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          New England Patriots

          Penalty watch: Reduction in flags

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterOct 6, 2011, 06:00 AM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- The Patriots made progress in the penalty department this week, with officials flagging them for just five accepted penalties against the Raiders.

          That represented a season-low.

          They had seven against the Dolphins, eight against the Chargers, and eight against the Bills.

          The weekly look at the penalty leaders for the Patriots, whose 28 accepted penalties ties for 12th most in the NFL:

          Elsa/Getty Images

          Even after sitting out a game, Leigh Bodden tops the Patriots in penalties.

          Totals

          Leigh Bodden -- 3

          Rob Gronkowski -- 3

          Sergio Brown -- 2

          Patrick Chung -- 2

          Matt Light -- 2

          Logan Mankins -- 2

          Nate Solder -- 2

          Brian Waters -- 2

          Kyle Arrington -- 1

          Tom Brady -- 1

          Deion Branch -- 1

          Andre Carter -- 1

          Dan Connolly -- 1

          Ras-I Dowling -- 1

          Dan Gronkowski -- 1

          James Ihedigbo -- 1

          Kyle Love -- 1

          Devin McCourty -- 1

          Rob Ninkovich -- 1

          Chad Ochocinco -- 1

          Wes Welker -- 1

          Vince Wilfork -- 1

          TEAM -- 1

          Penalties

          Offensive holding -- 7

          False start -- 6

          Roughing the passer -- 3

          Defensive holding -- 2

          Defensive pass interference -- 2

          Illegal block above waist -- 2

          Illegal contact -- 2

          Unnecessary roughness -- 2

          Delay of game -- 1

          Illegal formation -- 1

          Illegal motion -- 1

          Illegal use of hands -- 1

          Offside -- 1

          Unsportsmanlike conduct -- 1

          12-men on the field -- 1

          Drawn holding penalties

          Albert Haynesworth -- 2

          Rob Ninkovich -- 2

          Wes Welker -- 2

          Kyle Arrington -- 1

          Dane Fletcher -- 1

          Jerod Mayo -- 1

          Vince Wilfork -- 1

          (Includes offsetting, declined and superseded penalties.)

          NOTES: Tom Brady picked up his first penalty of the season, a delay of game, but it was superseded by Richard Seymour's unnecessary roughness penalty. ... Holding penalties against Dan Connolly and Brian Waters upped the season total to 7, which jumped ahead of false start for the most frequently called penalty.