CFZ A few ways to improve officiating

[RustyBourneHorse]

I think it's been said many times and ways that the officiating in the NFL is bad. This thread is not about that. In fact, I think it's worth checking out a video from 5 Point Vids (a Giants fan tbf) who did a video about the science about bad officiating. I think it will help understand why officiating has it's issues. One of the big issues that is mentioned is the vantage point and the lack of use of technology. After all, the refs are human. They only have two eyes each for a crew of about 6-8 refs on the field. So, that's about 12-16 eyeballs that are on the field that have to be able to make the calls. That's basically where this thread comes into play. This thread will examine a few ways to improve officiating. Most of these will be tech solutions as these are the best ways that I can think of to help.

• Put a chip into the ball - football is a game of inches, and where the refs spot the ball makes a massive difference between a TD, first downs, Turn over on Downs, etc. Sometimes, as was the case in the Rams Steelers game or on the Hurts scramble against us, the refs might not be able to tell, based on an angle, where the ball was when the knee hit. If the ball had a chip in it, then there could be a signal that gets sent to the replay booth to show exactly where the ball was when the knee hit. Thus, when a player is in a pile, then they just have to match up where the chip is compared to the knee. This should make spotting the ball much easier. Besides, in European Football/soccer, the match balls have a chip in them to help the refs to be able to know if the ball did indeed cross the line. They can do something similar in the NFL.
• Make penalties/plays where a penalty could be called reviewable - this doesn't necessarily mean that a coach would have to challenge it, though this could be useful if the refs don't pick it up. Rather, similar to how the refs will be told quickly by the replay officials that a turnover should be quickly overturned, they can be told quickly by someone with a controller who can quickly spot an infraction on a replay. For example, when Schoonmacher was hit prior to the ball getting there, the hit could be part of the review so that they can make the correct call based on the entirety of the play, as opposed to just reviewing the parts that they can review with the current rules.
• Make the refs full time - this would help because, as opposed to having the refs have side jobs, they can spend their offseasons getting better and honing their craft. They can attend seminars where they can focus on certain aspects that they may not be able to focus on at this time.
• Better technology for replays - the replay speed in the XFL and USFL is impressive compared to the NFL. If you have watched an XFL game, you'll notice that they have people with an Xbox controller who can zoom in and do all kinds of different things in a rapid time to spot different things in a replay. Pat McAfee has pointed this out several times on his show. I think using some of the technology the XFL uses would help improve the NFL because all aspects of the play could be more rapidly reviewed. This means that they are able to review the play and get back to play more quickly. Thus, the concern for questionable officiating can be reduced because the technology used is better able to help the refs make the right calls.

The NFL makes hand over fist weekly. Surely they can afford these techniques if even the XFL is able to afford it. I think these methods would help improve officiating immensely.

 

[big dog cowboy]

 

[CowboysRule]

They tried making PI reviewable and I think the call was overturned like 2 times over the course of the season or something like that. The refs don't like when they are challenged on penalty calls.

I would like to have a reason when they decide to pick up a flag.

I would also like them to reduce the amount of time they spend standing around having a discussion after a call. What are you actually even talking about in there?

But all of this would just make it harder for the NFL to influence the outcome of games.

 

[CowboysDrew]

• Make the refs full time - this would help because, as opposed to having the refs have side jobs, they can spend their offseasons getting better and honing their craft. They can attend seminars where they can focus on certain aspects that they may not be able to focus on at this time.

This is the only one that will do anything meaningful.

Make them work in the offseason, put them in constant review programs, you know, make them actually accountable as real employees with a very good salary that they want to work to keep.

 

[LonnieElam]

Make gambling on NFL football illegal.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

This is the only one that will do anything meaningful.

Make them work in the offseason, put them in constant review programs, you know, make them actually accountable as real employees with a very good salary that they want to work to keep.

I think that's part of it, but using more tech would help too.

