Look, we all know the refs have been a little flag-happy this season, but it just got real: the NFL has officially logged 983 accepted penalties through the first four weeks of play. That’s the most flags we’ve seen at this point in *any* season since way back in 1978, when play-by-play data first started rolling in. And guess what? Our Seattle Seahawks just had to fight their way through one of the most penalized games of the season to grab that massive 30-23 win against the Chargers.
The Flag Frenzy Is Real
Seriously, the numbers are wild. Week 4 alone saw 271 accepted penalties across just 16 games. That’s the second-most in a single week over that entire 1978-to-now period! It wasn’t just a few games, either. Twelve different teams got hit with at least 10 accepted penalties in their Week 4 matchups. What is going on out there? Are the players really that much sloppier? Or are the refs just, well, seeing things differently this year?
Our Hawks Battled Through The Chaos
Our boys in green and blue know this flag problem firsthand. In that 30-23 showdown against the Chargers, our Hawks and the Bolts combined for a mind-boggling 30 accepted penalties! Think about that for a second. That’s fifteen penalties a side, minimum. That’s a lot of yellow laundry. But you know what? Our Hawks didn’t let it stop them. They stayed focused, they kept grinding, and they pulled out the W. That’s the kind of grit we love to see. Even when the refs are blowing whistles left and right, our team finds a way to get it done.
Historically, penalty totals tend to peak early in the season and then drop off as players get used to whatever new points of emphasis the refs are looking for. We can only hope that’s the case this year. But if it doesn’t happen? We could be staring down the most penalized NFL season in history. For now, let’s just be stoked our Hawks are finding ways to win, even when the yellow laundry is flying all over Lumen Field. What a performance by the team to get that dub!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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