I don't have the numbers, but have noticed a lot more calls at the LOS for things like hands to the face. Couple that with contact calls on the perimeter and you get a lot more flags on things they have let go for years.

 

I do think the issue becomes consistency. If they are going to call it tight, they can't let one slide here and there...

 

I believe this is the biggest thing. One week, they'll let a player get away with it and he will think it's ok and the next week, they'll call it. They have to call it every single time if they want a player to change. The one thing they have called consistently is the targeting to the heads and those have dramatically decreased.

Here is an issue I have and it all

Comes down to not being consistent.

 

Eiferts TD was ruled incomplete, as according to the rules it should be an incompletion.

 

Then last night in the Broncos Lions game, Megatron had a catch in the 3rd or 4th qtr where he stretched out as he was going down to stretch the ball past the first down marker, as he was going down with ball in his outstretched hand it hit the turf and bounced 5 feet I the air and out of bounds. It was never even given a second thought by anyone including the announcers that it should have been ruled an incompletion.

 

They gave the Lions a 1st down and went on to the next play.

Should the refs stop throwing flags or should the players stop committing penalties?

 

Yes.

Isn't this a common complaint every year, early in the year?? With new points of emphasis every year, it seems like penalty numbers are high until players adjust.

Week 3 penalties were down about 27% from week 2.

Here is an issue I have and it all

Comes down to not being consistent.

 

Eiferts TD was ruled incomplete, as according to the rules it should be an incompletion.

 

Then last night in the Broncos Lions game, Megatron had a catch in the 3rd or 4th qtr where he stretched out as he was going down to stretch the ball past the first down marker, as he was going down with ball in his outstretched hand it hit the turf and bounced 5 feet I the air and out of bounds. It was never even given a second thought by anyone including the announcers that it should have been ruled an incompletion.

 

They gave the Lions a 1st down and went on to the next play.

 

Didn't see the play you referenced, but it seemed that the Eifert play hinged on the fact that contact was made by the defender before Tyler was able to make a "football move". If he had taken a couple of steps before he got hit, then possession was already established, and then as soon as the ball crossed the goal line, it'd have been a TD. Instead, he had to show possession all the way through the process (including going to the ground).

 

Did Johnson make any sort of move before being hit? If so, then that's probably the difference.

Week 3 penalties were down about 27% from week 2.

 

Week 2 was up 34% this year from last year and week 3 was up 6% this year from last year.

 

Total flags 2015 thru week 3: 661

Total flags 2014 thru week 3: 733

Week 2 was up 34% this year from last year and week 3 was up 6% this year from last year.

 

Total flags 2015 thru week 3: 661

Total flags 2014 thru week 3: 733

 

So, if weeks 2 and 3 were both up over last year, then week one would have had have to been drastically lower for these totals to be correct. Is that the case, or do you have your years reversed?

So, if weeks 2 and 3 were both up over last year, then week one would have had have to been drastically lower for these totals to be correct. Is that the case, or do you have your years reversed?

 

I don't claim to be a math wizard but week 1 was down.

 

Week 1 2015 206

Week 1 2014 222

Lets go back to this thread...

 

 

The NFL is on Pace for 3,930 flags thrown this regular season. The entire season/postseason of 2009 had 3,167 flags thrown, and the number has increased every year since.

Games have been almost unwatchable here lately because of it.

I guess someone told the ref last night to not throw the flag. Everyone should be happy now, right?