ALL HAIL BLEERGH.
In tribute to Bleergh, here’s the week seven’s best and worst penalties. Here’s a random breakdown of this weeks penalties. I may or may not try to find the tape for these, nor am I making any judgement call on the individual penalties. I’m sure that there are plays that should have been called and were not, and other plays where the penalty wasn’t needed, depending on your fandom. This is mainly me looking a some numbers and publishing my findings, so let me know if there’s something you would like to see added or removed to the list.
Here are the best (in the eyes of Bleergh) penalties of the week:
| Team | Penalty | Result |
| DAL | OFFENSIVE HOLDING | TD nullified |
| NO | OFFENSIVE HOLDING | TD nullified |
| OAK | OFFENSIVE HOLDING | TD nullified |
| NE | ILLEGAL BLOCK ABOVE THE WAIST | TD nullified |
| CHI | OFFENSIVE HOLDING | TD nullified |
| CHI | ILLEGAL BAT | Safety |
| NYJ | ILLEGAL BAT | Safety |
| DET | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | INTERCEPTION nullified |
These plays have multiple flags. This pleases Bleergh. And this week includes a rare triple penalty on a single play (GB vs OAK).
| Offence | Defence | Description |
| CIN | JAX | (13:31) 14-A.DALTON PASS INCOMPLETE DEEP RIGHT TO 12-A.ERICKSON. PENALTY ON CIN-28-J.MIXON, CHOP BLOCK, 15 YARDS, ENFORCED AT JAX 38 – NO PLAY. PENALTY ON JAX-90-T.BRYAN, DEFENSIVE OFFSIDE, SUPERSEDED. |
| DET | MIN | (:12) (SHOTGUN) 9-M.STAFFORD PASS INCOMPLETE SHORT LEFT. PENALTY ON DET-68-T.DECKER, OFFENSIVE HOLDING, OFFSETTING, ENFORCED AT MIN 10 – NO PLAY. PENALTY ON MIN-55-A.BARR, ROUGHING THE PASSER, OFFSETTING. |
| ATL | LA | (9:51) (SHOTGUN) 2-M.RYAN PASS SHORT LEFT INTENDED FOR 12-M.SANU INTERCEPTED BY 58-C.LITTLETON AT ATL 22. 58-C.LITTLETON TO ATL 16 FOR 6 YARDS (70-J.MATTHEWS). PENALTY ON LA-99-A.DONALD, UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS, OFFSETTING. PENALTY ON ATL-98-T.MCKINLEY, UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS, OFFSETTING. PENALTY ON ATL-24-D.FREEMAN, DISQUALIFICATION, OFFSETTING. |
| IND | HOU | (8:43) (SHOTGUN) 7-J.BRISSETT PASS INCOMPLETE DEEP RIGHT TO 80-C.ROGERS. PENALTY ON IND-72-B.SMITH, OFFENSIVE HOLDING, OFFSETTING, ENFORCED AT IND 25 – NO PLAY. PENALTY ON HOU-29-P.GAINES, DEFENSIVE HOLDING, OFFSETTING. |
| GB | OAK | (1:09) (SHOTGUN) 12-A.RODGERS PASS DEEP LEFT TO 89-M.LEWIS TO GB 41 FOR 14 YARDS (21-G.CONLEY) [91-B.MAYOWA]. PENALTY ON OAK-91-B.MAYOWA, ROUGHING THE PASSER, 29 YARDS, ENFORCED AT GB 27 – NO PLAY. THE REPLAY OFFICIAL REVIEWED THE PASS COMPLETION RULING, AND THE PLAY WAS REVERSED. (SHOTGUN) 12-A.RODGERS PASS INCOMPLETE DEEP LEFT TO 89-M.LEWIS (21-G.CONLEY) [91-B.MAYOWA]. PENALTY ON OAK-91-B.MAYOWA, ROUGHING THE PASSER, 15 YARDS, ENFORCED AT GB 27 – NO PLAY. |
| CHI | NO | (8:44) (PUNT FORMATION) 16-P.O’DONNELL PUNTS 36 YARDS TO NO 24, CENTER-48-P.SCALES. 11-D.HARRIS TO NO 40 FOR 16 YARDS (82-B.BRAUNECKER). PENALTY ON NO-25-E.APPLE, ILLEGAL BLOCK ABOVE THE WAIST, OFFSETTING, ENFORCED AT NO 24. PENALTY ON CHI-82-B.BRAUNECKER, FACE MASK (15 YARDS), OFFSETTING. |
Here are the worst (in the eyes of Bleergh) penalties of the week.
