According to one NFL penalty database, the Oakland Raiders have had 20 more penalties (86) than the next most penalized team in football, the Washington Redskins.
Those penalties have cost them 728 accepted yards, which is 230 yards more than the Redskins. Two hundred of those yards came on Sunday in an overtime win over the Buccaneers. Twenty-three total penalties. An NFL record.
For now, coach Jack Del Rio doesn't seem too worried about it.
"What I like about our guys is that we're resilient," Del Rio said Monday, via CSN Bay Area. "We continue to fight through whatever obstacles present themselves. Yesterday we dealt with a large number of infractions that we don't want to see. We fought our way through it and found a way to win."
He added: "We've made our corrections. We're not going to dwell on anything negative. We'll go forward with positive energy and focus on things we need to do."
Right now, there is really no other answer. Oakland is rolling for the first time in more than a decade and Del Rio would be sorely mistaken to bring his players down. Beating any NFL team after handing them 200 free yards on a platter is an incredible feat, and choosing to use this as a launching pad instead of a wet blanket can keep the good vibes coming.
