Some Facts about penalties, the Cowboys, and their opponents

[Diehardblues]

There’s been a lot of talk this week about NFL officiating, questions about the NFL rigging games against the Cowboys, etc. I’m on record as someone who believes NFL officiating is certainly bad at times but I do not believe there is some evil conspiracy against the Cowboys. Have the officials missed too many holding calls against Micah Parsons? Yes, for sure. Are they “out to get us”? No.

Here are just the basic facts regarding penalties and the Cowboys.

• The Cowboys have been flagged 108 times for 910 yards. (2nd most in the NFL)
• Cowboys’ opponents have been flagged 94 times for 860 yards. (5th most yards for an opponent in the NFL)
• The difference between Cowboys and their opponents‘ is 12 penalties over 15 games.(Cowboys avg 1.25 more penalties per game than our opponents)
• The difference in penalty yardage of Cowboys vs our opponents is 50 yards. Over 15 games, that averages 3.33 yards per game difference in penalty yardage between Cowboys and opponents.

Website that contains great info on NFL penalties in 2023: https://www.nflpenalties.com/

Well done Mr Bob.

 

[Diehardblues]

Hopefully facts can shed some light.

Some fans aren’t really interested in facts if it doesn’t support their view. Their impartiality and bias has blinders on.

Fans like citizens believe if it doesn’t go their way for their guy or team how they see it must be rigged or fake.

 

[Diehardblues]

The bigger problem for the Cowboys is we have history and reputation for committing penalties.

Which means some of our players are being watched closer because of history . It can go the other way too . Like with great players with no history of penalties.

MM pledged to make penalties a priority in off season. And he failed. We are still near the top of league with many of them being on non subjective judgement calls like pre snap , off sides , etc. Simple lack of discipline.

 

[MarcusRock]

Good work Bob. From your keyboard to literally no one's cranium, lol. Didn't take long for the "but, but, it's not about the number, it's about the timing" line. Later, I'm waiting for the other 'spiracy poster to show up to tell us all about the sheer number of penalties Dallas has gotten over the years and how THAT'S actually the proof. You talk numbers, they'll talk timing. You talk timing, they'll talk numbers. Lol.

 

[gimmesix]

There’s been a lot of talk this week about NFL officiating, questions about the NFL rigging games against the Cowboys, etc. I’m on record as someone who believes NFL officiating is certainly bad at times but I do not believe there is some evil conspiracy against the Cowboys. Have the officials missed too many holding calls against Micah Parsons? Yes, for sure. Are they “out to get us”? No.

Here are just the basic facts regarding penalties and the Cowboys.

• The Cowboys have been flagged 108 times for 910 yards. (2nd most in the NFL)
• Cowboys’ opponents have been flagged 94 times for 860 yards. (5th most yards for an opponent in the NFL)
• The difference between Cowboys and their opponents‘ is 12 penalties over 15 games.(Cowboys avg 1.25 more penalties per game than our opponents)
• The difference in penalty yardage of Cowboys vs our opponents is 50 yards. Over 15 games, that averages 3.33 yards per game difference in penalty yardage between Cowboys and opponents.

Website that contains great info on NFL penalties in 2023: https://www.nflpenalties.com/

I think you'd also have to include declined penalties in this discussion, but the concern is more bad penalty calls/no calls. For example, the officials called Lamb for a hold a few weeks back that clearly was not a hold. They called Biadasz for clipping against the Eagles that was clearly not. Then, they can't make one holding call against the Dolphins in a close game where it might have made a difference in the outcome?

I know there have been some close calls in our favor. I know that every team has bad calls or no calls against it at times. But it just seems disproportionate, and how often we get called for holding while Parsons can go 38 quarters without drawing a holding call seems rotten. I don't buy into the conspiracies either, but I don't really know how to explain this either.

