News: New NFL rules and Officiating Problems

[ryanbabs]

A very good article about the issues:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...re-replay-help-jersey-number-flexibility-more

Blue text is from the article.
Black text is my comments.

Instead of creating a full-time sky judge or a booth umpire, owners decided to formalize communication on a limited menu of calls from the replay official to referees.

The last paragraph of the article is really at the core of the officiating problem:
"This is where officials, the referees are all involved, felt like they wanted to maintain control of the game," said Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "The game should be called on the field with the support of the replay official in the stadium as well as New York when appropriate."

The NFL Referees Association is the Refs Union.
- The replay officials are not in the union.
- Only the on-field refs are in the union.
- The union has resisted replay at every step and continues to resist it as much as possible.
- The NFL will not "Go to war the the union" and instead just whittles away at the problems gradually each year.

This concept exacerbates the desire for the on-field refs to "Be in control".

Control is not the only issue.
- The union does not want to progress to the point that less on-field officials are used and replaced by video refs.
- In reality, with modern technology, the on-field refs are really only needed to maintain control of the game and communicate with coaches/players.
- All of the actual officiating could be done by video.
- The available technology could almost completely eliminate bad calls if used correctly.


Another blurb from the article:
The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

The NFL embracing gambling might be the ultimate solution to the officiating problem.
- If Gambling entities get a voice in the process, then the NFL's lackadaisical approach to bad calls will have to change.


More blurbs from the article:

More help from replay official

The NFL has been wrestling for years with the reality that television viewers sometimes have a better view of plays than any of the seven officials on the field. The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

Coaches have pushed for adding an eighth official to each crew and assigning them to a stadium suite with access to broadcast feeds and toggle technology. For now, however, owners and competition committee members consider the idea to be both fantasy -- they don't think there are enough qualified candidates -- and an intrusion on the basic tenet that games should be officiated on the field.

What can the replay official weigh in on?

• Penalty enforcement, proper down, spot of a foul, game clock or possession

• Completed or intercepted pass

• Touching of a loose ball, boundary line, goal line or end line

• Location of the football or a player in relation to the boundary line, the line of scrimmage, the line to gain or the goal line

• Down by contact (when a player is not ruled down by contact on the field)

The furthest they are willing to go is allowing the existing replay official, who already sits in a stadium suite but is limited to assistance on plays that are reviewed, to advise referees in a handful of other "specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present," according to the rule.

Replay officials, for example, can now advise referees if they see the ball bounce off the ground on what was ruled a completed catch. If the affected coach does not challenge the call, the referee can listen to the replay official's information and decide to change the ruling. They will not, for example, be able to point out mitigating factors on subjective calls such as pass interference.

I’ve been saying this for a few years now: the fact that EVERY single televised game has an “expert” or former referee right there to comment on every close call is all you need to know how screwed up this mess is.

 

[KJJ]

I would argue the opposite. Most casual fans are tired of Brady and may not watch.

Most fans will watch because they know they’re witnessing history. He’s not only the greatest QB to ever play the game but he’s arguably the greatest player. It’s a privilege to able to witness his career. I never got to actually watch Jim Brown and a few other great players play during their careers. I’ve only seen highlights. It’s great to be able to say I saw Tom Brady play.

 

[Wolfpack]

The NFL embracing gambling might be the ultimate solution to the officiating problem.
- If Gambling entities get a voice in the process, then the NFL's lackadaisical approach to bad calls will have to change.

The flip side is that "maintaining control on the field" may be what gambling prefers or is at least use to.

 

[DripTooHard]

The NFL embracing gambling might be the ultimate solution to the officiating problem.
- If Gambling entities get a voice in the process, then the NFL's lackadaisical approach to bad calls will have to change.

The flip side is that "maintaining control on the field" may be what gambling prefers or is at least use to.

I feel the opposite. It means that outcomes will be steered.

 

[CowboyRoy]

A very good article about the issues:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...re-replay-help-jersey-number-flexibility-more

Blue text is from the article.
Black text is my comments.

