The NFL is calling more penalties per game this season than we’ve seen in the last two decades. And what’s truly bonkers is they aren’t just blowing whistles willy-nilly; they’re dropping flags at the *most critical moments*, actively changing outcomes in ways that are just unprecedented. We’re only a few weeks into the regular season, and this stuff is already infuriating to watch.
This Ain’t Your Daddy’s NFL, It’s Worse
Warren Sharp’s breakdown of the stats is just wild. We’re talking about the #1 most red zone penalties per game by offenses in history, and the #1 most penalties on 3rd/4th downs in the second half of games in history. Think about that for a second: these aren’t minor infractions. These are drive-killing, momentum-swinging calls that are taking points off the board and handing teams free downs. It gets even worse when you realize they’ve overturned touchdowns at double the historical average, and offenses are getting flagged more than ever before. It’s just flat-out frustrating when you see officiating directly determining games. Broncos fans, for example, are probably still seething over that egregious block in the back on George Kittle’s 54-yard touchdown reception that never got called against their team. Sure, Denver even got away with one themselves in Week 3, so it tends to even out eventually, but man, as a fan of the game, it just stinks when the refs are the story. The league *has* to figure this out.
Broncos Battered and Bruised for Week 5
While the officiating is a league-wide problem, some teams are definitely feeling the pain on the field more than others. The Denver Broncos are coming off a tough Week 4 loss to the 49ers, and it looks like some key players are feeling it physically too. Both cornerback Pat Surtain II and wide receiver Pat Bryant suffered short-term ankle injuries. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler is reporting that Surtain II is “week-to-week” and could be sidelined for about two weeks, which is a major blow to their defense. Head Coach Sean Payton kept his injury updates vague, saying they’d have a report Wednesday, but he did open up a bit on how the 49ers’ defense limited quarterback Bo Nix’s downfield passing. Payton noted that the Niners did “a pretty good job of staying on top of some of the deeper throws” and that Denver probably could have “taken a little bit more advantage of” underneath yardage. Sounds like they’ll need to adjust their attack moving forward.
Chargers Up Next for Denver , What’s at Stake
Looking ahead to Week 5, the Broncos are hitting the road as 3.5-point favorites against the Chargers. The over/under for that matchup is set at 42.5. The Chargers, by the way, are coming off a 30-23 loss to our Seattle Seahawks, so they’re probably itching to turn things around at home. For Denver, this game is all about showing they can bounce back from a tough loss and deal with some key injuries. For the league? We just want to see a game where the officiating isn’t the main storyline. Is that too much to ask?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Mile High Report.
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