I do think there are a few games where we either came out on the good end of the calls or it was at least evenly called, but there have been more (and some big ones) where we did not. I go back to the first Philly game. If the ball is spotted correctly by the officials on the Eagles' first drive (not even penalty-related but official-related), there's a good possibility that the Eagles punt on fourth-and-2 deep in their territory instead of going for it on fourth-and-1. That maybe changes the outcome of the game and needs to be something the officials do not miss.

 

[Kevinicus]

There’s been a lot of talk this week about NFL officiating, questions about the NFL rigging games against the Cowboys, etc. I’m on record as someone who believes NFL officiating is certainly bad at times but I do not believe there is some evil conspiracy against the Cowboys. Have the officials missed too many holding calls against Micah Parsons? Yes, for sure. Are they “out to get us”? No.

Here are just the basic facts regarding penalties and the Cowboys.

• The Cowboys have been flagged 108 times for 910 yards. (2nd most in the NFL)
• Cowboys’ opponents have been flagged 94 times for 860 yards. (5th most yards for an opponent in the NFL)
• The difference between Cowboys and their opponents‘ is 12 penalties over 15 games.(Cowboys avg 1.25 more penalties per game than our opponents)
• The difference in penalty yardage of Cowboys vs our opponents is 50 yards. Over 15 games, that averages 3.33 yards per game difference in penalty yardage between Cowboys and opponents.

Website that contains great info on NFL penalties in 2023: https://www.nflpenalties.com/

12 over 15 would be .8 more per game.

 

[Cowboys5217]

There’s been a lot of talk this week about NFL officiating, questions about the NFL rigging games against the Cowboys, etc. I’m on record as someone who believes NFL officiating is certainly bad at times but I do not believe there is some evil conspiracy against the Cowboys. Have the officials missed too many holding calls against Micah Parsons? Yes, for sure. Are they “out to get us”? No.

Here are just the basic facts regarding penalties and the Cowboys.

• The Cowboys have been flagged 108 times for 910 yards. (2nd most in the NFL)
• Cowboys’ opponents have been flagged 94 times for 860 yards. (5th most yards for an opponent in the NFL)
• The difference between Cowboys and their opponents‘ is 12 penalties over 15 games.(Cowboys avg 1.25 more penalties per game than our opponents)
• The difference in penalty yardage of Cowboys vs our opponents is 50 yards. Over 15 games, that averages 3.33 yards per game difference in penalty yardage between Cowboys and opponents.

Website that contains great info on NFL penalties in 2023: https://www.nflpenalties.com/

Here's more for you:

Of 25 penalty free games for one team in NFL history, 5 of them have been against Dallas. 20% of the time that this has happened it has been against Dallas. Statistically impossible without bias.

2000-2022 (23 year period)

100 or more penalty seasons: Dallas 18 (most in the NFL), Green Bay 11, Pittsburgh 9.

80 or less penalty seasons: Dallas 0 (fewest in the NFL), Green Bay 3, Pittsburgh 4.

Can you match the following to any other team, Bob?

2017
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...ink-there-is-an-nfl-conspiracy-against-dallas

"It’s been 33 quarters since a holding call was made against the offensive line of the Cowboys opponents. That’s eight games. That’s seems almost absurdly impossible in today’s NFL. You could call holding on every other pass play in the NFL, yet the zebras can’t manage to do it once in eight games for the benefit of the Cowboys? It’s almost enough to make you believe in some kind of conspiracy."

2018
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...had-holding-penalty-on-pass-play-since-week-2

"The Cowboys are aware they have gone nine weeks without opponents being penalized for holding on a pass play. That’s 325 passing plays if you’re keeping track at home."

And now you can add 38 straight quarters without a holding call for Parsons in 2023.

Also, currently the Cowboys have had the most offensive holding calls against and the 2nd most defensive holding calls against. Ranked 1 and 2. Only Cleveland is also in the top for both (6th on offense and 9th on defense). Dallas is the only team ranked in the top two for both. Nobody else is even close to that.

https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?sort=dh

These are all facts about the Cowboys and the officiating.

