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Patriots & penalties

Email|Link|Comments (5) Posted by Mike Reiss, Globe Staff November 12, 2008 09:26 AM

Through nine games, the Patriots are the NFL's least penalized team. After review of the NFL's official gamebooks, they have been flagged a total of 32 times, with 26 of those penalties accepted (1 penalty was offsetting).

Breaking down those 32 penalties, by specific call and by player flagged:

Most frequent penalty called:

False start – 6

Unnecessary roughness - 5

Offensive holding – 3

Defensive pass interference -- 2

Face mask – 2

Illegal formation -- 2

12 penalties called once (defensive holding, special teams delay of game*, encroachment, illegal contact, illegal formation, illegal touching of a kick, illegal block above the waist, neutral zone infraction, offensive pass interference, roughing the passer, special teams holding, unsportsmanlike conduct)

Players most penalized:

Matt Light – 3

Mike Vrabel -- 3 (updated 1:33 p.m.)

Deltha O’Neal – 2

Stephen Spach – 2**

David Thomas – 2

Vince Wilfork -- 2 (updated 1:33 p.m.)

18 players with one apiece
(two penalties that were initially assessed to the team have since been assigned, as Vince Wilfork picked up an unnecessary roughness penalty against the Chiefs and Mike Vrabel picked up an encorachment penalty against the Dolphins)

* penalty was taken intentionally to create more room for a punt
** player no longer with the team

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5 comments so far...

The Patriots may be the least penalized team in terms of yardage. Would they be, simultaneously, the most fined team in the league?

Posted by PaulK November 12, 08 10:21 AM

The DB's aren't being flagged because they are never close enough to the receivers.

Posted by Jim L. November 12, 08 12:13 PM

Jim L....excellent comment. (lol) Especially Hobbs. Hobbs is, without a doubt, one of the weakest one on one cover corners in the NFL. I would say that it is very unlikely that he would be a starter on the majority of NFL teams, or at best, the number 2 on a team weak at the corner position.

Posted by Mike Allen November 12, 08 06:00 PM

Mike:
Ahh, but put a microphone in front of his face and he's an All-Pro or at least a legend in his own mind.

Posted by Jim L. November 12, 08 06:38 PM

Mike, we all know you hate Hobbs. We got it. Your point, however, is not relevant - he may be one of the weakest one on one cover corners but the Pats do not typically play a one-on-one cover defense, if I am not mistaken.

Posted by jf4242 November 13, 08 02:25 PM

DO NOT HIT THE SUBMIT BUTTON MORE THAN ONCE!

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Mike Reiss, Christopher L. Gasper and the rest of the Globe team provide regular updates –and a behind-the-scenes look– on the daily happenings of the Patriots.

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