Did your eyes tell you every NFL game this season was just a non-stop parade of yellow flags? You weren’t dreaming, Seattle. NFL officials are absolutely slinging more penalties per game than they have in *any* season since way back in 2009, and it isn’t even close. We’re talking more than 17 total penalties getting called every single game this year, which is a wild jump from anything we’ve seen.
Yellow Flags Everywhere: The NFL’s New Normal
Think about that: 17 flags per game. And out of those, about 15 are actually getting accepted. Both of those numbers are the highest since 2009. The previous record highs were 16.2 total flags and 13.7 accepted penalties, both from 2015. So we’ve officially blown past those. It’s a full-blown flag fest out there! Our buddies over in Green Bay, the Packers, know this all too well, getting hit with an average of 10.5 penalties every game. Now, if you’re thinking this is just a Matt LaFleur thing, it really isn’t. Outside of this crazy year, his teams have generally been right there with the league average, never even topping 6.2 accepted penalties per game since 2019. This isn’t just one team; this is the whole league getting whistled left and right.
Offenses Taking the Heat: What’s Driving the Spike
So, what’s behind all this yellow? Well, it’s mostly on the offense. Three penalties in particular are absolutely exploding this year compared to last season: offensive holding, false start, and delay of game. We’re seeing holding called 3.13 times per game on average across the league, a significant jump from 2.4 last year. False starts? Those are clocking in at 2.78 flags per game this year, up from 2.39. And the ever-frustrating delay of game has shot up too, with an average of 0.97 penalties per week, a big increase from 0.64 last year. These three alone almost account for the entire increase, but it’s not just them. Out of 49 different infractions called so far this year, a whopping 26 are getting called more frequently than last season. Only 15 are actually going down. Basically, if you’re tuning in to watch football, you’re signing up for a lot of laundry on the field.
But hey, the 12s saw our Hawks fight through whatever the refs threw at them this weekend! Our Seattle Seahawks gritted out a crucial 30-23 win over the Los Angeles Chargers. A win is a win, especially when the game flow keeps getting chopped up by these penalty calls. Let’s keep that momentum rolling, no matter how many flags fly, because we’ve got to be ready for anything and everything this wild season throws at us. Go Hawks!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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