Decline offsetting penalty during Cards game?

[ICanSleepWhenI'mDead]

2 hours ago, NoSaint said:

I believe this rule assumes both are accepted.

 

52 minutes ago, PetermansRedemption said:

That is my belief as well. I can’t see a team ever being forced to accept a penalty. But I’ve been wrong before.

 

From the same nfl.com website at:

 

http://static.nfl.com/static/content/public/image/rulebook/pdfs/17_2013_Penalty_Enforcement.pdf

 

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"Rule 14 Penalty Enforcement (Governing all cases not otherwise specifically provided for)Section 1 General Rules

 

Article 1: Refusal of Penalties. Unless expressly prohibited, the penalty for any foul may be declined by the offended team, and play proceeds as though no foul had been committed. The yardage distance for any penalty may be declined, even though the penalty is accepted. Note: If the defensive team commits a foul during an unsuccessful Try, the offensive team may decline the distance penalty, and the down is replayed from the previous spot.

 

Exception:(a) If there is a Double Foul, enforcement is pursuant to Section 5 below. (emphasis added)

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Here's a  more complete excerpt of what "Section 5" says:

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"Section 5 Fouls by Both Teams (Double Fouls)

 

Article 1:Double Foul Without Change of Possession. If there is a Double Foul (3-12-2-c) during a down in which there is not a change of possession, the penalties are offset, and the down is replayed at the previous spot. If it is a scrimmage down, the number of the next down and the line to gain is the same as for the down in which the fouls occurred.

 

Exception:If one or more fouls by one team includes a 15-yard penalty, and the penalty for the foul or fouls committed by the other team is for a five-yard penalty without an automatic First Down, a loss of down, or a 10-second runoff (15 yards versus five yards), the 15-yard penalty is enforced from the previous spot, and the five-yard penalty is disregarded. Five vs. 15 enforcement cannot be declined by the team that committed the minor foul, except as described in (ii) below. See 4-8-2-c-Exc. 2 and 14-4-9-Exc. (a) and (b) for dead ball fouls at the end of a half.

 

    (i) If one of the fouls is a Dead Ball Foul for delay of game for spiking the ball and the opponent’s foul is a Live Ball Foul, the team that committed the delay of game foul, in addition to Article 1 and Exception (a), will have the option to decline the foul committed by its opponent and be assessed the penalty for delay from the dead-ball spot.

 

    (ii) If both fouls are Dead Ball Fouls or are treated as such (14-4-9), the penalties are offset, and the ball is next put in play at the succeeding spot."

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Double fouls are explicitly stated to be an exception to the general rule that "the penalty for any foul may be declined by the offended team."   The Bills therefore had no  option to decline the Offside penalty against AZ on the double foul play in question.