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Commanders on pace to break club record for penalty yards
December 14, 2004
Joseph White
The Washington Commanders are threatening the franchise record for penalty yards in a season, a most unexpected and befuddling development from a team coached by Joe Gibbs.
"It's something we put a lot into at practice," Gibbs said Monday. "We have referees out here every day. We try and stress it. You've got to play error-free up here. If you don't, it's going to cost you."
The Commanders committed 12 penalties - including four false starts - for 137 yards Sunday night in a 17-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. In less than a minute, the offense had three flags - two false starts and a holding call - that stifled a drive and forced a long field goal attempt that missed just before halftime.
There have been three double-figures penalty games this season. The total for the season is 93 penalties for 872 yards, a 1,073-yard pace that would exceed last year's 1,038 by coach Steve Spurrier's undisciplined team. The team record is 1,110, set in 1948.
When the Commanders committed a dozen penalties in a 28-6 loss at Philadelphia three weeks ago, Gibbs blamed crowd noise for the false starts. He can't make that complaint after a home game.
"The four movement penalties are kind of hard for me to figure," he said. "I don't know if it's lack of concentration or some kind of uneasiness there. I don't quite understand it."
A bigger culprit Sunday was Mike Sellers, who committed three personal fouls that cost the team valuable yardage on special teams plays. Sellers arrived at Commanders Park early Monday to get an earful from special teams coach Danny Smith and was to have a separate meeting later with Gibbs.
"That's something we really talk over seriously," Gibbs said. "Let me say this: He makes great plays, and you've got somebody there that's very aggressive. What happens sometimes is guys are playing great and they pretty much get earmarked by the other team.
"You've got to understand you cannot put yourself before the team. You've got to have a lot of poise there."
Sellers declined to speak to reporters Monday.
Commanders on pace to break club record for penalty yards
December 14, 2004
Joseph White
The Washington Commanders are threatening the franchise record for penalty yards in a season, a most unexpected and befuddling development from a team coached by Joe Gibbs.
"It's something we put a lot into at practice," Gibbs said Monday. "We have referees out here every day. We try and stress it. You've got to play error-free up here. If you don't, it's going to cost you."
The Commanders committed 12 penalties - including four false starts - for 137 yards Sunday night in a 17-14 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. In less than a minute, the offense had three flags - two false starts and a holding call - that stifled a drive and forced a long field goal attempt that missed just before halftime.
There have been three double-figures penalty games this season. The total for the season is 93 penalties for 872 yards, a 1,073-yard pace that would exceed last year's 1,038 by coach Steve Spurrier's undisciplined team. The team record is 1,110, set in 1948.
When the Commanders committed a dozen penalties in a 28-6 loss at Philadelphia three weeks ago, Gibbs blamed crowd noise for the false starts. He can't make that complaint after a home game.
"The four movement penalties are kind of hard for me to figure," he said. "I don't know if it's lack of concentration or some kind of uneasiness there. I don't quite understand it."
A bigger culprit Sunday was Mike Sellers, who committed three personal fouls that cost the team valuable yardage on special teams plays. Sellers arrived at Commanders Park early Monday to get an earful from special teams coach Danny Smith and was to have a separate meeting later with Gibbs.
"That's something we really talk over seriously," Gibbs said. "Let me say this: He makes great plays, and you've got somebody there that's very aggressive. What happens sometimes is guys are playing great and they pretty much get earmarked by the other team.
"You've got to understand you cannot put yourself before the team. You've got to have a lot of poise there."
Sellers declined to speak to reporters Monday.
