Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal" [merged]
 

Something I've always been curious about, just wondering if someone has the basis for why penalties are sometimes "half the distance to the goal".

For example, if a team is at the opponents 8 yard line and the defense commits a 5 yard offsides penalty, the ball would get moved to the 3. However, if a defender decided to take a swipe at a QBs head at that same 8 yard line, it only ends up as a 4 yard penalty even though the infraction is much worse.

Seems to me that the ball should be marked off as far as possible for the yardage of the penalty until it gets to the 1 yard line.

Any idea as to why it's not done that way?


Thanks.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

You're incorrect; a 5 yard penalty from the 8 yard line is actually marked off as half the distance to the goal and would be spotted on the 4 yard line.

Seems like a reasonable rule to me; your opinion may vary.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

So, where on the field do they start marking half the distance for penalties. Is it for anything inside the 10?

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

I believe the rule is if the penalty yardage carries into the goal it is then halved.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

The rule applies to any penalty where the yardage marked off would be more than half the distance to the goal. In other words, it would apply to a five yard penalty from inside the 10, a 15 yard penalty from inside the 30, etc. The only time it doesn't apply is when a penalty is based on spot of infraction, like a pass interference call in the end zone being brought out to the one.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

No, the original post cited such an example, a 5 yard penalty from the 8.

More simply, if the penalty moves the ball more than halfway to the goal, then it becomes half the distance.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

I'm pretty sure unsportsmanlike conduct penalties and personal fouls ie rough the quarterback, which would normally be 15 yards, are also halved when inside the opposing team's twenty yard line. I would check my NFL rulebook, but I'm at work. I believe there is an online version, however, if anyone is bored enough to look it up.

As for the reasoning behind it, I assume that the league does not want to change the result of a game by allowing a team to score simply because of a penalty, in other words, they want the red zone to be tougher/mean something, unless it is a penalty which directly affects scoring, such as pass interference in the end zone or something.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

Ok, that answers where it gets applied. Still curious as to the basis for the rule though. Seems odd that you can commit a 15 yard penalty at the 20 yard line and the ball ends up at the 10 instead of the 5.


Thanks for the info.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

Could be, although on the other hand it would seem that the rule almost favors the defense in that situation.

What if it's late in a game and a team is driving with minimal time left on the clock. They're at the 18 yard line and a defender decides puts a late hit on the QB knowing that it's only going to move the ball to the 9 instead of the full 15 yards (which would be the 3). Might be worth the shot in some cases.

Re: Question on "Half the Distance to the Goal"
 

The idea in a penalty is to encourage people not to break the rule not to change the outcome of the game, placing the ball on the one would be to harsh. Personally I think a PI call should be placed on the 5 instead of the one unless the inseide the 20 because I think placing the ball on the 1 is too harsh