The Decline of NFL Officiating

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Today's Dallas/Philly game is an excellent example of what I see as a trend developing over, at a minimum, the past two years: Horrible Officiating!!! How could the ref possibly call the slam down tackle of Pinkston during the catch, in mid-air a personal foul? Or when the Dallas LB (name escapes me right now) clearly accidently knocks the ball over while running over to his side. Hell, these dumb *** refs can't even get properly identify who allegedly committed some of these penalties as evidenced by incorrectly identifying the player's number during the penalty announcement. And this is just this game; it seems every game I watch has glaring mistakes and incompetence in the officiating. Pretty soon we'll all be watching Pro Flag Football and teams gaining key game advantages on ridiculous penalties. The last Eagles TD drive against Dallas was very ripe with examples.

Just me or does anyone else agree?

[Brave]

I won't say that there aren't plenty of mistakes by the officials these days, but most of the games I watch I feel the team that played better won. It's still a rare thing that a bad call actually CHANGES the outcome of a ball game.

As long as that's the case I'm not going to gripe about it.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Originally posted by Brave

I won't say that there aren't plenty of mistakes by the officials these days, but most of the games I watch I feel the team that played better won. It's still a rare thing that a bad call actually CHANGES the outcome of a ball game.

As long as that's the case I'm not going to gripe about it.

I'm not so sure about that, Brave. Recall last season's AFC Championship game with the highly questionable Brady play? I'll agree that it is not a plague, but I think its enough of a problem that it warrants attention from the NFL brass. Maybe teams should be allowed to challenge more than three times a half. I know that it introduces an opportunity for some abuse by some teams, but better that than the chance that a game is decided by some absurd calls on the field.

[Brave]

The thing is, some of these close calls aren't wrong.

For example, the instance you cite (AFC Champ. Game)... the call made was the correct one (incomplete). It may be a bad rule, but the call made by the officilas after conferring was the correct call. That was not bad officiating.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Originally posted by Brave

The thing is, some of these close calls aren't wrong.

For example, the instance you cite (AFC Champ. Game)... the call made was the correct one (incomplete). It may be a bad rule, but the call made by the officilas after conferring was the correct call. That was not bad officiating.

Well, we'll have to agree to disagree about that particular example - so I'm not going to beat a dead horse. I suppose my overall point is that there are quite enough very poor calls and with enough frequency that there is a problem that needs to be addressed. And as you thoughtfully pointed out, there may be some rules that need to be discarded as well.

[Larry]

I seem to often find myself differing with the officials, but I have to admit that, most times, I'm arguing over things that I think of as opinion-based rules.

One is the roughing-the-passer ruling. Seems to me a simple rule would be to throw the flag if the rusher takes more than one step after the ball leaves the QB's hand. But I've seen flags thrown at players where, when they show the replay, the rusher didn't touch the ground at all after the throw, and Clark Kent's the only guy I know who can stop rushing the QB while in mid-air.

I've also got a problem with the way the enforcement of this rule seems to depend on how much the NFL likes the player. I can see assessing heavier fines against players with previous convictions, but I have a problem with flags being thrown against some players but not others. (Or with players being fined or suspended for plays that the officials at the game didn't think were bad enough for a flag).

"Pass interference" seems to be another rule where it's strictly based on some guy's opinion. (And, a while back, the NFL had sumaries of their rules on their web page. At least the summary did not seem to make any allowance for some things being legal if you're on the offensive team, but illegal if you're on the defense. But try convincing me that that rule's applied equally to both sides of the ball).

I guess my big officiating thing is, I'd like to see some of the things that now are opinions, made into specific rules.

Some proposals: If a receiver has the ball, gets tackled, and the ball doesn't come out, then he had posession. If the ball's touching one hand and the player's chest at the same time, then that's posession. (It may not be a completion till his feet come down). If there's a fumble, and some guy dives on it, gets one hand on it, and pulls it in till it touches his chest, then the play's over at that instant, and it's his ball, not whoever comes out of the pile with it. (Of course, there's still going to be cases with fumbles where the replay doesn't show who got it. But I think the replay should count more than the wrestling match does).

