One thing Raiders fans are quite used to is their team committing among the most penalties in the league. At one time, it was outright expected the Raiders would lead the league in penalties each year.
That’s not really the case anymore. As Sharp Football Analysis noted, the Raiders were actually the least penalized team in the NFL last season.
This shows great discipline for this squad, and this goes especially for the offense.
No penalties are harped on more than pre-snap penalties. Usually those are false starts and illegal formation penalties. The Raiders had the fewest of those in the league.
The most damaging penalties, however, are offensive holding. Only two teams in the league last season had fewer offensive holding penalties in the league last season — the Bengals and Eagles.
Offensive holding penalties are among the most devastating penalties you can get because they often wipe out what appeared to be a big play only to instead back the offense up ten yards. And they’re usually the fault of a player trying to make up for getting beaten on a play.
On the flip side, the Raiders defense led the NFL in forcing opposing offensive holding penalties.
The Raiders of old would usually rack up penalties based on aggressive play. Therefore the penalties often served as an attitude thing, adding to their mystique as a feared team. Offensive holding penalties don’t strike fear in anyone. They just kill drives.
Speaking of which, it isn’t all good news. The Raiders were among the ten worst in the league in terms of penalties on third down. With 70% of those penalties committed by the defense to keep drives alive for opposing offenses.
