Our opponents have the fewest

[Hawk Sista]

# of flags as we are amongst the biggest offenders. No, this isn't a conspiracy thread but the data shows this is true. I realize that the officials are only human and that in real time, there's no way to get em all. I also know that we have shot ourselves in the foot plenty (12 men on the field how many times? Pre-snap after pre-snap mistake -DAMN) I also know that mistakes are made in other games (so much so I looked up the rule on offensive holding because I thought maybe I was just wrong).

While I don't think there's a vendetta against us, I do think we have a reputation & we get called tighter than other teams. This would be easier to swallow if the officiating were a bit more consistent. It's easy to see why players are frustrated.

I also think that cleaning up the STUPID penalties (see Bruce Irvin) is job #1.

[Vegaseahawk]

Agreed, Sis. It's so frustrating to see a nice momentum generating drive killed by a stupid mistake. It's happened so many times this season that I've come to expect it. This team needs to focus on cutting down on the lame penalties BIG TIME.

[HumanCockroach]

The more alarming stat isn't the discrepency in flags between Seattle and it's opponents IMHO, it is the discrepency of flags said opponents have only when they play the Seahawks. Seattle has played some of the league leaders in penalty calls ( Washington, St. Louis, Cowboys etc) and somehow they magically morph from teams averaging around nine or ten a game to somehow getting two or three......

Sometimes things don't necessarily mean "conspiracy", but like I said, anyone claiming the refs are calling it consistently in Seahawks games between Seattle and whomever their opponent is, simply aren't watching. It's one thing to miss an occational call, but egregious misses on opponents will never sit well with me, and it tends to fester from week to week, to the point where an blown Irvin "lined up in the neutral zone" infraction that did NOT happen, then watching the NT line up with his entire head over the ball play after play, can throw me into a serious rage...

Stupid penalties on the Seahawks is on them, Refs making it so even "clean" plays get called on Seattle, while ignoring late hits on sliding QB's, or blatant facemasks by their opponents is on the Refs no matter how much fans of other teams, and Hawks fans want to dismiss them, that definitly contributes to the "conspiracy" feeling, and lack of confidence.

How many here wait several seconds after a big Seattle play waiting for the flag to come? How many times, has there been some questionable call bringing points off the board, or big play off the field ( Things like Baileys perfectly legal, clean "hold" that brought back Lynches TD run in St. Louis, making them score yet again, or the mysterious head bob on Unger? Harvin odd false start?? there are far, FAR to many of those curious calls). That is all on the refs, and like the players, these guys are professionals, and I EXPECT them to do their jobs, which certainly doesn't mean turning a blind eye to Seattles opponents, and throwing a flag whenever there is a question on Seattles side.

[Zorn76]

The penalties are tiresome, but we still won a SB being the #1 leader in flags against.

The Killer this year has been, among other things, a lack of execution and being bit by the injury bug.

But this team has the heart and wherewithal to pull through and make the playoffs. Gotta win these next couple games to reach 6-3, then go from there. We need 10 wins to get in, IMO, maybe more as others have said.

The refs are gonna do what they do. Last year we were often winning by margins that made that particular stat a moot point. So if we can't clean it up, then we gotta go back to executing and winning by bigger margins. Tough order, but we can do it.

Go Seahawks!!!

[Hawk Sista]

The more alarming stat isn't the discrepency in flags between Seattle and it's opponents IMHO, it is the discrepency of flags said opponents have only when they play the Seahawks. Seattle has played some of the league leaders in penalty calls ( Washington, St. Louis, Cowboys etc) and somehow they magically morph from teams averaging around nine or ten a game to somehow getting two or three......

Not sure if you are highlighting the point of my original post, just emphasizing it there, HC, or if you didn't get me. The teams we have faced (whilst playing the Hawks specifically) have the fewest penalties in the league this season to date. That data & my corresponding irritation, was the impetus for my post.

Seeing that data (I actually heard it) and watching the games go as they have this year is curious, indeed. The refs looked like they were running from a burning building to get the Rams to snap the ball and seal our fate rather than taking appropriate time to take a loooong look @ the double fumble that was NO doubt a game changer. If ever there was a time for a booth review, that was it. & this is just one example. As a fan, I was disappointed w/ ETs comments after the ram loss about the NFL not wanting us to repeat because they shoulda played better & taken the refs out of it. Don't let Davis drive down and go ahead...BUT... if I'm honest, I kinda feel like we are getting hosed more & more this year than ever. (Save XL) & it's not just the increase in yellow laundry spoiling game flow/watch-ability around the league I'm talking about (though that is also annoying but deserves is own thread.)

