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Offsetting Penalties issue for the NFL Rules Committee to take up (1 Viewer)

Art_VanDalay

Footballguy
For some time now, I have never liked the NFL's idea of "offsetting" penalties when both teams each have a penalty on the same play. Let me say that I don't think it is a bad concept at times but it needs better guidelines than to just be applied across the board.

For example, I have seen several times this season where you may have a 5 yrd penalty on the offense (i.e. procedure) and say a 15 yd penalty on the defense for Pass Interference or worse, a personal foul. I have trouble understanding why a 5 yd and a 15 yd penalty are equal and I have even more trouble understanding why a personal foul call, which could include dangerous penalties like kicking, punching or facemasks, etc., are essentially allowed to go as "free" plays in these situations.

I think the Rules Committee should modify this rule and perhaps propose a "Net" result of the penalties in favor of the team with the lesser penalty and only offset like penalties such as 5 yarder for 5 yarder.

Anyone else have any opinions on this issue?

 
If one team gets a 15-yarder and the other gets a 5-yarder on the same play, the 5-yarder is ignored, and the 15-yarder is enforced.

 
Art_VanDalay said:
For some time now, I have never liked the NFL's idea of "offsetting" penalties when both teams each have a penalty on the same play. Let me say that I don't think it is a bad concept at times but it needs better guidelines than to just be applied across the board. For example, I have seen several times this season where you may have a 5 yrd penalty on the offense (i.e. procedure) and say a 15 yd penalty on the defense for Pass Interference or worse, a personal foul. I have trouble understanding why a 5 yd and a 15 yd penalty are equal and I have even more trouble understanding why a personal foul call, which could include dangerous penalties like kicking, punching or facemasks, etc., are essentially allowed to go as "free" plays in these situations. I think the Rules Committee should modify this rule and perhaps propose a "Net" result of the penalties in favor of the team with the lesser penalty and only offset like penalties such as 5 yarder for 5 yarder. Anyone else have any opinions on this issue?
The problem is what if the 15-yard pass interference was only committed as a direct result of the 5-yard procedural penalty? What if a defensive lineman jumps offsides (5 yard penalty), and the offensive lineman reacts by holding him so he can't get to the QB (10 yard penalty)? When you have two penalties before/during the play, the only fair way to handle it is to have them offset.Now, if you have a penalty before the play and another penalty after the play, I see no reason why those need to offset. I don't think there's any way that a late hit could be the direct result of an illegal formation, or something of that nature. In those cases, I say mark off the difference. If one of the penalties was of the "replay the down" variety, then replay the down. If one of the penalties was of the "loss of down" variety, then lose the down. If there's a question about the order the penalties should be marked off (i.e. if a team has 3rd and 10, and the defense commits a late hit while the offense holds, do you mark off the 15 first, give the first down, and then afterwards mark off the 10 for holding, resulting in 1st and 10... or do you mark off the holding first, then add the 15, resulting in 3rd and 5), then either mark off both penalties simultaneously, or else mark off the first penalty first, and the second penalty second (tough stuff, I know).
 
"There are multiple fouls on the play. Personal fouls: numbers 62, 90, 92, 94, and 99 on the defense, those players have been disqualified from the game. Illegal shift, receiver did not reset for 1 full second prior to the snap, on the offense number 86. These penalties will offset. Replay 3rd down."

Seems reasonable.

 
"There are multiple fouls on the play. Personal fouls: numbers 62, 90, 92, 94, and 99 on the defense, those players have been disqualified from the game. Illegal shift, receiver did not reset for 1 full second prior to the snap, on the offense number 86. These penalties will offset. Replay 3rd down."Seems reasonable.
This is kind of my point. Doesn't this outcome seem ludicrous? I also agree with the point on late hits or penalties after a play. IMO the league needs to resolve some of the inequities in this part of the game. As a matter of fact, didn't this situation occur in last night's game? I thought I remember a personal foul and offside penalty offsetting... that is if anyone could stay awake enough to watch that debacle.
 
"There are multiple fouls on the play. Personal fouls: numbers 62, 90, 92, 94, and 99 on the defense, those players have been disqualified from the game. Illegal shift, receiver did not reset for 1 full second prior to the snap, on the offense number 86. These penalties will offset. Replay 3rd down."Seems reasonable.
This is kind of my point. Doesn't this outcome seem ludicrous? I also agree with the point on late hits or penalties after a play. IMO the league needs to resolve some of the inequities in this part of the game. As a matter of fact, didn't this situation occur in last night's game? I thought I remember a personal foul and offside penalty offsetting... that is if anyone could stay awake enough to watch that debacle.
They correctly enforced the personal foul after initially saying offset.
 
I just wish they would give the referees the ability to send players involved with offestting personal fouls off the field for a number of plays (like they do in hockey).

I mean.....How many times have you seen 2 players start to fight or give each other the "business" and then the referee throws a flag on both of them and then announces that the penalties offset as if nothing happened? Yea, that really learned, em.

 

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