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.
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.
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