On any given Sunday, the most powerful object on an NFL field isn't the football - it's a small, sand-filled, yellow nylon flag. With a single toss from an official's hand, an entire game can be flipped. Through erasing a 40-yard gain, extending stalled drives, or bailing a team out of a mistake, these small objects can leave a lasting impact on a game.

Penalties have always been a part of football since the 1940s. But in today's game, their impact feels larger than ever. Whether this perceptio...