it is not a foul. If he grabs it or twists the mask, or if he strikes a blow to the head, then that SHOULD be a foul according to the rules, even if it is rarely called.

0 points
0
0
Thegreatreynoldo's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:12 pm

Nice explanation, Marpag1.

0 points
0
0
porupack's picture

October 09, 2015 at 12:22 am

Yep. Great distinction b/w the two.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:21 am

Isn't it fun to watch a game ,and after a big play you hear the announcer, "and there are no flags on the play." One of the best plays of last year was taken away from AR and the Packers on a bogus holding call in Chicago.

0 points
0
0
egbertsouse's picture

October 08, 2015 at 08:42 am

Consistency is the word. Different refs call things differently. Refs call things differently for different teams. Seattle always gets breaks, any team coached by Rex Ryan gets nit-pick calls. Different calls in different stadiums. Different calls in the regular season than in the playoffs. They all add up to frustrating viewing.

And then there was the time Detroit got jobbed in Dallas. On a supposedly "non-reviewable" pass interference call the refs stand around watching the Jumbotron (on which Jerry Jones is nice enough to run the play time after time) and decide to pick up the flag. That looked like a review of a non-reviewable call to me...

0 points
0
0
Packer_Pete's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:05 am

when i was still playing sports (I know eons ago), i really didn't care what the refs called, as long as it was consistent within the same game. if there was a strict ref one game, and a more lenient ref the next, didn't matter as long as it was the same for both teams. what drove me crazy, and i'm sure drives players today crazy in any sport is if the calls within the game are not consistent for both teams... a player can adjust to the style of the ref. it's really hard and infuriating if calls are against you but your opponent does the same thing and nothing is called...

as far as your comment about Detroit in Dallas, we shouldn't forget the Dallas at Packers game the week after... That was a Dez Bryant catch, and the explanation why it wasn't was quite comical...

0 points
0
0
croatpackfan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 12:35 pm

Pete, I'm not with you regarding Dez Bryant... It was not catch by rule and - NOW THIS IS IMPORTNAT - referees are strict and consistent when they are judging about catch. There was TDs and important "catches" made by Packers which was not called catch by the rule. That rule is the same for everyone....

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 03:14 pm

He DIDN'T make a football move. They should'nt been there anyway, the lolions got hosed a lot worse the week before.

0 points
0
0
Tundraboy's picture

October 08, 2015 at 11:14 am

Just do not understand how the final 2 minutes period is not reviewable. What was the original logic in that? Crazy. Also the limit on coaches and the loss of time out penalty system. How was that decided upon.

0 points
0
0
Doug_In_Sandpoint's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:33 am

The last two minutes are exactly when all plays SHOULD be reviewable. I guess it will change when somebody in Vegas makes a call or pays a visit to someone in New York.

0 points
0
0
Tundraboy's picture

October 08, 2015 at 11:10 am

Exactly

0 points
0
0
croatpackfan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 12:38 pm

They reviewed the play, but, by Blandino, if player bat the ball w/o intention it is not foul, so that was on the referee to decide, consequently as this is referee's decision that is not reviewable...

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 03:18 pm

He was looking right at him unobstructed, anyone in the world could see it was intentional. Total BS, cop out, chickshit, homer call.

0 points
0
0
Tundraboy's picture

October 08, 2015 at 04:06 pm

Watching Seattle and Carroll "win" a game like that after the Fail Mary game is enough to make me puke.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:33 am

The lolions got screwed against Dallas in the playoffs and Monday night ended their season. Then their coach says he won't let his players discuss it? They are setting themselves up for another bad call,IMO. But that game was in Dallas. The rules committee will get together and these types of plays will be changed, book it. Could this be the Calvin rule number 2? One more thing, if they let some guy in NY decide the play, it takes the heat off of the refs doing the game live. Less pressure on the ref. He could have keyed his mic and said, "NY has determined it to be an illegal batted ball ,10 yard penalty, automatic 1st down, Detroit retains possession."

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:35 am

Exactly. As long as they ultimately get the call right, people won't care that it took an extra few minutes or that the play wasn't technically reviewable.

0 points
0
0
RCPackerFan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 09:59 am

YES!

If they get the call right, I will be more then willing to sacrifice 2 more minutes of my time for it.

The real problem is there are only 16 NFL games a year. Each game is highly important for teams trying to make the playoffs. If a team loses one based on a refs decision, that can end their season, or at least have a major impact on what happens in the season. No one wants that.

In that Lions/Seahawks game, if they get the call right, Lions have first and goal at the 1. Lets assume they score a TD, and end up winning the game. (not guaranteed it would have happened that way) Well that puts both the Lions and Seahawks at 1-3. That makes a huge difference at the end of the year when they are fighting for playoff seeds.
Now the Lions are almost completely knocked out of the playoffs, and the Seahawks basically got a major gift in a win that they maybe wouldn't have won if it wasn't for that blown call.