Instead of creating a full-time sky judge or a booth umpire, owners decided to formalize communication on a limited menu of calls from the replay official to referees.

The last paragraph of the article is really at the core of the officiating problem:
"This is where officials, the referees are all involved, felt like they wanted to maintain control of the game," said Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "The game should be called on the field with the support of the replay official in the stadium as well as New York when appropriate."

The NFL Referees Association is the Refs Union.
- The replay officials are not in the union.
- Only the on-field refs are in the union.
- The union has resisted replay at every step and continues to resist it as much as possible.
- The NFL will not "Go to war the the union" and instead just whittles away at the problems gradually each year.

This concept exacerbates the desire for the on-field refs to "Be in control".

Control is not the only issue.
- The union does not want to progress to the point that less on-field officials are used and replaced by video refs.
- In reality, with modern technology, the on-field refs are really only needed to maintain control of the game and communicate with coaches/players.
- All of the actual officiating could be done by video.
- The available technology could almost completely eliminate bad calls if used correctly.


Another blurb from the article:
The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

The NFL embracing gambling might be the ultimate solution to the officiating problem.
- If Gambling entities get a voice in the process, then the NFL's lackadaisical approach to bad calls will have to change.


More blurbs from the article:

More help from replay official

The NFL has been wrestling for years with the reality that television viewers sometimes have a better view of plays than any of the seven officials on the field. The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

Coaches have pushed for adding an eighth official to each crew and assigning them to a stadium suite with access to broadcast feeds and toggle technology. For now, however, owners and competition committee members consider the idea to be both fantasy -- they don't think there are enough qualified candidates -- and an intrusion on the basic tenet that games should be officiated on the field.

What can the replay official weigh in on?

• Penalty enforcement, proper down, spot of a foul, game clock or possession

• Completed or intercepted pass

• Touching of a loose ball, boundary line, goal line or end line

• Location of the football or a player in relation to the boundary line, the line of scrimmage, the line to gain or the goal line

• Down by contact (when a player is not ruled down by contact on the field)

The furthest they are willing to go is allowing the existing replay official, who already sits in a stadium suite but is limited to assistance on plays that are reviewed, to advise referees in a handful of other "specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present," according to the rule.

Replay officials, for example, can now advise referees if they see the ball bounce off the ground on what was ruled a completed catch. If the affected coach does not challenge the call, the referee can listen to the replay official's information and decide to change the ruling. They will not, for example, be able to point out mitigating factors on subjective calls such as pass interference.

LOL..............are you daft? "In control" doesnt mean controlling the outcome of games.

 

[kskboys]

I feel the opposite. It means that outcomes will be steered.

Steered even more, you mean?

 

[kskboys]

Imagine if the Bucs and Pats end up in the Super Bowl. Brady versus Belichick. The ratings for that game would be crazy! You’ll have even more fans thinking the NFL is rigged. Lol

Yawner.

And it prolly would be rigged.

 

[john van brocklin]

A very good article about the issues:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...re-replay-help-jersey-number-flexibility-more

Blue text is from the article.
Black text is my comments.

Instead of creating a full-time sky judge or a booth umpire, owners decided to formalize communication on a limited menu of calls from the replay official to referees.

The last paragraph of the article is really at the core of the officiating problem:
"This is where officials, the referees are all involved, felt like they wanted to maintain control of the game," said Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "The game should be called on the field with the support of the replay official in the stadium as well as New York when appropriate."

The NFL Referees Association is the Refs Union.
- The replay officials are not in the union.
- Only the on-field refs are in the union.
- The union has resisted replay at every step and continues to resist it as much as possible.
- The NFL will not "Go to war the the union" and instead just whittles away at the problems gradually each year.

This concept exacerbates the desire for the on-field refs to "Be in control".

