Why are excessive flags blamed on officials rather than on players?

[Bohuntr97]

I thought they were part-time referees last season also and I think the season before that

It was sorta a mix. Some of the refs went as full-time employees but most stayed part-time with the Union

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/07/11/nfl-suspends-full-time-officiating-program/

 

[408Cowboy]

Yup remember that Green Bay offensive line technique that we could not believe wouldn't get called for holding is now finally holding. but there are a lot a real ticky tack calls that should not be called, let the players play

Don't hate the player hate the game. The refs enforce the game so I hate them.

 

[TexasHillbilly]

Easier said than done. I think I in some cases holding is a response to the alternative of letting your QB get sacked or losing yards. In others it’s more than likely the player realizes he’s out manned due to position and has to compensate. Either way I think it’s a reflex.

There are a lot of reasons I guess and not letting your qb get smacked is a good one.

 

[CWR]

Let me clarify that I dislike flags and penalties as much as any other football viewer. They are frustrating and muck up the game.

That being said, the reason officials are throwing flags is because players are.......committing violations. What do you expect the officials to do, other than throw a flag when they see a violation?

To call for "fewer flags" would be to demand that officials willfully turn a blind eye to violations when they see them, which I think would be even more problematic than throwing many flags. The onus should be on the players to avoid breaking the rules, rather than on the officials to not enforce such rules. I'm sure there isn't a single Cowboys fan who is glad that the refs avoided flagging Deion for pass interference on Irvin in the 1994 conference title game, for instance, thinking "Well, at least the game wasn't bogged down by a PI flag."

Officials get blamed because they set different standards for different games and even different plays within the same game. How can players adjust when each official interprets the rules differently? Every play there is a hold on the line or contract in the secondary. Some officials let em play and some call everything. There is no consistency and its maddening.

 

[InTheZone]

As long as the flag was obvious and not those ticky tack one sided calls.

Call the holds where our DL are being choked out, but dont call the hold when Tyron Smith pancakes his dude.

 

[atlantacowboy]

So much officiating is subjective and judgement is applied. Take for example a PI call. The official has to determine if the ball was catchable before throwing that flag. Same thing with holding. It could be called on every play. Officials are supposed to determine whether or no the hold effected the play and to what degree.

 

[BatteryPowered]

Holding is in part a subjective call. If holding calls are up 66% this year, there are two possible reasons: (1) players suddenly started holding a whole lot more, or (2) the refs changed the threshold at which they throw flags for holding. It's pretty obviously the latter (since we know it was a point of emphasis). So yes, the officials are to blame for the increase in flags being thrown. What should the threshold for holding be? That's an open question, and if the NFL wants it to be stricter, then the refs are doing what their bosses want. But from the players' and fans' perspective, they're flagging things that used to be okay. It will take a while to adjust, one way or another. The refs will probably lighten up a bit and the players will adjust to the new environment a bit.

There is a third possible reason, and if you listened to any NFL broadcast this year you heard it mentioned. Holding is a Point of Emphasis this season. FYI...90+% of the time, when something is a point of emphasis in any sport, it is because the coaches WANT it to be a point of emphasis. Different sport...but several years ago the rule that all sweat bands worn by players had to be the same color (there are options) and all players on a basketball team had to wear the same color. It became a POE because coaches didn't want to be the jerks that laid down the law to whiny athletes. By getting it to be a POE, they could point to the heathens in the striped shirts and say "It's their fault, not mine."

 

[PhillyCowboysFan]

During the next CBA teams should push for more practice time, blocking and tackling have suffered from the result of having less time to practice.

I don’t think the teams want more practice time. The coaches might but not the owners because then you increase the risk of injury.

 

[PhillyCowboysFan]

There is a third possible reason, and if you listened to any NFL broadcast this year you heard it mentioned. Holding is a Point of Emphasis this season. FYI...90+% of the time, when something is a point of emphasis in any sport, it is because the coaches WANT it to be a point of emphasis. Different sport...but several years ago the rule that all sweat bands worn by players had to be the same color (there are options) and all players on a basketball team had to wear the same color. It became a POE because coaches didn't want to be the jerks that laid down the law to whiny athletes. By getting it to be a POE, they could point to the heathens in the striped shirts and say "It's their fault, not mine."

Bingo and I am at a loss on why the NFL decided to emphasize holding as it is a penalty that can actually be called in just about 90% jig not more of all plays.

 

[conner01]

During the next CBA teams should push for more practice time, blocking and tackling have suffered from the result of having less time to practice.

And the point was to prevent injuries and I’m not sure it’s actually done that

 

[conner01]

I don’t think the teams want more practice time. The coaches might but not the owners because then you increase the risk of injury.

But have injuries actually went down
Has it actually done what it was suppose to do
Probably less injuries in practice but not sure less injuries overall

 

[JD_KaPow]

There is a third possible reason, and if you listened to any NFL broadcast this year you heard it mentioned. Holding is a Point of Emphasis this season. FYI...90+% of the time, when something is a point of emphasis in any sport, it is because the coaches WANT it to be a point of emphasis. Different sport...but several years ago the rule that all sweat bands worn by players had to be the same color (there are options) and all players on a basketball team had to wear the same color. It became a POE because coaches didn't want to be the jerks that laid down the law to whiny athletes. By getting it to be a POE, they could point to the heathens in the striped shirts and say "It's their fault, not mine."

Your third reason is exactly my reason #2 (I even said "point of emphasis" and that more than likely the "refs are doing what their bosses want.").

 

[BatteryPowered]

Your third reason is exactly my reason #2 (I even said "point of emphasis" and that more than likely the "refs are doing what their bosses want.").

More than likely, it is what the coaches want. Based on my conversations with officials in all sports (and experience in one), the overwhelming majority of items that become a POE originate with coaches. Granted, the league has to agree...I just don't think people like Jerry Jones or The Comish are sitting around thinking "You know what this league needs? More flags for holding."

 

[CouchCoach]

Just last night, Brady tweeted he was turning the game off because of the 15 flags in the first half and voila, no flags in the 3rdQ. Please Tom, come back. I don't think he intended for people to counter with that "roughing" call in the AFCCG or the comment by the DL that the ref told him to "lay off Tom" after hitting him.

https://sports.yahoo.com/titans-jaguars-tom-brady-penalties-nfl-015544312.html