0 points
0
0
jeremyjjbrown's picture

October 08, 2015 at 10:19 am

Part time refs + convoluted rulebook.

0 points
0
0
Idiot Fan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 11:13 am

I have complete disdain for the Illegal Contact penalty, even though it helped us this past week. The NFL created this penalty solely to get Peyton Manning a Super Bowl. The fact that it is an automatic first down is a joke. If I had third and long, I would tell all of my receivers to run out and then intentionally plow into a defender making it look like their route was impeded. First-down gold.

0 points
0
0
Idiot Fan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 11:19 am

Oh, and here are a couple other favorites:

- If a kick returner catches the ball with a foot out of bounds, it's a penalty against the kicker and the offense gets the ball on the 40.

- A five yard penalty on one team and multiple 15-yard penalties on the other team totally offset.

- Illegal formation. Why is any formation illegal?

0 points
0
0
marpag1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 12:36 pm

Nothing is worse that the fact that blatant roughing (otherwise known as "assault" in real life) = 15 yards. A ticky-tack judgment call, on the other hand, a mere bump of a wide receiver way down field = 51 yards.

I'm sorry.... a 51 yard penalty?? OK, sure.

0 points
0
0
porupack's picture

October 09, 2015 at 12:32 am

totally agree Marpag on the surface. But the converse problem is, how do you keep a defender from mugging a WR on a deep ball if defender fears he's vulnerable to the big-yard reception? Clearly you'll have more guys just giving up a 15 yard penalty.

0 points
0
0
marpag1's picture

October 09, 2015 at 03:04 am

Yeah, agreed on the catch-22 here. I suppose you could increase the amount of the penalty... in other words, in college it is 15 yards or the spot of the foul, whichever is less. If you wanted you could say 20 or 25 yards, but somehow I think it needs to be capped. Being penalized more than half a football field just because you MIGHT have bumped the guy a little seems outrageous.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 01:34 pm

What about the seaschicken/Packer game 2 weeks ago? 3 PF's were called, 2 against seahags, one against GB. (after the Elliot fumble)The ref said offsetting, WTF? If that''s the case, why not have your guys punch 9 more guys and get away with it. I'm not sure what the rule is, but I think they blew that one too.

0 points
0
0
Pack88's picture

October 08, 2015 at 11:36 am

Lot of comments about the example of the 3rd and 11 where GB gets the call because Cobb was bumped off his route. Just remember in the 14 opener when GB had a chance to claw their way back into that game and they get a stop and Brad Jones was penalized 5 yards for illegal contact 1st down seasuck and game over!

I was ok with that penalty because it is the rule- I hate teams like the seasucks and the Patriots mugging receivers based on the 1 in 5 is good rule( they only call i in 5) . What I hate is the maddening inconsistency which was pointed when Cobb was clobbered 10 yards down the field and no call!

I agree more needs to be reviewable and much more consistency is needed but I like the 5 yard rule!

0 points
0
0
RCPackerFan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 12:48 pm

I think the worst part is how inconsistent they are in those calls. That penalty on Cobb early in the game that drew a flag was nothing compared to the shot he took later in the game that didn't get a flag.

I am fine with penalty's if they call them consistantly and fairly. It drives me crazy when they call something against one team but don't against the other.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 01:38 pm

seahags are notorious around the league for mugging receivers. Apparently its a west cost thing, cause SF got away with a lot of shit too. but WERE 4-0 BABY!

0 points
0
0
Evan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 01:55 pm

James Jones knows a thing or two about that.

0 points
0
0
RCPackerFan's picture

October 08, 2015 at 02:11 pm

Yeah, both teams seem to get away with that really badly.

I just want to see more consistency in calls, and I will be happier.

0 points
0
0
cheddarhead's picture

October 08, 2015 at 01:50 pm

And if a team does not have the yards to give up they should lose a down. Half the distance to the goal on the the 1 yard line makes no sense. It's like getting a free play.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 03:23 pm

Lets say there's 2 seconds left and a DB gets a PI. He stops a TD then the team with the ball fails to score on the next play with 0:00 left on the clock. The penalty just won the game.

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 05:33 pm

oops

0 points
0
0
4thand1's picture

October 08, 2015 at 03:26 pm

If they want more scoring, let the receiver just get one foot in bounds. Hell a DB can push a receiver out 3 yards from the sidelines. They do it college.

0 points
0
0
PaulRosik's picture

October 08, 2015 at 10:38 pm

Rodgersdamn? Is that patented?

Good rant. Too many penalties really make the game feel bogged down and less exciting to watch. But in terms of defensive holding it is the players that need to adjust. It is the current "point of emphasis" and the players need to know its being watched more closely and adjust how they play.

0 points
0
0
4thand10's picture

October 09, 2015 at 03:48 pm

First of all....just bring back instant replay. It worked just fine in the 80s, they took a not broken system and messed with it. Secondly, something changed after the college ref debacle and it has not been right since...whether it's ref training or whatever. Messing with pay or whatever Goodell did to screw that up too.

0 points
0
0