Control is not the only issue.
- The union does not want to progress to the point that less on-field officials are used and replaced by video refs.
- In reality, with modern technology, the on-field refs are really only needed to maintain control of the game and communicate with coaches/players.
- All of the actual officiating could be done by video.
- The available technology could almost completely eliminate bad calls if used correctly.


Another blurb from the article:
The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

The NFL embracing gambling might be the ultimate solution to the officiating problem.
- If Gambling entities get a voice in the process, then the NFL's lackadaisical approach to bad calls will have to change.


More blurbs from the article:

More help from replay official

The NFL has been wrestling for years with the reality that television viewers sometimes have a better view of plays than any of the seven officials on the field. The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

Coaches have pushed for adding an eighth official to each crew and assigning them to a stadium suite with access to broadcast feeds and toggle technology. For now, however, owners and competition committee members consider the idea to be both fantasy -- they don't think there are enough qualified candidates -- and an intrusion on the basic tenet that games should be officiated on the field.

What can the replay official weigh in on?

• Penalty enforcement, proper down, spot of a foul, game clock or possession

• Completed or intercepted pass

• Touching of a loose ball, boundary line, goal line or end line

• Location of the football or a player in relation to the boundary line, the line of scrimmage, the line to gain or the goal line

• Down by contact (when a player is not ruled down by contact on the field)

The furthest they are willing to go is allowing the existing replay official, who already sits in a stadium suite but is limited to assistance on plays that are reviewed, to advise referees in a handful of other "specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present," according to the rule.

Replay officials, for example, can now advise referees if they see the ball bounce off the ground on what was ruled a completed catch. If the affected coach does not challenge the call, the referee can listen to the replay official's information and decide to change the ruling. They will not, for example, be able to point out mitigating factors on subjective calls such as pass interference.

Thanks for the info X

 

[Doomsday]

I would like to see them review big plays like pass interference calls that go for 30 plus yards down the field. They completely change the outcome of games and quite frankly more times than not QBs get bailed out by referees for just tossing it up and hoping for a weak call.

I think fans want fewer holding calls and more accurate calls on big plays. No reason they can't have someone in the booth doing a quick review of some of the plays and calling down to the field. They already do it on scoring plays and turnovers.

 

[DandyDon52]

Imagine if the Bucs and Pats end up in the Super Bowl. Brady versus Belichick. The ratings for that game would be crazy! You’ll have even more fans thinking the NFL is rigged. Lol

that could easily happen , and it would be interesting.

 

[DandyDon52]

The league overcomplicated the rule to the point where no one understands what a catch is in live action on the field. So simplify the rule. Possession/control and two steps is a catch. Forget football move, whatever that is supposed to be.

This is the rule that tells me the nfl wants the rule vague, so no one knows, and they can call it either way to manipulate games.

YOu say 2 steps, but better would be 2 feet down and it is a catch, if he has ball secured when 2 feet are down.
This rule is insane and makes no sense as it is. Even the game announcers have given up on trying to say if it is or isnt.

All rules should be simple. The fact the nfl is making them all complex says they want to call them whenever they want and go either way with them.

I dont blame the refs, it is the rules themselves, and the nfl makes those.

 

[DogFace]

What about telling the officials they missed a facemask call after they give a personal to the chiefs?

Do they just get to look up at the Jumbotron and correct their mistake because the crowd boo’s them?

Was there ever any explanation from the NFL on this laughable move by those refs or New York?

Im guessing no. Just act like it was legal and at the same time that it didn’t happen.

 

[DogFace]

I would like to see them review big plays like pass interference calls that go for 30 plus yards down the field. They completely change the outcome of games and quite frankly more times than not QBs get bailed out by referees for just tossing it up and hoping for a weak call.

I think fans want fewer holding calls and more accurate calls on big plays. No reason they can't have someone in the booth doing a quick review of some of the plays and calling down to the field. They already do it on scoring plays and turnovers.

They tried that and the refs wouldn't change even obvious misses.

Get a new breed of full time refs that want and need a career. Not mostly old guys that have or do have other jobs.

