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Question from Eric Goska for people who know scoring rules

Posted: Sun Mar 22, 2020 7:43 pm
by JohnTurney
I've looked through the NFL's guide for statisticians and I don't see this as being covered. Wondering if you might know the answer.

Packers at Lions opening day 1978.

2-4-L30 Middleton runs for +3 [Detroit's Bailey and GB's Thompson were cited for unsportsmanlike conduct.]

No yardage was marked off. The penalties offset. The next play continued as if the penalties had not been called.

3-1-L27 Middleton +2 and FIRST DOWN.

The question: Should a penalty for 0 yards given to both Lions and GB on that second down play?

A similar situation occurred in the fourth quarter.

For the game, GB was listed as having 8 accepted penalties for 40 yards; Lions 9 for 31.

Is that correct or should it be 6 for 40 and 7 for 31 as the unsportsmanlike penalties called in 1Q and 4Q offset both times?

Re: Question from Eric Goska for people who know scoring rul

Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2020 2:07 pm
by TodMaher
Here is the CURRENT rules as per the person who currently manages the GSIS operations:

If offsetting penalties occur during a play, play stats for that play would be nullified. If offsetting penalties occur during a dead ball situation, play stats would count. In both situations, offsetting penalties do not count towards team penalty totals.

I say CURRENT, because in 1978 the scoring rules/interpretations could have been different.

Re: Question from Eric Goska for people who know scoring rul

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 2:25 pm
by Dusty Sloan
As far as I know, there have never been penalties given in stats for offsetting penalties. It's always been nothing in the stats because they are offsetting, as far as I know.

Re: Question from Eric Goska for people who know scoring rul

Posted: Wed Mar 25, 2020 3:51 pm
by JohnTurney
TodMaher wrote:Here is the CURRENT rules as per the person who currently manages the GSIS operations:

If offsetting penalties occur during a play, play stats for that play would be nullified. If offsetting penalties occur during a dead ball situation, play stats would count. In both situations, offsetting penalties do not count towards team penalty totals.

I say CURRENT, because in 1978 the scoring rules/interpretations could have been different.
Thanks, will pass along to Eric