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I know Roger probably won't do it, but it's the best way to help reduce errors.

 

[The Quest for Six]

I've heard this for years but Full time refs is ridiculous, it wouldn't do anything to help officiate the game...

How many reviewable plays do you want, all, three??, how many because if you make every flag play reviewable, the game would be 5 hours long..

The biggest problem is that some game officials call ticky tack fouls where other officals don't call ticky tack fouls...to me, unless it's a flagrant foul, let them play..

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

I've heard this for years but Full time refs is ridiculous, it wouldn't do anything to help officiate the game...

How many reviewable plays do you want, all, three??, how many because if you make every flag play reviewable, the game would be 5 hours long..

The biggest problem is that some game officials call ticky tack fouls where other refs officals don't call ticky tack fouls...to me, unless it's a flagrant foul, let them play..

Letting them play would be great. That said, I also think having someone who is in control of the replays should be able to have access to good enough technology to be able to make a quick rewind, find a possible mistake, and tell the head ref that there's an issue. The XFL manages to do it. Surely, the NFL can too.

 

[The Quest for Six]

This is the only one that will do anything meaningful.

Make them work in the offseason, put them in constant review programs, you know, make them actually accountable as real employees with a very good salary that they want to work to keep.

It would do nothing meaningful, work in the offseason do what, watching film all day every day as if that would change anything and the fact that most of these refs hold corporate jobs in business, the NFL salary is pocket change to them..

 

[Cowboy_svt]

I would like to have a reason when they decide to pick up a flag.

Same, its very weird when they do.
in 2014 against detroit we got saved when they picked up that flag for a pretty obvious PI on us, thought it was weird, seems like nothing has changed since then, refs keep on sucking.

 

[CowboysDrew]

It would do nothing meaningful, work in the offseason do what, watching film all day every day as if that would change anything and the fact that most of these refs hold corporate jobs in business, the NFL salary is pocket change to them..

The whole point is to not have refs that hold corporate jobs in businesses where it's pocket change. It's to hire professionals whose job it is to just know the rules and be good at reading the field and have to actually demonstrate competence at the job to get it.

 

[Bobhaze]

I think it's been said many times and ways that the officiating in the NFL is bad. This thread is not about that. In fact, I think it's worth checking out a video from 5 Point Vids (a Giants fan tbf) who did a video about the science about bad officiating. I think it will help understand why officiating has it's issues. One of the big issues that is mentioned is the vantage point and the lack of use of technology. After all, the refs are human. They only have two eyes each for a crew of about 6-8 refs on the field. So, that's about 12-16 eyeballs that are on the field that have to be able to make the calls. That's basically where this thread comes into play. This thread will examine a few ways to improve officiating. Most of these will be tech solutions as these are the best ways that I can think of to help.

• Put a chip into the ball - football is a game of inches, and where the refs spot the ball makes a massive difference between a TD, first downs, Turn over on Downs, etc. Sometimes, as was the case in the Rams Steelers game or on the Hurts scramble against us, the refs might not be able to tell, based on an angle, where the ball was when the knee hit. If the ball had a chip in it, then there could be a signal that gets sent to the replay booth to show exactly where the ball was when the knee hit. Thus, when a player is in a pile, then they just have to match up where the chip is compared to the knee. This should make spotting the ball much easier. Besides, in European Football/soccer, the match balls have a chip in them to help the refs to be able to know if the ball did indeed cross the line. They can do something similar in the NFL.
• Make penalties/plays where a penalty could be called reviewable - this doesn't necessarily mean that a coach would have to challenge it, though this could be useful if the refs don't pick it up. Rather, similar to how the refs will be told quickly by the replay officials that a turnover should be quickly overturned, they can be told quickly by someone with a controller who can quickly spot an infraction on a replay. For example, when Schoonmacher was hit prior to the ball getting there, the hit could be part of the review so that they can make the correct call based on the entirety of the play, as opposed to just reviewing the parts that they can review with the current rules.
• Make the refs full time - this would help because, as opposed to having the refs have side jobs, they can spend their offseasons getting better and honing their craft. They can attend seminars where they can focus on certain aspects that they may not be able to focus on at this time.
• Better technology for replays - the replay speed in the XFL and USFL is impressive compared to the NFL. If you have watched an XFL game, you'll notice that they have people with an Xbox controller who can zoom in and do all kinds of different things in a rapid time to spot different things in a replay. Pat McAfee has pointed this out several times on his show. I think using some of the technology the XFL uses would help improve the NFL because all aspects of the play could be more rapidly reviewed. This means that they are able to review the play and get back to play more quickly. Thus, the concern for questionable officiating can be reduced because the technology used is better able to help the refs make the right calls.

