After this weekend's putrid offensive performances (Edmonton excluded) and probably a record low for total points scored, I decided to look back to last year to check the numbers.

This season through Week 14 there have been 57 games played with an average total points scored of 45.6 points/game (average score of 29.2-16.4)

Last season through Week 14 there was 52 games played for an average total points scored of 53.4 points (average score of 32.4-21)

League wide scoring is down nearly 8 points/game.

What's more surprising is when I look at the games themselves they reveal the following:

Times one team scored less than 20 points in a game:

2013 - 23

2014 - 44

Times BOTH teams scored less than 20 points in the game:

2013 - 3

2014 - 9

Times the combined score was under 30 points:

2013 - 3

2014 - 11

This season has shown to be more sloppy and inconsistent. Hard to say if it's been because of better defenses or poorer offenses, or a combination of the two.

Either way it makes for games that are slower paced and a little more anticlimactic.

Simple food for thought.

Expansion has a lot to do with it but I think that the defences have caught up to the offences.

The spread offense has been figured out by defenses around the league. Toronto is running more of a west coast style and I expect them to continue to have success as long as Ray and his weapons stay healthy. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see them win it all this year if Burke get's his act together.

The spread offense has been figured out by defenses around the league. Toronto is running more of a west coast style and I expect them to continue to have success as long as Ray and his weapons stay healthy. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to see them win it all this year if Burke get's his act together.

Tough sell really at the this point for me. Offensive weapons and all, their D is still suspect. It's not just Burke, I think it's the level of talent, or lack thereof that is a problem for them.

All QB injuries around the league considered...Edmonton is looking like a solid contender this year.

No flow or rhythm to the action doesn't help either. There's no doubt the penalties are affecting this to at least some extent.

Expansion has a lot to do with it but I think that the defences have caught up to the offences.

 

This

 

Wait till Quebec and / or the Maritimes get a team. If they get one sooner, 30 points will be like 50 now. 

I'm with Mike on this one, bet if you looked at how many penalties have been called this year compared to last... you'd see the reason. Offences have a hard time gaining momentum or being consistent because after every big play, more than likely a flag is thrown. Refs are flag happy this year, more so than last year and i think that's the main reason why you are seeing so many low scoring games. I'm fine with them calling penalties but if the penalty has absolutely nothing to do with the play, they should have kept the flag in their pockets. Seen it so many times, big play called back because some guy on the other side of the field gets called for something that had nothing to do with that big play at all. 

 

I'm not sure having an expansion team plays any role at all actually, one would think that with an expansion team to beat up on, scoring might go up but it's gone down so it's gotta be because of all the big plays called back on Offence by very suspect very iffy nothing to do with the play at all penalties. 

 

Oh and just before anyone says otherwise, League wide. Not just the bombers, league wide, you see it every game. Big plays called back because of a weak marginal at best call that goes against the offence. 

 

I heard earlier in the season, i believe when Glenn Johnson was a guest on TSN in studio, i believe he mentioned that this year they changed things up a bit in terms of the reffing crews, in years past, for example kim murphy would work with the same crew game in game out, so would andre proulx and so on and so on, head ref with the same crew week in week out, game in game out, this year, that's not the case. I wonder if that has something to do with the amount of penalties being called. 

I'm with Mike on this one, bet if you looked at how many penalties have been called this year compared to last... you'd see the reason.

So let's take a look, so far compared to the same point in the season last year

 

Calgary, is taking 1 penalty per game more for an additional 8 yards per game

Sask, is taking 1.25 penalties per game more for an additional 3.5 yards per game

Winnipeg is taking .7 penalties less per game for an additional .1 yards per game

Montreal is taking 1 less penalty per game for 2.4 yards per game less

BC is taking 4 penalties per game more for an additional 26 yards per game

Toronto is taking 2 penalties per game more for an additional 24.5 yards per game

Edmonton is taking .8 penalties per game more for an additional 4.7 yards per game

Hamilton is taking 3.5 penalties per game more for an additional 15 yards per game

 

overall there are 2.8 penalties per game more for an additional 21 yards per game in penalties though 2/3 of this season vs first 2/3 of last season

 

I'm with Mike on this one, bet if you looked at how many penalties have been called this year compared to last... you'd see the reason.

So let's take a look, so far compared to the same point in the season last year

 

Calgary, is taking 1 penalty per game more for an additional 8 yards per game

Sask, is taking 1.25 penalties per game more for an additional 3.5 yards per game

Winnipeg is taking .7 penalties less per game for an additional .1 yards per game

Montreal is taking 1 less penalty per game for 2.4 yards per game less

BC is taking 4 penalties per game more for an additional 26 yards per game

Toronto is taking 2 penalties per game more for an additional 24.5 yards per game

Edmonton is taking .8 penalties per game more for an additional 4.7 yards per game

Hamilton is taking 3.5 penalties per game more for an additional 15 yards per game

 

overall there are 2.8 penalties per game more for an additional 21 yards per game in penalties though 2/3 of this season vs first 2/3 of last season

 

Well that is absolutely shocking for sure. Honestly just watching the games and all games i can, it sure seems like the refs are way more flag happy than just roughly 3 calls per game. Color me surprised for sure.

