This is a fun little discovery by a British statistician called Joey Faulkner. In looking at how many NFL plays were run from each yard line, he noticed a pretty gradual curve, with a massive spike at the 20 -- which isn't surprising, since so many drives start there after touchbacks. However, he also noticed smaller spikes at the 30, 40, 50, the other 40, et cetera, all over the field more or less between the 10s. His hypothesis: NFL referees, like all humans, have a natural tendency to spot the ball right on the 10-yard lines when they end up anywhere near that general vicinity.
Are NFL Officials Biased With Their Ball Placement?