Have these younger refs be accountable to the press as the nba refs are. Public shaming can have a real affect on competency. No one likes to look like an idiot.

If the refs in KC had to explain how they used the scoreboard to make a call it would never happen. There’s many other examples as we know.

 

[BrassCowboy]

Where do we have the most controversy when it comes to officiating. I think it is PI, what constitutes a catch, and offensive holding. I think PI is on the list because the refs are inconsistent AND the foul is a spot foul, which can be more than 30 yards on some plays. We see plays where defenders clearly get to the receiver before the all arrives and it is not called. Then we see the Anthony Brown call and it leaves everyone confused about what is PI. They can make it very simple by simply saying any intentional contact beyond 5 yards before the ball arrives by either the defender or the receiver is PI.

What constitutes a catch has been a problem for years. The league overcomplicated the rule to the point where no one understands what a catch is in live action on the field. So simplify the rule. Possession/control and two steps is a catch. Forget football move, whatever that is supposed to be. Taking 2 steps with the ball is a football move. This is easy to see on reply, like inbounds and out of bounds. If a receiver has control and takes to step it is a catch no matter how fast the play appears in real life. Will there be more fumbles? Maybe. But it will be easier to judge on the field.

Offensive hold is an issue because we see so much hold all the time. Sometimes it is called and sometimes it isn't. No one seems to know why refs call it sometimes but not others. For example, we see refs call holding when a defensive player is rushing the QB and the offensive lineman gets his arm up around the defenders neck or shoulders as the defender is running around him. Yet sometimes we see the same thing not called. Maybe the refs miss it. I don't know. But we also see more egregious take downs of defensive linemen not called. There are refs who are supposed to be watching the line blocking to spot this stuff. I don't have the answer because I do not want 20 holding penalties called every game. What I want is consistency. I am okay with some leeway for linemen on the LOS. I am not okay with calling the arm around the neck on one team and not the other. If you call it once, call it every time. Maybe by calling it more linemen will learn to let go when the defender gets past them.

What about letting the guys play. Only call pi if it is real obvious. Maybe have some form of hybrid system where if it is a PI, then 15 Yards and first down, if it is obviously intentional then spot foul.

All I know is this, they need to call a lot less penalties. Get rid of 75% of the roughing Qb calls, about 50% less PI calls and almost 100% less calls for hitting defenseless WR.
Games should not be decided by the refs. Players need to grow a pair and play the game.

 

[CWR]

As long as they have human beings officiating games there’s going to be mistakes. Even if every call was made by replay it’s not going to be perfect. The call will still be based on someone’s judgment. Whatever call is made some fans aren’t going to be happy with it. That will never change.

If course, but that doesn't mean there isn't a quite a bit of room for improvement.

 

[Creeper]

What about letting the guys play. Only call pi if it is real obvious. Maybe have some form of hybrid system where if it is a PI, then 15 Yards and first down, if it is obviously intentional then spot foul.

All I know is this, they need to call a lot less penalties. Get rid of 75% of the roughing Qb calls, about 50% less PI calls and almost 100% less calls for hitting defenseless WR.
Games should not be decided by the refs. Players need to grow a pair and play the game.

I am all for letting guys play, but what happens when a defenders interferes with a receiver at a crucial point in the game? The the offensive teams is the losing team no doubt they and their fans will complain the PI was not called.

Roughing the QB is a joke. The part I think is the most ridiculous is when the call it after a clean tackle but the tackler leaves his feet and ;ands on top of the QB. Why no just make the QBs wear skirts and pantyhose when they play?

 

[phildadon86]

A very good article about the issues:
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...re-replay-help-jersey-number-flexibility-more

Blue text is from the article.
Black text is my comments.

Instead of creating a full-time sky judge or a booth umpire, owners decided to formalize communication on a limited menu of calls from the replay official to referees.

