One month into the NFL season and there are two ways of looking at the results.
Offenses are scorching, off to a historic scoring start.
Defenses are dumpster fires.
Entering Monday, teams had scored 3,151 points, already the most through the first month of any season in the Super Bowl era.
While there are lots of factors _ including innovative offensive coaches, the increasing popularity of mobile quarterbacks and defenses still playing catch-up after a summer without exhibition games _ a huge element is something we aren't seeing: yellow flags.
Penalties have dropped sharply this season, and offenses are reaping the benefits.
The most up-to-date numbers available Monday were through the first three weeks of the season. There was a combined average of 13.65 penalties per game, down from an average of 18.54 through the same stretch last season. An average of five fewer penalties per game is a seismic shift in a league in which every tiny variation is scrutinized.
The numbers dropped more in Week 4, with an average of 10.77 penalties through Sunday. Without question, officials are keeping their flags in their pockets.
The Los Angeles Rams had one penalty in Sunday's victory over the New York Giants. Philadelphia had three in Sunday night's win at San Francisco.
And, even though Pete Carroll coaches his players to hit through the echo of the whistle and err on the side of being more aggressive, Seattle had zero penalties in beating Miami.
Some of the penalty breakdowns are more telling. For instance, through the first three weeks of last season, there were 235 calls for offensive holding. And over the same span this season? Ninety-four.
That jaw-dropping number is somewhat skewed because it was a point of emphasis to flag holding last season even if it occurred on the back side of the play, away from the ball, but it's still a dramatic difference and one that unquestionably changes the game.
Another example: There were 31 offensive pass interference calls through three weeks last season, yet only 18 this season.
The NFL already gears its rules to promote scoring. If offensive linemen are allowed to hold, thereby giving quarterbacks more time to find open targets, point totals are going to climb _ up 12% through the first three weeks _ and defenses are going to look increasingly inept.
"We're setting a new standard for what a foul looks like," said Fox rules analyst Mike Pereira, the NFL's former director of officiating. "I'm not complaining about it. I kind of like it, to tell you the truth. But never before going into the season have you had the officiating department say to the officials, 'Hey, make all your calls clear and obvious.' "
In other words, be even more mindful about throwing a flag. Make sure that penalty is a textbook violation.
Pereira said the NFL emphasized that because there are 11 new officials this season, and they didn't have the benefit of either a preseason or in-person clinics.
"It's hilarious if you look at social media, because the tone is usually there are too many penalties being called," Pereira said. "Now what you're seeing on social media is people saying, 'They're not calling enough fouls.' I'm not sure where the happy medium is."
There is one constant. Fewer penalties or more penalties _ in the eyes of their many couch-bound critics _ NFL officials are always doing it wrong.
