The following is an excerpt from Warren Sharp's 2024 Football Preview book. In addition to Warren's deep, detailed write-up on all 32 NFL teams, each chapter features page after page of full-color charts, stats, and heatmaps as well as penalty analysis from Joe Gibbs. Click here for a full FREE chapter from the 2024 Football Preview.
Penalties are an under-discussed aspect of NFL success and failure. Average teams can become playoff contenders with good discipline, and good teams can become great simply by winning the penalty battle.
Let's look at how the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders performed from a penalty perspective in 2023 and where they can improve in 2024.
How Did Penalties Impact the Dallas Cowboys?
The Good
- The offense was responsible for 43% of the team's overall penalties
- The offense was the No. 1 beneficiary of automatic first down penalties and the No. 1 beneficiary of penalty yards associated with these penalties. Additionally, 44% of these were awarded on third down plays
- The defense surrendered 47% of their automatic first down via penalty on first down plays, the optimal time to commit a penalty
- A below-average 17% of the Cowboys' overall penalties were committed on key third down plays
The Bad
- The Cowboys ranked third in penalties per game and ranked No. 1 in penalty yards surrendered per game. Excessive penalties have been a constant theme throughout the Mike McCarthy era in Dallas
- The Cowboys ranked No. 1 for defensive offsides infractions, which contributed to them ranking third in defensive pre-snap penalties per game
- The special teams unit was the No. 1 penalized unit in the NFL in total penalties and overall yardage
- The wide receivers and tight ends were both above-average penalized units versus league average in 2023
There are some positive takeaways from these numbers, but in the end, it amounted to another disappointing season.
Once again, the Cowboys dominated offseason headlines, beginning with owner Jerry Jones’ “all-in” comment. That was followed by an “unfinished business” declaration from a past-his-prime Ezekiel Elliott upon his return to Dallas.
That constant noise masks over what is a mediocre team with a handful of star players.
The Cowboys have overachieved the past few seasons, primarily by beating up on subpar opponents to pad their numbers. That may well be the case again this season.
The 2024 season is unique in Dallas with Mike McCarthy and Dak Prescott essentially on one-year “prove-it” deals.
This is not a franchise synonymous with excelling under pressure, and the Cowboys face their toughest stretch of games in the first half of the 2024 season. How do their star players react if the team struggles early?
Maybe the Cowboys coaches and players rise under pressure? History would suggest the opposite, and a slide out of the playoffs is very much a possibility for a Cowboys team that is more hype than substance.
How Did Penalties Impact the Philadelphia Eagles?
The Good
- The offensive line accounted for just 29% of the team's overall penalties, continuing to excel in its role as the premier position group on this squad
- The Eagles were tied with the Lions in registering the fewest declined penalties in the NFL
- The offense was responsible for just 38.6% of the team's penalty yards. The wide receivers and tight ends were both below-average penalized positions versus NFL averages in 2023
- The offense was a top-five beneficiary of pre-snap penalties on opposing defenses, primarily by generating defensive offsides and encroachment penalties
The Bad
- The defensive backs accounted for 36% of the team's penalty yards in 2023 versus just 22% in 2022
- The defense was a top-five penalized unit for defensive pass interference after ranking 31st in per-game average in 2022
- An above-average 30% of the Eagles’ penalties were committed on third down
- The defense registered a big increase in automatic first downs and subsequent penalty yardage via first downs versus 2022 when they were the gold standard in this category
The 2023 season raised legitimate questions as to who were the real catalysts for the Eagles' Super Bowl appearance.
The offense cratered after the departure of Shane Steichen to the Colts. The Brotherly Shove was the only play the Philadelphia offense could hang their hat on last season.
New Eagles OC Kellen Moore’s performance will be graded against what Steichen accomplished in Philadelphia back in 2022.
Despite the retirement of Jason Kelce, the offensive line still has high level veterans anchoring what is without a doubt the engine that powers this offense.
Defensively, the Eagles were a shell of the Super Bowl unit that registered the most efficient penalty profile of any team in the NFL.
The Eagles overhauled their secondary in the off-season and added defensive guru Vic Fangio to run the entire operation. Remember, Fangio was associated with the Eagles as a consultant in the 2022 season. A return to that level of performance is more likely than not with him in charge of this unit.
