DENVER, CO - AUGUST 07: A referee collects his penalty flag as the Seattle Seahawks face the Denver Broncos during preseason action at Sports Authority Field at Mile High on August 7, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. The Broncos defeated the Seahawks 21-16. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) — Penalties are up league-wide after the first two weeks of the NFL preseason.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll recently expressed his frustration with league officials after Seattle was flagged for 21 penalties in the preseason’s first two weeks.

“It doesn’t seem quite right,” Carroll said of all the flags.

But Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is actually blaming Carroll himself for the increased flags — at least in part.

“We were apprised that some of these penalties that we’ve decided to make a point of emphasis in the league during the preseason are there to let the teams get ready for a real message that we intend to make an issue of defensive back holding,” said Jones to Shan & RJ on 105.3 The Fan Tuesday.

“It came about from Seattle, who basically played a style that would risk a holding penalty as opposed to not having an aggressive defender back there. That got a lot of complaints and you’re seeing it reflected during the preseason.”

On average, teams are being flagged 9.5 times per game this preseason. In 2013, teams saw an average of 6.1 flags.

Carroll is reportedly communicating with league officials about changing the way the games are called. His focus: the increased scrutiny on defensive backs in a pass-happy league.

“It doesn’t seem quite right. It seems like there are too many calls being made and too many incidental calls that seem to be affecting the game,” said Carroll. “It’s obviously different. So, the question is: Is it better? I don’t know.”

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