In the last 3 games we've played the Colts...

[the Patriot]

Patriots have racked up 238 penalty yards to the Colts 45 penalty yards.

In those games, both teams have scored an equal total number of points (73), but the Colts have won two of the three.

Cause for concern?

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

Take it to the "obsessing about the past" forum.

It's time to hate the Jets now.

 

[Kontradiction]

The refs are fixed I tells ya!

 

[denverpatsfan]

Proved my point about the biased officiating.

 

[cavtroop]

So the Pats have averaged 79 yds/game vs the Colts. Their 2009 avg/game is 52, a difference of +27 yds

The Colts averaged 15yd/gm vs NE. 2009 avg/gm is 39. A difference of -24.

Hmmm.

Edit: the last 3 have been AT IND, right? I wonder how this will average out over the next few meetings in Foxboro. Interesting to see if it's a 'home team bias' or a 'Colts bias'. I'm betting 'home team', but don't have the time to run numbers for that.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Patriots have racked up 238 penalty yards to the Colts 45 penalty yards.

In those games, both teams have scored an equal total number of points (73), but the Colts have won two of the three.

Cause for concern?

Make it 4 games inc/ 07 AFCC and Pats had 8/68 and Colts were 4/32.

Considering ALL of the games you mention were in Indy, not suprised...

 

[Kontradiction]

So are we going to keep crying about the refs? For chrissake, we sound like the trolls that come on here accusing the refs of being in Brady's pocket. Here's a better idea: let's start discussiing the Jets and quit crying about the refs. I didn't see the refs complete touchdown passes to Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon. I saw Peyton Manning do that.

 

[aluminum seats]

This is interesting and potentially important--hardly obsessing about the past, considering there's a good chance the Pats will play at Indy again this year. You don't have to be a whining about the refs type to realize that the refs are human and are influenced by the home crowd.

This is actually a case where it would be helpful to have someone publicly complain about it, to put that in the refs' heads for next time. Pats will never do it, of course, and good for them--be good if reporter or somebody did, though.

 

[PatsSox363804]

Least surprising stats ever, but still it's amazing when you actually look at it.

 

[the Patriot]

So are we going to keep crying about the refs? For chrissake, we sound like the trolls that come on here accusing the refs of being in Brady's pocket. Here's a better idea: let's start discussiing the Jets and quit crying about the refs. I didn't see the refs complete touchdown passes to Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon. I saw Peyton Manning do that.

I never overtly blamed the officials. But those statistics are not a good thing. Beating Indy is tough enough. We don't want to be dealing with a penalty ratio like that in the playoffs, whether it be the fault of our players or not.

 

[RobertWeathers]

So are we going to keep crying about the refs? For chrissake, we sound like the trolls that come on here accusing the refs of being in Brady's pocket. Here's a better idea: let's start discussiing the Jets and quit crying about the refs. I didn't see the refs complete touchdown passes to Reggie Wayne and Pierre Garcon. I saw Peyton Manning do that.

It's not about *****ing. Its about facts. That fact that the Pats have been penalized more than 200 yards in 4 games is very interesting and worthy discussion.

 

[BelichickFan]

So are we going to keep crying about the refs?

Considering we're one of the least penalized teams the past few years, I would say it's a very weird coincidence. To be generous.

 

[Wax Frog]

Interesting to see if it's a 'home team bias' or a 'Colts bias'. I'm betting 'home team', but don't have the time to run numbers for that.

I've long suspected the former, though as with you it's based purely on intuition. I have to think that on some level the refs must feel pressured by the crowd.

 

[Kontradiction]

For the record, I'm not denying that the refs made some bad calls. The call on Butler was terrible. But I just hope that you guys aren't trying to pin the loss soley on the refs considering the Patriots did enough to lose the game themselves.

 

[PatsSox363804]

Considering we're one of the least penalized teams the past few years, I would say it's a very weird coincidence. To be generous.

No kidding. We always get at least one iffy pass interference call in that building, and it seems rather convenient that we are so penalized there compared to our other games.

 

[PatsSox363804]

For the record, I'm not denying that the refs made some bad calls. The call on Butler was terrible. But I just hope that you guys aren't trying to pin the loss soley on the refs considering the Patriots did enough to lose the game themselves.

Of course not, we lost the game because Faulk bobbled the ball and we went into a soft zone defense.

 

[Wretch]

Before passing judgment I would want to take a look at all home versus away penalty stats for the Pats and the league and compare the results to other and look for patterns with teams playing in Indy, in domes, home versus away, etc.

A single stat like that can be misleading, but my biased Patriot fan eyes say that we are getting jobbed. (See: face guarding)

I will say that Polian has done a good job of getting rules through the competition committee that favor QB centered (passing) offenses, and he just happens to have an all time great QB and some stellar receivers on his team

 

[Kontradiction]

Of course not, we lost the game because Faulk bobbled the ball and we went into a soft zone defense.

That's what I like to hear. Let's not forget about the ultra-conservative offensive play calling as well.

 

[mosslost]

I want to see those numbers for OTHER teams away at the Colts.

 

[aluminum seats]

For the record, I'm not denying that the refs made some bad calls. The call on Butler was terrible. But I just hope that you guys aren't trying to pin the loss soley on the refs considering the Patriots did enough to lose the game themselves.

I don't think the OP was doing that at all. I agree with you that you can find whining on any team's board about this or that call, and it always looks lame. But as an ongoing trend--that could easily be applicable this year in the playoffs--it's a pretty stark stat, and one that is beginning to be not such a small sample size.