Even a cowboy fan coworker (who hates the seachicks & gives me grief @ every turn) acknowledged that HE noticed the bias after their win and says he noticed it in the Washington game, too. He actually said he believes the ref's preconceptions that our aggressive style is a problem that needs to be managed leads to the Hawks being over-penalized & opponents being under-flagged.

Hell, I watched Gruden applaud someone for great coverage Monday night; we've been penalized for FAR less. I think it's the lore of the boom impacting calls on D and I can't account for the blatant non-calls (holding, OPI, face maskSSSS, neutral zone infractions, PI etc.) the other way.

Again, we have s*** to clean up. Lots of it. The crazy re-snap miscues (how many 12 dudes on the field flags have we gotten? False starts? Head BONS hhh) are killing drives as are some other really bone-headed mistakes. They must adjust as the Hawks simply are not (yet) playing well enuff to mitigate 35 points taken off the board this season or moving backward 10-13 times a game.

I don't think there is a boogie man trying to make us lose (we are doing that nicely on our own). But I believe we are being looked at/penalized differently than many other team.

[rottweiler]

It's George Bush's fault.

[HumanCockroach]

Sis,

Maybe I misunderstood you, or maybe you misunderstood me. I read your post as emphasising the discrepency between Seattle and their opponent, I was attempting to point out the discrepency between our opponent that week, and that same opponent other weeks ( aka Washington averaging ten penalties a game, before and after playing Seattle, yet garnering only three that game somehow. St. Louis averaging nine, and somehow getting two called etc)

Either way, I don't believe it's a conspiracy, I do however believe Refs are calling every possible questionable call, and leaving those flags in their pockets when the other team has them, in an attempt to "balance" the playing field, which IMHO isn't what they are there for.

[Hawk Sista]

We are saying exactly the same thing. I must not be very clear as it is the theme for which this thread was created.

[mykc14]

Along wit this topic I have a question about 2 plays. Inelligable reciver down field. The first time it was called it was a screen and ML caught the ball behind the LOS, meaning the blockers can go down field, but it didn't look like anybody really argued that play at all and I didn't notice the commentors mention it. The second call was also BS, he went 2.001 yards down field. What the H is up with those calls? Last week it was Irvin lining up offsides, which he wasn't on the first call. I just don't get it ticky tack crap that should not be being called and it is against us every week. WTF?

[Vegaseahawk]

I also think that cleaning up the STUPID penalties (see Bruce Irvin) is job #1.

I think Irvin read your post before the Raider game, Sis. Or maybe it was the ref's who read it.

[HumanCockroach]

always a couple that leave someone scratching their head, for me it was the Richardson hold that wiped out a huge gain by Lynch. I've watched receivers literally pick up and body slam DB's ( hello Boldin) or receivers literally lift the shoulder pads up to cover the ear holes and never see a flag, yet that is somehow called? I don't agree with the whole lets let peterson mug this guy this week ( which is exactly what he did with Bryant today) and then throw a flag on Smith for brushing his elbow in this game over here crapola. Until the NFL can figure out some form of 'consistent' officiating, there is going to be plays that leafe fans irate, and cost teams football games.

The first 'inelligiable downfield' was bogus ( rewatch the play) the second while close, was probably the right call IMHO. Doesn't mean I like those calls but it is what it is, at least the refs today didn't create some enormous disparity ( as they have done for about a month straight until this game).

All in all, this may have been the best officiated game the Hawks have had since playing Denver, which was a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away....

Plenty of stuff that needs to be cleaned up, and still far to many unforced errors as a whole, but at least there were improvements, and that is a step in the right direction, especially since it feels like half the team is currently injured...

[Long Time Fan]

Still, far too many untimely penalties; I'd like to see a stat on the accumulated "erased" gains this season.

Its one thing to be the most penalized team; its another to have the opponent be the least penalized. The confluence of the two stats suggests that the Seahawks are in the NFL's crosshairs.

This is a spade.

[Hawktawk]

they hate us

[Seahawks4Ever]

Most of the penalties we got yesterday and most of the season are a direct result of having so many starters out. But, we got young and inexperienced players getting that experience and later on when it matters more those flags shouldn't be accumulating like they have been, especially yesterday.

[Hawktawk]

It took some research for sista to dig up these stats but they are really astonishing. Teams that get lots of penalties dont against Seattle. And Seattle leads the league in penalties again.The first stat is the most telling. Its a clear bias. I saw some obvious mistakes yesterday but I saw a few bad calls, and of course the no calls on the opposition.We cant get a holding call to save our lives and Richardson keeps his hands inside and makes a great block and gets flagged. We have had a few phantom calls including the personal foul on Carp a few weeks ago and I saw Raiders linemen doing the exact same thing, diving on top of players on the ground.Wilson is getting hammered when giving himself up so often he might as well go head first and get the extra yard.

It gets old.