Alarming New Data Reveals How NFL Referees Are Ruining Games Like Never Before — “Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen”
This article was originally published on Total Pro Sports.
It doesn’t matter what game you tune into every week, you are sure to see a ridiculous number of NFL penalties. You can’t have too many plays in a row before seeing quite a few.
It remains hard for fans to even get excited about a big play, because they just wait for a flag to be thrown to wipe out a play. There is even data that shows which refs have thrown how many flags so far.
You are certainly not imagining things, because there is now new data that proves that refs have become whistle-happy.
Numbers Don’t Lie: The Controversial Truth Behind the Exploding NFL Penalties Crisis This Season
NFL analyst Warren Sharp released alarming data showing that referee flags have surged to historic, game-altering highs this season. His extensive research indicates that officiating is heavily disrupting the natural flow of professional football games. Specifically, Week 4 averaged an incredible 17 penalties per game across the entire league. This mark stands out as the highest single-week average recorded in the NFL since 2015.
Offenses are absorbing almost all of this sudden, massive spike in disciplinary discipline. Through the first four weeks, offenses drew an average of 7.64 flags per contest. Sharp pointed out that this is the highest offensive rate recorded since 2003. Furthermore, officials are heavily penalizing teams during the most crucial periods of the game.
The data reveal the highest number of late-game third- and fourth-down flags since 2000. Most notably, an unprecedented 17 touchdowns have been completely nullified by penalties through four weeks. Consequently, this total doubles the historical league average of roughly eight wiped-out scores.
Addressing the issue on social media, Sharp explicitly shared the strong sentiment felt by many frustrated fans. He stated, “If you watched the NFL and thought something didn’t feel right, you’re not alone.” The analyst heavily emphasized that referees are actively deciding matchups by over-calling minor infractions.
The amount of flgags have made the game completely unwatchable.
