Why are there so many penalties against offensive players popping up in the NFL lately, and why do they all seem to come at the most crucial times?
Last nightJason Kelce’s false start effectively cost the Philadelphia Eagles the game against the Seattle Seahawks.
SATURDAYDenver Broncos offensive lineman Quinn Meinerz was offside on a fourth-and-goal play in the third quarter that negated a touchdown.
And let’s not forget last week, when Kadarius Toney was offside and cost the Kansas City Chiefs the game against the Buffalo Bills.
“I think almost everyone has agreed that the officials are absolutely right,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. said on December 13. “It’s their job to call this a mistake…I think it shows you how difficult it is to do their job.”
Kelce said that he had previously been warned not to advance the ball during years several times, but he still managed to escape.
Last October, Pro Football Talk wrote:
“Kelce said that in the future he plans to explain to officials that he lines up with his non-snapping hand on the ground for the quarterback sneak because it helps him get lower, and that they should not assume if they see an errant hand in the neutral zone that it is a penalty.
Last season there was 284 offensive offside calls across the league. So far there is only 224 this season, but the trend in these calls in recent weeks could push that number up. These calls are rare, but it’s no coincidence that there are two within two weeks of each other, is it?
Others think the rules should be changed, like Peyton Manning.
“I think they should change that rule,” Manning said ESPN Pardon the interruption after Toney’s offside call. “If they have to call that, just blow up this room so we don’t see what happened.”