 

Think the refs do play a role, the penalties do play a role though, think we are kidding ourselves if we think they don't.. Maybe its not the amount of penalties being called but penalties being called at the worst possible times? I dunno, maybe more context would help, wonder how many of those penalties took away big plays off the board for the offences in the league. 

 

When were they called? what was the call? did the call have anything at all to actually do with the big play?

 

Or maybe it is as simple as the Defenses are just better. Who knows really. 

 

I'm with Mike on this one, bet if you looked at how many penalties have been called this year compared to last... you'd see the reason.

So let's take a look, so far compared to the same point in the season last year

 

Calgary, is taking 1 penalty per game more for an additional 8 yards per game

Sask, is taking 1.25 penalties per game more for an additional 3.5 yards per game

Winnipeg is taking .7 penalties less per game for an additional .1 yards per game

Montreal is taking 1 less penalty per game for 2.4 yards per game less

BC is taking 4 penalties per game more for an additional 26 yards per game

Toronto is taking 2 penalties per game more for an additional 24.5 yards per game

Edmonton is taking .8 penalties per game more for an additional 4.7 yards per game

Hamilton is taking 3.5 penalties per game more for an additional 15 yards per game

 

overall there are 2.8 penalties per game more for an additional 21 yards per game in penalties though 2/3 of this season vs first 2/3 of last season

 

 

The reffing sucked last year too!  

There is an expansion team, which has made the talent pool a little thinner (which significantly affects OL and NIs).

 

There are three new starting QBs.

 

Multiple QBs and RBs have been injured throughout the year.

 

 

I'm with Mike on this one, bet if you looked at how many penalties have been called this year compared to last... you'd see the reason.

So let's take a look, so far compared to the same point in the season last year

 

Calgary, is taking 1 penalty per game more for an additional 8 yards per game

Sask, is taking 1.25 penalties per game more for an additional 3.5 yards per game

Winnipeg is taking .7 penalties less per game for an additional .1 yards per game

Montreal is taking 1 less penalty per game for 2.4 yards per game less

BC is taking 4 penalties per game more for an additional 26 yards per game

Toronto is taking 2 penalties per game more for an additional 24.5 yards per game

Edmonton is taking .8 penalties per game more for an additional 4.7 yards per game

Hamilton is taking 3.5 penalties per game more for an additional 15 yards per game

 

overall there are 2.8 penalties per game more for an additional 21 yards per game in penalties though 2/3 of this season vs first 2/3 of last season

 

 

The reffing sucked last year too!  

 

 

Not sure where these numbers came from, but the CFL actually keeps official track of this data and their data shows that penalties are up about 18% (3.3 penalties per game) as of September 22nd.

 

There are penalties being called on roughly 13% of the snaps. Offensive penalties isolated are up 30% from last year, which is where a lot of the hold up in the flow of the game has been in my mind. Dead ball fouls have seen the smallest increase, which again kind of supports what I'm getting at, because they don't result in a play being overturned.

 

 

 

I'm with Mike on this one, bet if you looked at how many penalties have been called this year compared to last... you'd see the reason.

So let's take a look, so far compared to the same point in the season last year

 

Calgary, is taking 1 penalty per game more for an additional 8 yards per game

Sask, is taking 1.25 penalties per game more for an additional 3.5 yards per game

Winnipeg is taking .7 penalties less per game for an additional .1 yards per game

Montreal is taking 1 less penalty per game for 2.4 yards per game less

BC is taking 4 penalties per game more for an additional 26 yards per game

Toronto is taking 2 penalties per game more for an additional 24.5 yards per game

Edmonton is taking .8 penalties per game more for an additional 4.7 yards per game

Hamilton is taking 3.5 penalties per game more for an additional 15 yards per game

 

overall there are 2.8 penalties per game more for an additional 21 yards per game in penalties though 2/3 of this season vs first 2/3 of last season

 

 

The reffing sucked last year too!  

 

 

Not sure where these numbers came from, but the CFL actually keeps official track of this data and their data shows that penalties are up about 18% (3.3 penalties per game) as of September 22nd.

 

There are penalties being called on roughly 13% of the snaps. Offensive penalties isolated are up 30% from last year, which is where a lot of the hold up in the flow of the game has been in my mind. Dead ball fouls have seen the smallest increase, which again kind of supports what I'm getting at, because they don't result in a play being overturned.

 

took the stats from cflmedia.ca number of penalties per team and yards penalized per team and then did the math. Took the week 13 file from last season which had 12 games per team, and the most current file that was available this year which has 12 games for all but 2 teams.

We have to remember that the penalty stats on the website will only be for accepted penalties.  Declined penalties will not be tracked.  

 

The reason I bring this up is that that with low offensive first down conversion rates, the defences can decline more penalties as the offending offence will be in a punting position.

not just the number of penalties.

 

It also depends on what play has happened when the flag is thrown.

 

holding after a run for no gain

 

or holding after a run for fifty yards

 

are not the same.

 

It seems like there are a lot of flags after big plays, like for instance the flag on Romby Bryant long touchdown completion.