Craic
11-17-2015, 12:59 PM
So, I came across a nice little website (titles below are links) that lists all the penalties called for and against teams in sortable tables. Knowing how often Steelers fans (at least on this site) whine about ref/league bias against the Steelers, I thought I'd take a look at the numbers. What I found was pretty interesting.
(Note, first line is our rank for least penalized teams, second line is our rank in how many times a team has benefited from the call against their opponent - all for 2015 year).
Unnecessary Roughness (UR) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/unnecessary-roughness?year=2015)
We are tied for 14th least URs, with 4, one away from being tied for 7th place.
We are 1st in benefiting from URs.
Defensive Pass Interference (DPI)
(http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/defensive-pass-interference?year=2015)We are tied for 11th in least DPIs called against us with 4 (again).
We are tied for 1st with Arizona and the Giants for benefiting from DPIs. (by the way, NE is 4 DPIs behind us)
Defensive Holding (DH) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/defensive-holding?year=2015)
We are tied for 12th in least DHs called, 1 call away from 8th place in least DHs.
We are for 20th in benefiting from DHs. (My guess is our receivers are too good, so a potential DH turns into a DPI because of their speed and agility and the defender's reactions)
Offensive Pass Interference (OPI) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/offensive-pass-interference?year=2015)
We are tied for 7th in least OPIs called against us with 1, one away from 1st place (obviously).
We are tied for 17th in benefiting from OPIs (my guess - zone coverage limits OPI).
Illegal Use of the Hands (IUH) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/illegal-use-of-hands?year=2015)
We are tied for 9th place in least IUHs, and one call away from first place.
We are tied for 5th in benefiting from IUHs.
Offensive Holding (OH) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/offensive-holding?year=2015)
We are tied for 22nd in least OHs called against us (not surprising when you think about our line and the QBs they've had to protect this year).
We are 14th in benefiting from OHs, one away from 12th place.
Illegal Block Above Waist (BAW) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/illegal-block-above-the-waist?year=2015)
We are tied for 9th in least BAWs, one away from 6th place
We are tied for 16th in benefitting from BAWs, 1 away from 10th place
Total Penalties - Committed
(http://www.nflpenalties.com/phase.php?year=2015)Offense: 14th place in total penalties against
Defense: Tied for 6th in total penalties against
Special Teams: tired for 5th in total penalties against, 1 away from 3rd place
Overall: 8th least penalized team in the league
Total Penalties - Benefited From (http://www.nflpenalties.com/phase-beneficiary.php?year=2015)
Offense: 8th most benefited team
Defense: tied for 18th most benefited team
Special Teams: 3rd most benefited team
Overall: Tied for 6th most benefited team
Summary:
The Steelers benefit more than any other team in the league for Unnecessary Roughness calls and Defensive Pass Interference (the latter tied with two other teams). We are in the top ten least penalized teams for Offensive Pass Interference, Illegal Use of the Hands, and Illegal BLocks above the Waist, and in the top twelve for least Defensive Holding and Defensive Pass interference calls. In fact, we are above league average in everything except for committing OH penalties, and benefiting from DH penalties and OPI penalities.
Conclusion:
There is absolutely no bias against the Steelers when it comes to penalties in a game. In fact, if this chart proves anything, its that it is technically possible for there to be bias for the Steelers (there isn't, IMO).
(Note, first line is our rank for least penalized teams, second line is our rank in how many times a team has benefited from the call against their opponent - all for 2015 year).
Unnecessary Roughness (UR) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/unnecessary-roughness?year=2015)
We are tied for 14th least URs, with 4, one away from being tied for 7th place.
We are 1st in benefiting from URs.
Defensive Pass Interference (DPI)
(http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/defensive-pass-interference?year=2015)We are tied for 11th in least DPIs called against us with 4 (again).
We are tied for 1st with Arizona and the Giants for benefiting from DPIs. (by the way, NE is 4 DPIs behind us)
Defensive Holding (DH) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/defensive-holding?year=2015)
We are tied for 12th in least DHs called, 1 call away from 8th place in least DHs.
We are for 20th in benefiting from DHs. (My guess is our receivers are too good, so a potential DH turns into a DPI because of their speed and agility and the defender's reactions)
Offensive Pass Interference (OPI) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/offensive-pass-interference?year=2015)
We are tied for 7th in least OPIs called against us with 1, one away from 1st place (obviously).
We are tied for 17th in benefiting from OPIs (my guess - zone coverage limits OPI).
Illegal Use of the Hands (IUH) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/illegal-use-of-hands?year=2015)
We are tied for 9th place in least IUHs, and one call away from first place.
We are tied for 5th in benefiting from IUHs.
Offensive Holding (OH) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/offensive-holding?year=2015)
We are tied for 22nd in least OHs called against us (not surprising when you think about our line and the QBs they've had to protect this year).
We are 14th in benefiting from OHs, one away from 12th place.
Illegal Block Above Waist (BAW) (http://www.nflpenalties.com/penalty/illegal-block-above-the-waist?year=2015)
We are tied for 9th in least BAWs, one away from 6th place
We are tied for 16th in benefitting from BAWs, 1 away from 10th place
Total Penalties - Committed
(http://www.nflpenalties.com/phase.php?year=2015)Offense: 14th place in total penalties against
Defense: Tied for 6th in total penalties against
Special Teams: tired for 5th in total penalties against, 1 away from 3rd place
Overall: 8th least penalized team in the league
Total Penalties - Benefited From (http://www.nflpenalties.com/phase-beneficiary.php?year=2015)
Offense: 8th most benefited team
Defense: tied for 18th most benefited team
Special Teams: 3rd most benefited team
Overall: Tied for 6th most benefited team
Summary:
The Steelers benefit more than any other team in the league for Unnecessary Roughness calls and Defensive Pass Interference (the latter tied with two other teams). We are in the top ten least penalized teams for Offensive Pass Interference, Illegal Use of the Hands, and Illegal BLocks above the Waist, and in the top twelve for least Defensive Holding and Defensive Pass interference calls. In fact, we are above league average in everything except for committing OH penalties, and benefiting from DH penalties and OPI penalities.
Conclusion:
There is absolutely no bias against the Steelers when it comes to penalties in a game. In fact, if this chart proves anything, its that it is technically possible for there to be bias for the Steelers (there isn't, IMO).