The last paragraph of the article is really at the core of the officiating problem:
"This is where officials, the referees are all involved, felt like they wanted to maintain control of the game," said Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations. "The game should be called on the field with the support of the replay official in the stadium as well as New York when appropriate."

The NFL Referees Association is the Refs Union.
- The replay officials are not in the union.
- Only the on-field refs are in the union.
- The union has resisted replay at every step and continues to resist it as much as possible.
- The NFL will not "Go to war the the union" and instead just whittles away at the problems gradually each year.

This concept exacerbates the desire for the on-field refs to "Be in control".

Control is not the only issue.
- The union does not want to progress to the point that less on-field officials are used and replaced by video refs.
- In reality, with modern technology, the on-field refs are really only needed to maintain control of the game and communicate with coaches/players.
- All of the actual officiating could be done by video.
- The available technology could almost completely eliminate bad calls if used correctly.


Another blurb from the article:
The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

The NFL embracing gambling might be the ultimate solution to the officiating problem.
- If Gambling entities get a voice in the process, then the NFL's lackadaisical approach to bad calls will have to change.


More blurbs from the article:

More help from replay official

The NFL has been wrestling for years with the reality that television viewers sometimes have a better view of plays than any of the seven officials on the field. The advance of technology and broadcast quality have laid bare the mistakes and missed calls that historically went unseen, a threat to competitive integrity that will only shine brighter as the league begins to embrace gambling.

Coaches have pushed for adding an eighth official to each crew and assigning them to a stadium suite with access to broadcast feeds and toggle technology. For now, however, owners and competition committee members consider the idea to be both fantasy -- they don't think there are enough qualified candidates -- and an intrusion on the basic tenet that games should be officiated on the field.

What can the replay official weigh in on?

• Penalty enforcement, proper down, spot of a foul, game clock or possession

• Completed or intercepted pass

• Touching of a loose ball, boundary line, goal line or end line

• Location of the football or a player in relation to the boundary line, the line of scrimmage, the line to gain or the goal line

• Down by contact (when a player is not ruled down by contact on the field)

The furthest they are willing to go is allowing the existing replay official, who already sits in a stadium suite but is limited to assistance on plays that are reviewed, to advise referees in a handful of other "specific, objective aspects of a play when clear and obvious video evidence is present," according to the rule.

Replay officials, for example, can now advise referees if they see the ball bounce off the ground on what was ruled a completed catch. If the affected coach does not challenge the call, the referee can listen to the replay official's information and decide to change the ruling. They will not, for example, be able to point out mitigating factors on subjective calls such as pass interference.

I think the biggest way to stop any bias or mistakes. Start handing out fines to the refs for blown calls or missed calls. Players get fined all the time. Watch how fast the officiating gets their act together when their wallet is affected.

 

[gimmesix]

...this will linger for years. All we can hope that somehow we get 50/50 out of it.

I think we did last Thursday: the blindside block call (which may have been technically correct but was still wrong) vs. the blow to Dak's head on the interception. That achieved a balance that we unfortunately hardly ever seem to get as Cowboys fans.

 

[gimmesix]

I think the biggest way to stop any bias or mistakes. Start handing out fines to the refs for blown calls or missed calls. Players get fined all the time. Watch how fast the officiating gets their act together when their wallet is affected.

I'm thinking the same union that doesn't want video review would balk hard at this.

 

[KJJ]

If course, but that doesn't mean there isn't a quite a bit of room for improvement.

The league is doing everything they can to improve it. No matter what they do it’s never going to make everyone happy. They’ll still be controversial calls because it still comes down to judgment. Even with multiple camera angles and slow-mo replay it’s hard to tell what the correct call is. If it’s not conclusive they stay with the call on the field. If a call doesn’t favor your team fans are going to complain. That will never change. Where the league needs to improve is on the tick-tacky calls. Too many flags are being thrown you have to allow players to play. I don’t like the taunting calls. They’re getting ridiculous! A player can’t even look at another player without getting a taunting penalty. They can cost a team a game.