The NFL makes hand over fist weekly. Surely they can afford these techniques if even the XFL is able to afford it. I think these methods would help improve officiating immensely.

The chip in the ball should have already been utilized. Other sports like the premier soccer league (PSL) in England already use a chip in their soccer ball to give instantaneous scoring feedback without delay.

The frustrating thing about the NFL is their stinginess to address some of these problems. They are a multi-billion dollar sports league with billions in profits every year yet they are very slow to commit resources to address some of these judgement call issues in the league.

The NFL just shrugged their shoulders at probably the most egregious call of the 21st century when they allowed the obvious PI that wasn’t called in the 2018 NFC championship game where the saints were robbed. They half heartedly allowed the appeals of PI calls in 2019 but it was an obvious sham.

 

[The Quest for Six]

Letting them play would be great. That said, I also think having someone who is in control of the replays should be able to have access to good enough technology to be able to make a quick rewind, find a possible mistake, and tell the head ref that there's an issue. The XFL manages to do it. Surely, the NFL can too.

Doesn't the game have enough stoppages and reviews as it is, you want more stoppages so an offical in the booth can review every penalty flag....

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

The chip in the ball should have already been utilized. Other sports like the premier soccer league (PSL) in England already use a chip in their soccer ball to give instantaneous scoring feedback without delay.

The frustrating thing about the NFL is their stinginess to address some of these problems. They are a multi-billion dollar sports league with billions in profits every year yet they are very slow to commit resources to address some of these judgement call issues in the league.

The NFL just shrugged their shoulders at probably the most egregious call of the 21st century when they allowed the obvious PI that wasn’t called in the 2018 NFC championship game where the saints were robbed. They half heartedly allowed the appeals of PI calls in 2019 but it was an obvious sham.

Exactly, the Premier League uses it, and the NFL should. I think these ideas would even allow them to shorten replay times.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

If the NFL could figure out a way to make money off the replay system, it would be perfect almost immediately

 

[RustyBourneHorse]

Doesn't the game have enough stoppages and reviews as it is, you want more stoppages so an offical in the booth can review every penalty flag....

Not necessarily every flag, but, especially since the refs usually converse about a potential flag, the replay official can have enough time with sufficient technology to see if the call should or shouldn't be called. Heck, with the NFL using AWS to share analytics with the fans, they can probably have AWS create an interface that can flag possible flags or issues during a play. Then, all the replay official has to do is touch the screen to see what was detected, and see if it's a foul or not.

 

[Doomsday]

Simplify some of the rules. Way too much is left to random interpretation.

 

[The Quest for Six]

The whole point is to not have refs that hold corporate jobs in businesses where it's pocket change. It's to hire professionals whose job it is to just know the rules and be good at reading the field and have to actually demonstrate competence at the job to get it.

The only time you hear whining on this forum about the refs is after a Cowboy loss...these refs go through rules and evaluation every year.....You can throw a flag on almost every play, I just rather they concentrate on flagrant penalties instead of tick tack ones like hand checking or hitting a QB below the waiste etc....I find the quality of football play in this league in serious decline

 

[Carnes]

Unfortunately this says it all