If you think NFL referees have been throwing a lot of flags through the first four weeks of the season, that’s because they have.
According to an ESPN report, the NFL has accepted 963 penalties through the first four weeks of the season. That number is higher than any total through the first month of the season since data tracking began in 1978.
This weekend’s 271 accepted penalties became the second-highest number in that category in 48 years.
“Twelve different teams had at least 10 accepted penalties in their Week 4 games, with the Chargers and Seahawks combining for 30 of them in Seattle’s 30-23 win,” Pro Football Talk reports.
The offenses have been particularly penalized, as Warren Sharp reports:
Offenses are getting flagged at the highest per-snap rate of any Week 1 through 4 stretch since 2000: 6.18 per 100 snaps. We’ve seen the #1 most penalties called on third or fourth down in the second half of games that I have on record since at least 2000.
And it’s the most EPA (expected points added) removed from offenses on these plays that I have on record. It’s the most offensive penalties in the red zone that I have on record.
Refs are taking good plays and just removing them.
All of the year-over-year increase in penalties is on offense.
Defensive flags are actually down slightly, and defensive pass interference is below average.
It’s clear the NFL gave its officials stern marching orders to scrutinize offenses more heavily. What is also clear is that the officials took this way too far and have turned the games into a completely unwatchable charade.
Penalties need to be enforced, but the league needs to get this problem under control.