That maybe how it appears from the stands, but we are trying to get the spot as close as to where the runner was down at.
As for the penalty, unless you are playing on a turf field, those "cute little "ACCURATE white lines that are so painstakingly painted on the field are not always so "ACCURATE". So we have to step it off. For example, the 3 yard line for extra points, have been anywhere form 2.5 to 2.75 yards from the goal line, not the 3 yard line. That is one reason why officials walk the field before to see if those "ACCURATE" white lines are "ACCURATE".