▁an ▁automatic ▁safety . ▁ ▁R ationale ▁Because ▁football ▁is ▁a ▁high - contact ▁sport ▁requiring ▁a ▁balance ▁between ▁off ense ▁and ▁defense , ▁many ▁rules ▁exist ▁that ▁reg ulate ▁equality , ▁safety , ▁contact , ▁and ▁actions ▁of ▁players ▁on ▁each ▁team . ▁It ▁is ▁very ▁difficult ▁to ▁always ▁avoid ▁viol ating ▁these ▁rules ▁without ▁giving ▁up ▁too ▁much ▁of ▁an ▁advantage . ▁Thus , ▁an ▁elaborate ▁system ▁of ▁fou ls ▁and ▁pen alt ies ▁has ▁been ▁developed ▁to ▁" let ▁the ▁pun ishment ▁fit ▁the ▁crime " ▁and ▁maintain ▁a ▁balance ▁between ▁following ▁the ▁rules ▁and ▁keeping ▁a ▁good ▁flow ▁of ▁the ▁game . ▁Play ers ▁and ▁coach es ▁are ▁constantly ▁looking ▁for ▁ways ▁to ▁find ▁an ▁advantage ▁that ▁st ret ches ▁the ▁limitations ▁im posed ▁by ▁the ▁rules . ▁For ▁example , ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁the ▁Baltimore ▁Rav ens ▁had ▁all ▁of ▁their ▁off ensive ▁lin emen ▁commit ▁holding ▁pen alt ies ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁allow ▁the ▁pun ter ▁to ▁keep ▁possession ▁of ▁the ▁ball ▁so ▁time ▁would ▁exp ire ▁for ▁a ▁win , ▁since ▁the ▁game ▁can ▁end ▁on ▁off ensive ▁pen alt ies . ▁However , ▁the ▁NFL ▁changed ▁the ▁rules ▁after ▁this ▁to ▁prevent ▁teams ▁from ▁manip ulating ▁the ▁game ▁clock . ▁The ▁frequency ▁and ▁sever ity ▁of ▁fou ls ▁can ▁make ▁a ▁large ▁difference ▁in ▁the ▁outcome ▁of ▁a ▁game ▁as ▁well , ▁so ▁coach es ▁are ▁constantly ▁looking ▁for ▁ways ▁to ▁minim ize ▁the ▁number ▁and ▁sever ity ▁of ▁inf ra ctions