| Team | Penalty | Result |
| WAS | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 2 yards |
| HOU | DEFENSIVE HOLDING | 3 yards |
| ATL | DEFENSIVE OFFSIDE | 3 yards |
| DET | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 2 yards |
| KC | ENCROACHMENT | 1 yard |
| NYJ | DEFENSIVE HOLDING | 2 yards |
| MIN | OFFENSIVE HOLDING | 2 yards |
Here are the Best (in the eyes of Bleergh) penalties of the week.
| Team | Penalty | Result |
| NE | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 20 yards |
| OAK | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 22 yards |
| JAX | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 18 yards |
| MIN | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 31 yards |
| OAK | ROUGHING THE PASSER* | 29 yards |
| NE | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 19 yards |
*the description (GB vs OAK triple penalty above) for this play is strange, so think that it should have been 15 yards, but I assume Rodgers made a face to the ref and got double the yardage.
Here are the worst (in the eyes of Bleergh) penalties of the week.
| Team | Penalty | Result |
| WAS | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 2 yards |
| HOU | DEFENSIVE HOLDING | 3 yards |
| ATL | DEFENSIVE OFFSIDE | 3 yards |
| DET | DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 2 yards |
| KC | ENCROACHMENT | 1 yard |
| NYJ | DEFENSIVE HOLDING | 2 yards |
| MIN | OFFENSIVE HOLDING | 2 yards |
And here’s the total number of penalties per team this weekend.
| Team | Penalties against | Penalties declined | Penalty yards | YTD penalties | YTD penalty yards | Ave yards per penalty | Challenges | Challenges Reversed |
| ARIZONA | 10 | 0 | 85 | 65 | 415 | 6.38 | 0 | 0 |
| ATLANTA | 5 | 0 | 48 | 67 | 467 | 6.97 | 0 | 0 |
| BALTIMORE | 11 | 3 | 75 | 62 | 425 | 6.85 | 0 | 0 |
| BUFFALO | 9 | 0 | 83 | 55 | 397 | 7.22 | 0 | 0 |
| CAROLINA | BYE | 0 | 0 | 40 | 256 | 6.40 | 0 | 0 |
| CHICAGO | 3 | 0 | 10 | 54 | 366 | 6.78 | 1 | 0 |
| CINCINNATI | 7 | 1 | 50 | 52 | 341 | 6.56 | 1 | 0 |
| CLEVELAND | BYE | 0 | 0 | 68 | 451 | 6.63 | 0 | 0 |
| DALLAS | 7 | 2 | 55 | 62 | 515 | 8.31 | 1 | 1 |
| DENVER | 6 | 2 | 33 | 60 | 406 | 6.77 | 0 | 0 |
| DETROIT | 9 | 0 | 67 | 60 | 342 | 5.70 | 0 | 0 |
| GREEN BAY | 3 | 0 | 20 | 50 | 342 | 6.84 | 0 | 0 |
| HOUSTON | 10 | 1 | 44 | 66 | 450 | 6.82 | 0 | 0 |
| INDIANAPOLIS | 9 | 2 | 45 | 42 | 234 | 5.57 | 1 | 1 |
| JACKSONVILLE | 14 | 3 | 130 | 69 | 499 | 7.23 | 0 | 0 |
| KANSAS CITY | 6 | 0 | 46 | 66 | 476 | 7.21 | 1 | 1 |
| LOS ANGELES RAMS | 6 | 0 | 24 | 60 | 386 | 6.43 | 1 | 1 |
| LOS ANGELES CHARGERS | 4 | 0 | 29 | 49 | 364 | 7.43 | 0 | 0 |
| MIAMI | 7 | 2 | 45 | 44 | 264 | 6.00 | 0 | 0 |
| MINNESOTA | 8 | 2 | 60 | 66 | 475 | 7.20 | 1 | 1 |
| NEW ENGLAND | 9 | 2 | 92 | 51 | 404 | 7.92 | 1 | 0 |
| NEW ORLEANS | 7 | 2 | 35 | 64 | 376 | 5.88 | 1 | 1 |
| NEW YORK GIANTS | 8 | 3 | 50 | 50 | 349 | 6.98 | 1 | 0 |
| NEW YORK JETS | 8 | 0 | 60 | 59 | 430 | 7.29 | 0 | 0 |
| OAKLAND | 9 | 1 | 111 | 53 | 434 | 8.19 | 1 | 0 |
| PHILADELPHIA | 8 | 3 | 40 | 52 | 378 | 7.27 | 0 | 0 |
| PITTSBURGH | BYE | 0 | 0 | 42 | 332 | 7.90 | 0 | 0 |
| SAN FRANCISCO | 2 | 1 | 10 | 54 | 371 | 6.87 | 0 | 0 |
| SEATTLE | 2 | 0 | 20 | 39 | 307 | 7.87 | 1 | 0 |
| TAMPA BAY | BYE | 0 | 0 | 56 | 336 | 6.00 | 0 | 0 |
| TENNESSEE | 7 | 2 | 34 | 52 | 394 | 7.58 | 1 | 0 |
| WASHINGTON | 7 | 1 | 42 | 68 | 414 | 6.09 | 1 | 1 |
