The Arizona Cardinals were one of the NFL’s most-penalized teams over the last several seasons. Under new head coach Jonathan Gannon, they expect to be much more disciplined.
On Saturday, penalties were a problem. They were penalized eight times for 82 yards. But there was one positive. Only one was a presnap penalty, a false start by guard Marquis Hayes.
It was the second game in a row they had only one presnap penalty.
What led to the penalties?
“I think it is a lack of technique,” he said postgame, noting it was not about focus or discipline When you play with bad technique, you get penalized, and that is what happened. You obviously have to get that corrected. They kind of go in waves a little bit and sometimes that is how the crews calling it and we have to play within the rules. Typically, when you get penalized it is for bad technique.”
It was bad technique.
They had three holding penalties, an illegal block, an ineligible man downfield and two personal fouls.
They had a declined penalty for hands to the face.
In all but their false start, it was for bad technique. They are physical mistakes instead of mental mistakes.
Through two preseason contests, the mental mistakes have been minimal. Now if they can avoid the technical mistakes, that will bode well for the regular season.
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