Penalties/flags in 2020

[Mojo Ram]

Fox NFL just did a segment on penalties called this season and examined why they were down across the board. Reasons why from former head of officiating Mike Perrera were things like no pre season and a couple other vague reasons.

I've been waiting a few weeks for the data to roll in to comment, but i'm here to say that IMO the #1 reason penalties are down is because there are no fans in the stadium influencing these officials.

So many of these plays involving big hits and other contact are ALWAYS simultaneously resulting in 70,000 people vocally calling attention to these plays.

These stadiums in 2020 are quiet. The plays unfold and the only vocal influence now are the players and staff on the sidelines. If ya'll believe that officials aren't being influenced by full stadium crowds you're going to have to change my mind.

I think we're watching a season being officiated as it should be (in a perfect world) in 2020.

 

[Faceplant]

Fox NFL just did a segment on penalties called this season and examined why they were down across the board. Reasons why from former head of officiating Mike Perrera were things like no pre season and a couple other vague reasons.

I've been waiting a few weeks for the data to roll in to comment, but i'm here to say that IMO the #1 reason penalties are down is because there are no fans in the stadium influencing these officials.

So many of these plays involving big hits and other contact are ALWAYS simultaneously resulting in 70,000 people vocally calling attention to these plays.

These stadiums in 2020 are quiet. The plays unfold and the only vocal influence now are the players and staff on the sidelines. If ya'll believe that officials aren't being influenced by full stadium crowds you're going to have to change my mind.

I think we're watching a season being officiated as it should be (in a perfect world) in 2020.

Wow. Great point Mojo. I think you nailed it. It's also kind of why I miss the fans as well.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Opinion: Officially, it's clear the NFL 'fix' is working with fewer flags and more points

What happened to the flags?

Through five weeks of this most unusual, pandemic-wrapped season, the points (3,958) and touchdowns (453) in the NFL have piled up like never before. During the same stretch the rate of penalties across the league has nosedived to their lowest levels in at least five years, according to the league.

Of course, there’s a correlation.
Football purists, hold your breath. These high-scoring, AFL-centric shootouts are exactly what the NFL still wants more of for its product.


Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president for football operations, didn’t mince words this week when he mentioned a reduction in penalties, along with an increase in total plays and pass attempts as the three components to drive “fandom” (his word, not mine) for the league.

“Add those together and they equal points,” he said. “And that really generates an exciting game.”

Penalties are down to 1,040 (13.51 per game) from the tally of 1,466 (18.79) at this point in 2019.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...g-flag-less-year-teams-score-more/3658897001/

 

[Mojo Ram]

Maybe it's an agenda, maybe not. I still say it's largely due to no fans in the stands influencing the psyche of the referees to throw that flag because "Gasp! that big hit has to be illegal...."

 

[bubbaramfan]

Rams coulda benfited from one fewer bogus flag.

 

[bomebadeeda]

Or actually call a few holding calls on offensive linemen trying to block Donald.......

 

[CGI_Ram]

Penalties are down to 1,040 (13.51 per game) from the tally of 1,466 (18.79) at this point in 2019.

^ That is crazy!

Yeah, fans influence snap/timing too. I wonder what the data looks like sorted by penalty type?

 

[Neil039]

Seattle fans have filed a complaint because their “12th” man crap isn’t working this year....J/K. But they are BOZOS

 

[RamDino]

Mojo... great post.

 

[Merlin]

You may be on to something here. Kromer mentioned in that stream that was linked some weeks back that the refs were calling things different this year just with the OL. That they for whatever reason had called things really tight last season, forget what words he used paraphrasing here.

So I do think the NFL put out their annual instruction or whatever to the refs (I ASSume this is done lol) to include certain things. But still I do think you're correct about the fans influencing some things. Like PI for example. I really fuckin hate when the flag for PI comes in way late after the wideout and fans bitch and moan.

 

[FrantikRam]

I don't think the flags automatically correlate to more points - as the article says, it's the least in "at least the last five years" - at some point in the past, penalties were called at the same rate they are being called now. That doesn't guarantee points. A lack of holding calls specifically would probably help most - I imagine that teams punt on most drives that they receive a holding call, but again, by itself I'm not sure I buy it.

I think the NFL realized that the single biggest gripe that every fanbase has is that there are too many penalties called. I think this move was made to make fans happy because they knew revenue would already be down, makes sense to do what they can to make fans happy.