After the late-season collapse in 2023, Nick Sirianni is on the hot seat as much as any head coach heading into the season. If job security is something he values, this team needs to start fast.
The Eagles look to be the class of a subpar NFC East in 2024. A strong start to revive the swagger from 2022 is essential. If that occurs, the Eagles will not only be division champions but find themselves vying for the No. 1 seed in the NFC this season.
How Did Penalties Impact the New York Giants?
The Good
- The Giants were a bottom-10 penalized team in overall yardage surrendered per game
- The Giants committed a below-average 22% of penalties on third down plays
The Bad
- Offensive holding penalties per game almost doubled year over year. The Giants' avoidance of offensive holding in 2022 was a key factor in them playing ahead of the chains at an above-average rate. That advantage evaporated in 2023
- Offensive holding and false starts combined to make up 45% of the GIants' overall penalties in 2023. That represented a huge spike from their ultra-efficient 29% in these categories in 2022
- The offense contributed 51% of the team's overall penalties. The offense is not built to overcome excessive infractions. It's no coincidence they had just a 30% third down conversion rate last season
- The Giants co-ranked second in declined penalties per game, with 39% occurring on key third downs. A large portion of declined penalties were via offensive holding infractions. It is no coincidence the Giants were the most sacked team in 2023. Many declined penalties were a result of sacks by the opposing defense
- The offense ranked 30th as a beneficiary of automatic first down penalties. Compounding that, they ranked 32nd as a beneficiary on key third down plays
Brian Daboll performed the ultimate “thread the needle” job from a penalty and overall offensive perspective with the Giants back in 2022.
The G-Men were efficient at avoiding negative penalty plays that put the offense behind the chains.
Flawlessly executing that strategy was the only chance of winning consistently with the subpar offensive talent. They nailed it, going to the Divisional Round of the playoffs and Daboll winning Coach of the Year.
The 2023 season is what occurs when the Giants offense couldn’t thread that needle.
Nothing has changed heading into 2024. Daboll is fighting with one hand tied behind his back in New York.
The signing of Daniel Jones on a lucrative contract was negligence at the highest level by Giants ownership. The ramifications of that deal will continue to hurt this team in 2024.
There have been significant additions to the Giants defense. That is the strength of the team this season.
If Daboll can pull off a rabbit out of the hat like he did in 2022, the Giants can be an above .500 team.
That's asking an awful lot though. Five wins seems a more probable outcome than 10 wins for this team. Until there is an upgrade to a legitimate franchise quarterback, the Giants won't be considered serious contenders.
How Did Penalties Impact the Washington Commanders?
The Good
- The Commanders ranked 26th in average penalties per game. At first glance, it is a positive, but we will address the reasons for the low count shortly
The Bad
- The defense was a below-average penalized unit last season. It sounds good on the surface, and it can be. Just not in this instance. This defense allowed the most points of any unit in 2023
- The Commanders were a below-average penalized defense for illegal contact and defensive holding. Those penalties should be used more routinely if you're that porous defensively. More contact is needed to offset shortcomings in the scheme and/or personnel
- The Commanders ranked No. 1 for roughing the passer penalties per game. If you're going to surrender defensive penalties, the aforementioned illegal contact and defensive holding are better options than roughing the passer
- The offensive line accounted for 38% of the team's overall penalties. Jayden Daniels will be thrust into the starting quarterback role behind this line, and that could be problematic
Defensively, Washington committed very few penalties last season, but was that a result of a quality scheme or a lack of effort? The old saying “if you aren't cheating you aren't trying” applied to the Commanders in 2023.
Dan Quinn is an uninspiring hire as the new head coach. If nothing else, he will have this defense playing with far more intensity, which is desperately needed.
Jayden Daniels’ mobility will serve him well in 2024. His legs will be as important as his arm behind this offensive line.
New Commanders OC Kliff Kingsbury has experience with a mobile quarterback from his days in Arizona. If the offensive holding and false start numbers Kingsbury had with Kyler Murray are any indications, expect the Commanders to be an above-average penalized team in both categories.
The primary goal for Washington this season is Daniels unequivocally being their quarterback of the future. Despite the inevitable growing pains, a six-win season with him staring at times would be considered a success. That in turn will provide a foundation going forward for a Washington franchise that has been the poster child for dysfunction in the NFL.
This analysis continues in the 2024 Football Preview
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