Why aren't Refs Getting more Heat?

[NorthCoast]

The officiating this past weekend was truly horrendous. At least 3 games had arguably worse officiating than the replacement refs last season.
Ref CLE/NE
CIN/SD
BAL/MIN
In some cases, the games were decided by the refs. More and more I don't like what I am seeing. The Steelers have been bad enough on their own account, so refs haven't factored in their games. But some teams have legitimate claims to complain.

[squidkid]

the commentators and analists know who butters their bread.

[feltdizz]

AP tweeted about the refs in the Vikes/Bmore game..

NFL contacted Vikes with apology. More to come...

[squidkid]

i think the entire game should be officiated by review.
these refs are human and prone to making mistakes. lets take most of the human element and the conspiracy aspect of it.

[feltdizz]

i think the entire game should be officiated by review.
these refs are human and prone to making mistakes. lets take most of the human element and the conspiracy aspect of it.

They are screwing up reviews as well. Cincy and Vikes reviews were botched.

[squidkid]

They are screwing up reviews as well. Cincy and Vikes reviews were botched.

a panel of officials should be used. maybe 5 members with each one vote on the call.majority rules. IDK.
i get tired of seeing one guy punch another, the 2nd guy punches back and he gets the flag and fine. the adage of 'the second guy gets caught' is BS. review would eliminate that
how about a chip in the ball and sensors on the goaline and up from the pillons to determine if the ball crossed? Hell, the whole field could be a sensor for spot placement.

[papillon]

The game has slowed to a crawl as it is; more reviews is the last thing the NFL needs. They should do away with reviews period and let the game play out the way it did prior to all the replays and under the hood and still not getting it right, sometimes, less is more.

Pappy

[squidkid]

if you got the technology, why not try to get it right?
i sit in front of the tv on sundays for 15 hours straight watching pregame and all 1pm, 4pm and 8pm games. 15 minutes more isnt gonna change anything for me even less for the ones that only watch one game. i would be willing to bet at least 1-2 games per team per year would flip flop W's and L's if the correct calls were made.

[papillon]

if you got the technology, why not try to get it right?
i sit in front of the tv on sundays for 15 hours straight watching pregame and all 1pm, 4pm and 8pm games. 15 minutes more isnt gonna change anything for me even less for the ones that only watch one game. i would be willing to bet at least 1-2 games per team per year would flip flop W's and L's if the correct calls were made.

I guess because I'm old school and don't believe that every call has to be right. Over the course of a season it will all even out, the ones that go against you and the ones that go for you. Even with the technology, the refs are still getting it wrong and with the change in rules and commercials the game as become difficult to watch, unless, I'm watching the Steelers and have a vested interest. I would rather see the game played the way it was designed without all the stoppages for reviews, commercials, penalties, challenges, etc. The referees are getting worse because they are using the replay as a crutch to get it right if they make a mistake, so they aren't paying attention to the details of the game, because in their eyes the cameras will get it right.

It's my opinion and I'm in the minority on this one, so I make decisions based on how I will spend my free time and disposable income and the NFL has moved down the list, except for Steeler games. I used to watch all the games like you, but there's no way I could sit through multiple NFL games on a Sunday afternoon without the Steelers playing in the game any longer, they're boring really.

Pappy

[tiproast]

I guess because I'm old school and don't believe that every call has to be right. Over the course of a season it will all even out, the ones that go against you and the ones that go for you.

Great post - should also note that it's not just over the course of a season when it comes to playoff games. Sometimes it takes decades for things to even out.

For example, long-time Pats fans like me look at the Tuck Rule call in 2001 as the even-things-out call for the 1976 call by Ben Drieth (a roughing the passer call against Sugar Bear Hamilton when replays showed he never touched Ken Stabler). The Pats were one of the strongest teams in the NFL that year (11-3 regular season record) - many of us in New England thought we were Super Bowl bound.

[NJ-STEELER]

they need to hire full time officials.

that should be the 1st step.


cant understand how a billion dollar industry still relies on part time officials

[Sugar]

they need to hire full time officials.

that should be the 1st step.


cant understand how a billion dollar industry still relies on part time officials

Bingo! That makes too much sense.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

a panel of officials should be used. maybe 5 members with each one vote on the call.majority rules. IDK.
i get tired of seeing one guy punch another, the 2nd guy punches back and he gets the flag and fine. the adage of 'the second guy gets caught' is BS. review would eliminate that
how about a chip in the ball and sensors on the goaline and up from the pillons to determine if the ball crossed? Hell, the whole field could be a sensor for spot placement.

There is not many things that I would say that the NHL does better than the NFL, but this is one of them. NFL should use the NHL model for reviews. There should be a group of men sitting in an office, far away from any playing field. Any review would be sent automatically to them. I'd say use two or three teams of three replay officials and any review from around the league rotates to a different team. It would save time because officials would not have to jog - often from one of the goal lines - to the sidelines in order to review a call. Then you take away any home field bias, noise, fear etc. since the officials would be far away from the action.