| Total | 201 | 33 | 1443 | 1797 | 12396 | 6.91 | 14 | 7 |
Penalties by type
| Name | Number called | Percentage |
| CHOP BLOCK | 1 | 0.50% |
| CLIPPING | 0 | 0.00% |
| DEFENSIVE DELAY OF GAME | 0 | 0.00% |
| DEFENSIVE HOLDING | 20 | 9.95% |
| DEFENSIVE OFFSIDE | 7 | 3.48% |
| DEFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 15 | 7.46% |
| DEFENSIVE TOO MANY MEN ON FIELD | 1 | 0.50% |
| DELAY OF GAME | 7 | 3.48% |
| DISQUALIFICATION | 1 | 0.50% |
| ENCROACHMENT | 3 | 1.49% |
| FACE MASK (15 YARDS) | 4 | 1.99% |
| FAIR CATCH INTERFERENCE | 0 | 0.00% |
| FALSE START | 24 | 11.94% |
| HORSE COLLAR TACKLE | 0 | 0.00% |
| ILLEGAL BAT | 2 | 1.00% |
| ILLEGAL BLINDSIDE BLOCK | 1 | 0.50% |
| ILLEGAL BLOCK ABOVE THE WAIST | 4 | 1.99% |
| ILLEGAL CONTACT | 2 | 1.00% |
| ILLEGAL DOUBLE-TEAM BLOCK | 1 | 0.50% |
| ILLEGAL FORMATION | 4 | 1.99% |
| ILLEGAL FORWARD PASS | 1 | 0.50% |
| ILLEGAL MOTION | 0 | 0.00% |
| ILLEGAL SHIFT | 6 | 2.99% |
| ILLEGAL SUBSTITUTION | 0 | 0.00% |
| ILLEGAL TOUCH KICK | 0 | 0.00% |
| ILLEGAL USE OF HANDS | 4 | 1.99% |
| INELIGIBLE DOWNFIELD PASS | 0 | 0.00% |
| INTENTIONAL GROUNDING | 1 | 0.50% |
| INVALID FAIR CATCH SIGNAL | 0 | 0.00% |
| KICK CATCH INTERFERENCE | 1 | 0.50% |
| LOWERING THE HEAD TO INITIATE CONTACT | 1 | 0.50% |
| NEUTRAL ZONE INFRACTION | 6 | 2.99% |
| OFFENSIVE HOLDING | 57 | 28.36% |
| OFFENSIVE PASS INTERFERENCE | 5 | 2.49% |
| OFFENSIVE TOO MANY MEN ON FIELD | 0 | 0.00% |
| OFFSIDE ON FREE KICK | 0 | 0.00% |
| PLAYER OUT OF BOUNDS ON KICK | 0 | 0.00% |
| ROUGHING THE KICKER | 0 | 0.00% |
| ROUGHING THE PASSER | 12 | 5.97% |
| RUNNING INTO THE KICKER | 0 | 0.00% |
| TAUNTING | 0 | 0.00% |
| TRIPPING | 0 | 0.00% |
| UNNECESSARY ROUGHNESS | 9 | 4.48% |
| UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT | 1 | 0.50% |
*note that the zeros are penalties called from previous weeks but still in the list. Way too lazy to remove them.
Offensive holding with over 28% of the total penalties called this week, up from week 6 of 22%.
Total number of penalties are down from 216 last week to 201 this week with 4 teams on bye.
NFL rule explained
I was curious as to what “Illegal bat” meant so went to the NFL rule book\PDF (yikes), and it’s defined as:
It is an illegal bat if:
- any player bats or punches a loose ball in the field of play toward his opponent’s goal line
- any player bats or punches a loose ball (that has touched the ground) in any direction, if it is in either end zone
- an offensive player bats a backward pass in flight toward his opponent’s goal line
Exception: A forward pass in flight may be tipped, batted, or deflected in any direction by any eligible player at any time.
Basically you can’t hit the ball forward to “better” your field position. In both cases this week, the team with the ball batted out of the back of their end zone to prevent TD’s. The more you know.
ALL HAIL BLEERGH.
and thanks to http://nflsavant.com for the data.
Was thrilled to see that triple penno live on RedZone. Like seeing the painting of the Sistene Chapel. HAIL BLEERGH, FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW
How does Bleergh feel about intentional penalties that are then denied like Jesus?
Think that’s more of a Boltman thing, but willing to look into these and report if you can point me to one
P*ts delay of game, followed by the false start last night.