Penalties aren't a plague affecting only the Bengals

[BengalszoneBilly]

Many people here seem to think the Bengals are the "Lone Rangers" when it comes to being penalized this season. After reading this it seems there's a full blown outbreak of "yellow laundry" falling all around the NFL in 2005.

Why? I'm really not certain, but I do know we'll have some serious competition in leading the league in this stat! From Yahoo:

Yellow a hot color as penalties go on rise.

By Daniel Brown, Mercury News - October 12, 2005

Sunday was flag day in the NFL. Teams combined to commit 246 infractions that yielded just over a mile's worth of penalty yards. And to think...the Raiders didn't even play.

The biggest culprits this time around were the Baltimore Ravens, who had 21 penalties -- one short of the NFL record -- and two ejections.

The Miami Dolphins did their part, too, setting a franchise record with 18 penalties for 108 yards.

Whistle while you work? The referees are taking the advice to heart. Yellow flags are falling at a record rate, with more penalties through Week 5 than in any previous year.

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said the league is unalarmed by the figures, reasoning that teams tend to adjust to the enforcement as the season wears on.

"These things have a way of evening themselves out,'' Aiello said.

According to statistics compiled by NFL director of officiating Mike Pereira, this season is yielding 16 penalties per game, up 1.5 from last season.

Much of the surge in penalties comes not from new rules but from tougher enforcement of old ones, Aiello said. Three areas of emphasis -- illegal blocks in the back, offensive pass interference and offensive holding -- are being watched more closely.

The so-called new areas of emphasis come up annually, and are reviewed during meetings with players and coaches before the season. Last season, for example, the focus was on defensive contact with a receiver within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage.

After much consternation early in 2004, cornerbacks eventually got a feel for what they could and could not get away with. "That's been the history,'' Aiello said. "Teams adjust to what's being called.''

Until the correction, however, fans get treated to games like the Ravens-Detroit Lions debacle. Baltimore was one call away from tying the NFL record for penalties shared by three teams, most recently the 1998 49ers.

"It always begins with two things for me: passion and accountability,'' Baltimore Coach Brian Billick said at his Monday news conference. ``The passion was clearly there, but the accountability was not. That's a dangerous combination, on or off the football field. Our players, coaches and I left ourselves vulnerable by succumbing to the emotions of the situation.''

Among the more memorable items on the Ravens' rap sheet was an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on defensive tackle Maake Kemoeatu, who made an obscene gesture to the crowd, according to referee Mike Carey. The flag wiped out a crucial stand on third-and-goal at the 1. The Lions, with a fresh set of downs, scored three plays later on Artose Pinner's 1-yard run.

All told, the Ravens racked up 147 penalty yards, thanks in part to eight personal fouls. "It was outrageous -- and it cost them,'' Detroit defensive back Dre Bly said after the game, a 35-17 Lions victory. "They were calling the penalties that were there,'' echoed running back Kevin Jones.

But the Ravens fumed at the treatment, especially after defensive end/linebacker Terrell Suggs and safety B.J. Ward drew third-quarter ejections. Suggs got the boot for allegedly making contact with Carey while arguing a roughing-the-passer penalty. ("He bumped me with malice in his heart and he was gone,'' Carey said.)

The Ravens, though, were hardly alone. Ten of the 28 teams that played in Week 5 racked up penalties in double digits. In the Monday night game, the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego Chargers each amassed at least 100 penalty yards, giving new meaning to those Terrible Towels.

The Dolphins apparently came out of their bye week with some pent-up angst, committing 18 penalties for 108 yards. That included a third-down holding call on linebacker Donnie Spragan that kept a Buffalo drive alive. The Bills said thanks by scoring a touchdown and taking a 17-0 lead. "We need to improve our ability to play with discipline, especially on the road,'' Coach Nick Saban said.

The adjustment to the new rules is apparently taking longer every year. Strictly based on Week 5 totals, there were 12.3 penalties per game in 2002, 14.1 in 2003, 15.1 in 2004 and 17.5 this weekend. "We're monitoring it,'' Aiello said, "but it's too early to draw conclusions.''

