Seahawks get rare NFL admission of ruling errors

[BlueTalon]

I think you're right, Dirtbag. It seems like refs are seeing something happen, but not blowing the play dead for fear of wrecking a play they might call wrong. For example, the ball popping out of a player's hands upon hitting the ground, the other team picks it up and runs with it -- I've seen that more than once. So a team who should have received a call is forced to use a challenge to get the call they should have gotten to begin with.

But I'll tell ya, it feels a lot better to get that news after a win. Egregious bad calls have cost us games in the past, so I feel your pain.

[DCMONEY]

I say take out that screwy "down by contact" rule or "blown dead" rule. Both give the mystery men a little control of the game. The reffs do suck this year, like that Dallas vs. Denver game. It only took them forever to call plays.

Hey NFL, fine this, THE REFS SUCK THIS YEAR. REFS ARE MAKING MYSTERY CALLS!!!:mad:

Down by contact seems to always do the Skins in. I commented on LT's 1st TD run against the Skins. I mean its funny how it appeared LT was allowed to keep pushing forward and it was eventually called a TD. Now if the Skins woulda pulled the ball out of there, I'm sure the ref woulda said down by contact. Remember a couple years back when Stephen Davis fumbled and they ruled it a TD when the Skins clearly knocked the ball away as Davis held it out. Even Panther fans that I sat with at that moment were like damn Davis fumbled. Then instant replay gagged us again.

[RedskinsNation]

This year there have been more bad calls then any other year I can remember...atleast its not just us.

Upon watching the numerous Shockey replays it looked like is 2nd foot never hit the ground upon being leveled by the Seattle defender....i dont know why the refs called it a TD. The 2nd play i couldnt tell though...the camera angle didnt show a low enough to the ground angle....the refs should have that available though.

[carlsbadd]

I thought that the Toomer TD was to close to call. It appeared he dragged his second foot in, no issue there. I thought that his plant foot was out, it looked like his heal was out of bounds, very close call.

[fight_on_til_you_have_won]

The officiating has gotten progressively worse in recent years, this is undeniable. So here are some solutions to making it better.

1) Get rid of instant replay.

As a policy, this basically tells officials that they will screw up. How does this lead to better officiating? Nowadays, officials swallow their whistles on fumble plays because "they can just review it later." What kind of officiating is that?

2) Make NFL officials full-time employees.

A lot of people laugh at this, but it is really any more far-fetched than playing a game for a living in the first place? If officials were full-time employees, they could devote far more time to watching film and discussing techniques, which would only help the officiating on the field.

3) Pare down the rule book.

There are some rules that have always bugged me. For instance, if a receiver is forced out of bounds as he catches the ball in mid-air, the pass should be incomplete. This would take the guessing game out of the officials' hands. There are plenty of other rules that could be changed or eliminated to make the game more black and white for the officials.

[MoeRedskins]

If seattle had lost this game the reffing officals would have said that the film was inconclusive, but since they won they tossed them a bone and said the C-hawks were right. Man, just admit your wrong and learn from you mistakes.

[jbooma]

Didn't the Seahawks win, and the Toomer TD looked good.

I think they need to change the officials, give it guys who can play in the NFL and not make a team, and make it a year long job.

The players are so fast not, that these older refs can not keep up.

[TheLongshot]

Looks like the NFL is backtracking on this one:

http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/SEA/9068640

Jason

[gimpy007]

Looks like the NFL is backtracking on this one:

http://www.nfl.com/teams/story/SEA/9068640

Jason

You beat me to it. The NFL is ridiculous. Yes I do agree that Toomer was in. But there is no way in hell that Shockey caught the ball got both feet down and maintained position. You always hear the officials talking about making a football move. The only move Shockey made was him holding his head on the sideline after he got blasted.

[Ball Coach]

You beat me to it. The NFL is ridiculous. Yes I do agree that Toomer was in. But there is no way in hell that Shockey caught the ball got both feet down and maintained position. You always hear the officials talking about making a football move. The only move Shockey made was him holding his head on the sideline after he got blasted.

What complicates the issue is that you don't have to make a football move in the endzone. I don't think the NFL is backtracking, I beleive that someone did tell him the calls were wrong, but I doubt it came from an official soruce. The NFL goes to great lengths to protect their officials.