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Semi OT: Application Of Unsportsmanlike Penalties
Wild card weekend is over, and all the buzz is about the Bengals and Steelers match on Saturday night in which unsportsmanlike conduct penalties played a crucial role in the outcome. I have no problem with the flag that was thrown on Burfect. It was very poor judgement by him and he was flagged. It's unfortunate to see a game decided in such a fashion, but HE forced the ref's hand. As for Adam Jones, to be honest I haven't watched the replay so I can't say one way or the other if he should have received a flag, but that's not what I'm here to talk about.
We have seen just how much a 15 yard penalty impacts the outcome of a game. Instead of the game ending penalties though, I want to talk about the TD celebration penalty. Remember when the Steelers recovered a fumble for a TD but then got flagged for a team celebration? Well, the play was overturned (no touchdown) but the penalty stood. Why? Well, because unsportsmanlike penalties stand regardless. I understand the logic there. After all, if a punch was thrown after the TD was scored that's not something you'd want to completely disregard just because the TD wasn't good after review. But a TD celebration? I feel like THAT is an example of an exception that can be overlooked if it is found that a TD was NOT scored.
Think about this scenario: A Pats player is ruled to score a TD, gets flagged for celebration. An automatic review shows that the player was down at the half yard line. Now the Pats have potentially 2nd and goal from the 15 yard line.
Worse yet, the following scenario actually played out in actual game. I think it was KC/PIT years ago, but....Pitt was facing a 3rd and 4. KC sacks the QB, forces a fumble, returns it for a tD, and gets flagged for a celebration. Replay then shows that it is NOT a fumble but instead of an incomplete pass. Instead of 4th down and a punt situation, however, the celebration flag gives them 15 yards and most importantly a first down. In this situation, the penalty impacted the game FAR more than the typical "perform the kick off from 15 yards further than usual".
Bottom line......I think we all agree that in the grand scheme of personal foul penalties, a team celebration is the most harmless penalty (or at least near the bottom). I don't think there would be too many people up in arms if team TD celebrations were overlooked (i.e., foul not applied) IF it is found that the TD never happened.
For the record I also have gripes when the defense receives a personal foul flag on a play in which the offense scored a TD. That is the only time of the game when the penalty is essentially meaningless. Think about it, let's say the defender gives a vicious and clearly late hit on the QB that draws a flag. If the offense scored the penalty gets tagged to the kick off. The kickoff will result in a touchback with or without the penalty and the team committing the foul will have felt no real effects from it. Perhaps the penalty is applied to the kick off result (I know that gets complicated if the team returns it for a TD. instead of the TD do they get the ball at the 15 yards line).
Look, I'm not saying I have all the answers. Just something that I don't think is 'right' the way it is. I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Maybe one of you has the perfect solution, or does everyone think it is 'fine as is'?
Wild card weekend is over, and all the buzz is about the Bengals and Steelers match on Saturday night in which unsportsmanlike conduct penalties played a crucial role in the outcome. I have no problem with the flag that was thrown on Burfect. It was very poor judgement by him and he was flagged. It's unfortunate to see a game decided in such a fashion, but HE forced the ref's hand. As for Adam Jones, to be honest I haven't watched the replay so I can't say one way or the other if he should have received a flag, but that's not what I'm here to talk about.
We have seen just how much a 15 yard penalty impacts the outcome of a game. Instead of the game ending penalties though, I want to talk about the TD celebration penalty. Remember when the Steelers recovered a fumble for a TD but then got flagged for a team celebration? Well, the play was overturned (no touchdown) but the penalty stood. Why? Well, because unsportsmanlike penalties stand regardless. I understand the logic there. After all, if a punch was thrown after the TD was scored that's not something you'd want to completely disregard just because the TD wasn't good after review. But a TD celebration? I feel like THAT is an example of an exception that can be overlooked if it is found that a TD was NOT scored.
Think about this scenario: A Pats player is ruled to score a TD, gets flagged for celebration. An automatic review shows that the player was down at the half yard line. Now the Pats have potentially 2nd and goal from the 15 yard line.
Worse yet, the following scenario actually played out in actual game. I think it was KC/PIT years ago, but....Pitt was facing a 3rd and 4. KC sacks the QB, forces a fumble, returns it for a tD, and gets flagged for a celebration. Replay then shows that it is NOT a fumble but instead of an incomplete pass. Instead of 4th down and a punt situation, however, the celebration flag gives them 15 yards and most importantly a first down. In this situation, the penalty impacted the game FAR more than the typical "perform the kick off from 15 yards further than usual".
Bottom line......I think we all agree that in the grand scheme of personal foul penalties, a team celebration is the most harmless penalty (or at least near the bottom). I don't think there would be too many people up in arms if team TD celebrations were overlooked (i.e., foul not applied) IF it is found that the TD never happened.
For the record I also have gripes when the defense receives a personal foul flag on a play in which the offense scored a TD. That is the only time of the game when the penalty is essentially meaningless. Think about it, let's say the defender gives a vicious and clearly late hit on the QB that draws a flag. If the offense scored the penalty gets tagged to the kick off. The kickoff will result in a touchback with or without the penalty and the team committing the foul will have felt no real effects from it. Perhaps the penalty is applied to the kick off result (I know that gets complicated if the team returns it for a TD. instead of the TD do they get the ball at the 15 yards line).
Look, I'm not saying I have all the answers. Just something that I don't think is 'right' the way it is. I'm interested to hear your thoughts. Maybe one of you has the perfect solution, or does everyone think it is 'fine as is'?