[Columbusbengal]

I'm glad someone else noticed this. I was listening to Marvin and he appeared a lot less upset about the number of penalties than the fans did. He did point out that penalties on illegal formations and delay of game must end, as well as what he called "selfish" penalties (extra curricular fouls). On the other hand, he seemed a lot less upset about the other penalties. I think he's aware that the team is at the mercy of the officials because they can find something to call every play if they want to do that. As an example, the penalty on the punt last week might not have been called a year or two ago because Myles running back on the field after stepping out of bounds had zero impact on the result.

[DC_Bengals_Fan]

I'm glad someone else noticed this. I was listening to Marvin and he appeared a lot less upset about the number of penalties than the fans did. He did point out that penalties on illegal formations and delay of game must end, as well as what he called "selfish" penalties (extra curricular fouls). On the other hand, he seemed a lot less upset about the other penalties. I think he's aware that the team is at the mercy of the officials because they can find something to call every play if they want to do that. As an example, the penalty on the punt last week might not have been called a year or two ago because Myles running back on the field after stepping out of bounds had zero impact on the result.

Exactly. There's dumb penalties and there's penalties you accept. The occasional holding? It'll happen. False start by the O-line? Happens. PI? Happens. As long as the players don't make it a habit and are getting their jobs done...gotta accept it.

<p>What's driving me nuts is illegal procedure (6 men on the line, covering an eligible receiver, etc), and false starts by non-lineman. As God is my witness, the next receiver/back who false starts, or can't figure out how to line up properly when in the slot, needs to get benched for a quarter. Also, holding/block in the back away from the ball. Stupid. Delay of game? Watch the clock, Carson.

<p>As for the Myles penalty...that was beyond retarded. The ball had actually stopped. Why, oh why, did he feel he had to touch it? Learn the rules, Myles, you do this for a living. Don't hope the refs bail you out by looking the other way.

[bengalboomer7]

Been on this one before. Referees,officials, Umpires, all of them are waaaay too involved in the game(see Sox/Angels game last night) When I can name you Umpires that means I see them too much. How about letting the players decide the games. I mean, how many phantom or questionable calls do you see in a football game(I'd estimate about 6). It ruins the rythym of the game, the teams and even the fans.

They have become too big of a factor in wins and losses in all of sports. Just call them like you see em and let em play

[ShulaSteakhouse]

So Reggie Myles didn't commit a penalty?

False starts and illegal formations are questionable calls?

Quit making excuses for their sloppy play - sure penalties are up league wide - but many of the Bengals' penalties are just plain stupid.

This is a not-very-intelligent team at the moment with some poor discipline and coaching - period.

I love the Bengals but I'm not going to sit here and be some blatant Hobson-Homer when it comes to sloppy play.

[Stripes]

Most calls on the Bengals have been obvious, so I can't really compare them to what has happened in the NFL of late. We've been killed by false starts and holds, and those are pretty easy calls. The other stuff that happens before the snap is just mental errors, and must be fixed.

[Columbusbengal]

We've been killed by false starts and holds, and those are pretty easy calls.

I agree that false starts are obvious and easy calls and definitely need to be controlled. However, holding is a perfect example of how penalties are increasing. You can call "holding" on almost every single play in a football game. The number actually called varies from referee to referee and from season to season (and even from month to month within a season)

[BengalszoneBilly]

I love the Bengals but I'm not going to sit here and be some blatant Hobson-Homer when it comes to sloppy play.

Are you inferring that I'm a "Hobson-Homer!?!?" Oh man...I've been called some dastardly names here, but that one there Shula is by far the most offensive of them ALL!

[jjakq27]

From today's Enquirer:

27 of 57 penalties are pre-snap ones which can be corrected....I hope.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...SPT02/510140413

[Stripes]

From today's Enquirer:

27 of 57 penalties are pre-snap ones which can be corrected....I hope.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art...SPT02/510140413

That is good news, as far as being able to fix them. Then again, that kind of takes us out of the "everyone else is getting penalized" excuse. The questionable rise in yellow cloth has to be from post-snap penalties that are more questionable. Then again, the Bengals may be the very reason penalties have increased league-wide, not vice versa.