 

[Bobhaze]

Good work Bob. From your keyboard to literally no one's cranium, lol. Didn't take long for the "but, but, it's not about the number, it's about the timing" line. Later, I'm waiting for the other 'spiracy poster to show up to tell us all about the sheer number of penalties Dallas has gotten over the years and how THAT'S actually the proof. You talk numbers, they'll talk timing. You talk timing, they'll talk numbers. Lol.

I guess the way I hope our players and coaches see it is the same way my coaches taught me when I was a young athlete: We as a team determine if we win or if we lose. Not the zebras, not the fans in the stands. We control our own destiny. No excuses.

I still believe that today. And I think most of the players do too. “Refs will make bad calls. But winning games is up to us. In the end, winning is up to US!” That is what great players and great teams think.

Sure hope that’s what the Cowboys locker room believes.

 

[RoyalCowboy]

Great Post! Thank you for sharing.

 

[Diehardblues]

I guess the way I hope our players and coaches see it is the same way my coaches taught me when I was a young athlete: We as a team determine if we win or if we lose. Not the zebras, not the fans in the stands. We control our own destiny. No excuses.

I still believe that today. And I think most of the players do too. “Refs will make bad calls. But winning games is up to us. In the end, winning is up to US!” That is what great players and great teams think.

Sure hope that’s what the Cowboys locker room believes.

Yep

Overcoming a bad call is like overcoming a bad play or turnover. The great teams don’t make excuses.

 

[Kwyn]

We can always count on @Bobhaze for a reality check.

 

[Kwyn]

It is not so much the number for or against or the yards.
It is the timing of many of them. And not just the Dallas games. As well the missed or non calls.
Seen it all too often in many other games.

Look how many games favored the Eagles to win on a controversial call at the end of the game.
5 wins, with calls or non calls that favored their way.

No, not saying it is rigged or a conspiracy. But it is very strange. So it makes you question it.

Can’t go there without also acknowledging the flags that were picked up in the recent game that went our way. Think there were three

 

[rambo2]

Yep

Overcoming a bad call is like overcoming a bad play or turnover. The great teams don’t make excuses.

Any team would be pissed off when the other team is allowed to tackle your linebacker on a game winning drive.

 

[Gonzomandela01]

“There are three kinds of lies: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics" Mark Twain

 

[Reality]

I guess the way I hope our players and coaches see it is the same way my coaches taught me when I was a young athlete: We as a team determine if we win or if we lose. Not the zebras, not the fans in the stands. We control our own destiny. No excuses.

I still believe that today. And I think most of the players do too. “Refs will make bad calls. But winning games is up to us. In the end, winning is up to US!” That is what great players and great teams think.

Sure hope that’s what the Cowboys locker room believes.

I was coached the same and in most of the sports I played that was always true.

The problem is a single bad-timed flag, justified or not, can have a dramatic impact on a game beyond the moment it happens.

For example, a touchdown called back followed by an interception return for a touchdown creates a 14 point swing.

Yes, you shouldn't throw an interception regardless of penalties but if that flag was not thrown, the interception never happened and it is an entirely different game.

In any case, the problem I have with officiating is that with the technology we all have access to (meaning the fans as well), there is no excuse for ever getting a call wrong in an NFL game.

Every play should be reviewable both through coaches challenge as well as self-reviewable by an official that should be placed in the TV booth.

Every flag thrown should be reviewable. Every non-flag thrown should be reviewable.

If the officials are self-reviewing their own calls, then coaches get 3 challenges per game (not half) with no way to gain or lose any beyond using them.

If the officials are not self-reviewing then coaches should get 5 challenges per game (not half).

When we as fans can clearly see something sitting at home, there is no excuse for the officials not seeing and correcting (if necessary) it immediately at the game.

 

[Gonzomandela01]

People calling out for "Facts" can not accept what their eyes tell them, amazing.

 

[Bobhaze]

I was coached the same and in most of the sports I played that was always true.

The problem is a single bad-timed flag, justified or not, can have a dramatic impact on a game beyond the moment it happens.