[redman]

The quality of the officiating is as good (or as bad) as it's always been. The change I've noted is the growing use of instant replay as a crutch, even to the extent that no officials will even make a call without first conferencing, for example, on a fumble.

That's getting ridiculous.

[Brave]

redman, I've heard that the officials are making an effort to not make the quick calls and blow quick whistles this season on fumbles. The reason is supposedly to avoid the plays where the whistle blows a play dead killing any chance for replay to get the call right.

I guess thee were enough instances that they felt like they needed to address it but, like you, it bothers me to see them start huddling and conferring without making a call first.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

OK - Whoever saw the last play before we had settle for a FG - Did you see the DE jump offside? It was f***ing obvious! This is the kind of BS that is just inexcusable. You can't tell me that losing 4 points can't make the difference in the game. In this case, the opposing team should be able to throw at a flag and bring it to the attention of the refs.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Is it legal for a WR to HOLD the CB's arm like Owens just did against Smoot, preventing Smoot from making the pick?

[Brave]

Oakton ... not to keep arguing with you, but that was not offsides. He got back well before the ball was snapped. It's not a penalty to jump, you just can't be on or over the line when the ball is snapped.

It LOOKS like a penalty, but it's not.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Yeah, I know at least that much - but damn that looked more than close. What do you think about TO literally holding FS's arm on that near pick?

[Ignatius J.]

On the smoot hold, smoot had already touched the ball. Once the ball has been touched you can grab anything you want.

-DB

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Not to excuse the sorry *** tackling on the last play, but what about the huge clip on Big Daddy! WTF!!!!

Please, don't tell me that calls can't decide games. This is just absurd.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

Originally posted by DrunkenBoxer

On the smoot hold, smoot had already touched the ball. Once the ball has been touched you can grab anything you want.

-DB

Thanks for pointing that out.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

They just called a clip on SD. Yet, amazingly, they have missed at least 2 clips on SF including one for the TO run for a TD. The NFL should make paycheck adjustments for racking up so many awful calls and miscalls. Let's face it - NFL refs have taken a step (or two) down.

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

How many more examples do we need? On the punt return, that defintely looked like interference. And if it wasn't, the refs didn't see the technical fumble and immediately give the ball over to SF? (Yeah - I am balanced here)

[laurent]

Ok, that clearly was interference how the refs could miss that is beyond me. Smoot and the player that interfered were clearly NOT locked up involved in the play.

Fscking GARBAGE!

[Larry]

(Not referring to my previous on this thread, or anything),

The catch on the fair catch interference call is that it's a judgement call (did Smoot block the 'Niner into the receiver?). These things are tough to argue because the rule doesn't specifically say what does or doesn't count. It's all opinion, and only one opinion counts.

(In defense of the NFL, some things will always have to remain as judgement calls, too. Things like: "Would the receiver have landed in-bounds if he hadn't been pushed while in the air", or "Did the ball's own momentum carry it into the end zone, causing a touchback").

(And, I gotta point out, on the TO TD, there were not one, but two blocks in the back, one on the offense's right side, and one about where the center was. (Both occurred in the 'Niners backfield). The second occurred less than three yards in front of the official's face. I assume he was watching the spiffy footwork of the runner).

[ThatGuy]

My personal opinion on that punt-fumble-penalty play is this: I think the ref were going to call the penalty, but they didn't realize it was a fumble, so they just didn't call it (to avoid the controversy or to make a bad call).

I honestly think that they would have realized the 49ers had recovered the ball they would have called the penalty.

Thats the problem with using the reply as a crutch, we got screwed cause they didn't call a penalty (which is non-reviewable) and the 49ers were getting screwed on the fumble call (which can and was correctly reviewed).

That play was a total officiating screw up

[OaktonSkins/BushFan]

I know there's at least one other thread stating that the officals cannot be blamed for lost games. Well, I will not accept that as a universal truth because it is very obvious that it could take just one bad call that makes the difference in a game. Today's game may or may not be such an example. The Redskins should not have placed themselves in a position to be out of the game due to the gross incompetence of NFL officiating personnel.