What's up with ball spots on penalties?

[d10]

I know there have been a lot of rule changes in the NFL this year and I'm not familiar with all of them, have the rules on spotting balls after penalties changed?

First I see Jeff Saturday of the Colts holding at the 2 yard line, line of scrimmage was like the 8 yard line or something (completely guessing on that but it was around there) and the ball is spotted 10 yards from the spot of the hold, back to the 12 yard line. I don't remember ever seeing that before, it's always been 10 yards from the line of scrimmage for offensive holding.

Next I see Daunte Culpepper step back to the 21 yard line and throw the ball away short of the LOS, called for intentional grounding, loss of down and the ball spotted at the 21 yard line. WTF? That's not even a penalty anymore, the result would have been exactly the same as if he had just taken a sack.

I'm not losing my mind am I? These spots are different than they would have been in the past?

[bernie]

[ QUOTE ]
Next I see Daunte Culpepper step back to the 21 yard line and throw the ball away short of the LOS, called for intentional grounding, loss of down and the ball spotted at the 21 yard line. WTF? That's not even a penalty anymore, the result would have been exactly the same as if he had just taken a sack

[/ QUOTE ]

Except he wasn't sacked.

b

[jogsxyz]

Where were the Raiders when the play started. I believe the
penalty is 10 yards from the line of scrimmage plus loss of down.
Of course the better penalty would be 5 yards from point of infraction plus loss of down.

[Jack of Arcades]

Intentional grounding is spot of the foul.

[damaniac]

[ QUOTE ]
Intentional grounding is spot of the foul.

[/ QUOTE ]

Right, the issue is why there isn't an additional penalty? If you throw it away, there's some chance you don't get caught. If you do get caught, then you're no worse off than taking a sack (and actually a bit better, since you can avoid the hit sometimes and no chance of a fumble), so you have an incentive to violate the rule. It seems like the rules should be set up to deter the conduct.

[d10]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Next I see Daunte Culpepper step back to the 21 yard line and throw the ball away short of the LOS, called for intentional grounding, loss of down and the ball spotted at the 21 yard line. WTF? That's not even a penalty anymore, the result would have been exactly the same as if he had just taken a sack

[/ QUOTE ]

Except he wasn't sacked.

b

[/ QUOTE ]

No but unless you're playing for fantasy points or you just care about the stats that much, what does that matter?

[d10]

[ QUOTE ]
Where were the Raiders when the play started. I believe the
penalty is 10 yards from the line of scrimmage plus loss of down.
Of course the better penalty would be 5 yards from point of infraction plus loss of down.

[/ QUOTE ]

I don't know, apparently 31+ yard line, but I've always remembered this play being called 10 yards from the spot of the foul in the past. Just wondering if I'm remembering correctly.

[Dudd]

Holding has always been a spot of the ball penalty unless it's behind the line of scrimmage, and they'll never make the intentional grounding penalty harsher because it would give the qb an incentive to take a sack and the NFL's all about protecting the quarterback.

[PokerFink]

Offensive holding has always been from the spot of the hold (unless it's behind the LOS). It's just that holds usually take place at or behind the LOS.

Likewise, intentional grounding has always been a spot foul and loss of down.

[ QUOTE ]
I'm not losing my mind am I?

[/ QUOTE ]

Verdict: Yes.