For example, a touchdown called back followed by an interception return for a touchdown creates a 14 point swing.

Yes, you shouldn't throw an interception regardless of penalties but if that flag was not thrown, the interception never happened and it is an entirely different game.

In any case, the problem I have with officiating is that with the technology we all have access to (meaning the fans as well), there is no excuse for ever getting a call wrong in an NFL game.

Every play should be reviewable both through coaches challenge as well as self-reviewable by an official that should be placed in the TV booth.

Every flag thrown should be reviewable. Every non-flag thrown should be reviewable.

If the officials are self-reviewing their own calls, then coaches get 3 challenges per game (not half) with no way to gain or lose any beyond using them.

If the officials are not self-reviewing then coaches should get 5 challenges per game (not half).

When we as fans can clearly see something sitting at home, there is no excuse for the officials not seeing and correcting (if necessary) it immediately at the game.

I agree that the NFL isnt using technology as well as it could. Changes need to be made for sure. If booth reviews were quick and decisive, I would be ok with that. But it won’t stop many fans from saying they missed a few calls or didn’t call some more. That will always be there.

I think one of the biggest problems is the NFL over regulates its game. Too many flags. I prefer the “let them play” mentality to a 20 penalty flag fest.

 

[Diehardblues]

Any team would be pissed off when the other team is allowed to tackle your linebacker on a game winning drive.

I’m not arguing there shouldn’t be some frustration. And there are concerns with officiating which new rules by the league in recent years has compounded. But to make the leap to organized or individual intent to throw the games is totally unfounded .

 

[MarcusRock]

Can’t go there without also acknowledging the flags that were picked up in the recent game that went our way. Think there were three

Oh, everyone wanted to forget that game. That was against the Eagles at home. Three picked up flags and a double-penalized a Philly player that allowed us to stack the penalty yardage with those fouls. You never have those things happening in one game let alone the same game benefitting only one team. It was the exact same "odd and rare occurrence" that the 'spiracy crew claim only happens to us. People were actually mad as I pointed it out. Mad at a win because they couldn't claim victim at the same time. I will forever reference that game, lol.

 

[Bobhaze]

Here's more for you:

Of 25 penalty free games for one team in NFL history, 5 of them have been against Dallas. 20% of the time that this has happened it has been against Dallas. Statistically impossible without bias.

2000-2022 (23 year period)

100 or more penalty seasons: Dallas 18 (most in the NFL), Green Bay 11, Pittsburgh 9.

80 or less penalty seasons: Dallas 0 (fewest in the NFL), Green Bay 3, Pittsburgh 4.

Can you match the following to any other team, Bob?

2017
https://www.bloggingtheboys.com/201...ink-there-is-an-nfl-conspiracy-against-dallas

"It’s been 33 quarters since a holding call was made against the offensive line of the Cowboys opponents. That’s eight games. That’s seems almost absurdly impossible in today’s NFL. You could call holding on every other pass play in the NFL, yet the zebras can’t manage to do it once in eight games for the benefit of the Cowboys? It’s almost enough to make you believe in some kind of conspiracy."

2018
https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...had-holding-penalty-on-pass-play-since-week-2

"The Cowboys are aware they have gone nine weeks without opponents being penalized for holding on a pass play. That’s 325 passing plays if you’re keeping track at home."

And now you can add 38 straight quarters without a holding call for Parsons in 2023.

Also, currently the Cowboys have had the most offensive holding calls against and the 2nd most defensive holding calls against. Ranked 1 and 2. Only Cleveland is also in the top for both (6th on offense and 9th on defense). Dallas is the only team ranked in the top two for both. Nobody else is even close to that.

https://www.footballdb.com/stats/penalties.html?sort=dh

These are all facts about the Cowboys and the officiating.

I understand your points and your feelings about all of the above. The Cowboys have definitely had some bad calls go against them.

But I bet we can both agree on 3 things:
1. We both want the Cowboys to win.
2. The Cowboys need to beat Detroit Sat night.
3. The Cowboys are good enough to control their own destiny.