Possible Solution to Officiating

[Hawkeye19]

I don't think there is an anti-Cowboys bias-- I just think that NFL refs are too inconsistent and in some cases-- incompetent. Other teams besides Dallas have been hurt by bad and inconsistent officiating.

IMO-- the refs were inconsistent as hell on Sunday and it affected the game. It sucks and I'm not happy about it-- but I don't have much confidence the NFL will fix the issue.

One potential solution could be to allow coaches the flexibility to use a challenge on a play where they feel there was indeed a penalty that was not flagged (like Irving getting held on the last pass of the game). Still only give teams 2 challenges a game-- just expand the scope of what they can challenge. The game doesn't slow down anymore than it already is, and you also allow the NFL to save face by instituting a rule change that acknowledges the problem of bad officiating while also giving teams the ability to overcome that obstacle.

In fairness to the refs-- they are human and can miss a call. But if you let a team challenge-- at least a couple calls a game could be rectified and we could stop seeing so many games decided by the refs.

 

[YosemiteSam]

My suggestion is have a Guillotine on-site.

Bad ref calls or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties get an immediate beheading.

 

[visionary]

My suggestion is have a Guillotine on-site.

Bad ref calls or unsportsmanlike conduct penalties get an immediate beheading.

I'm on board

The NFL is trying to expand so moving the games to the Middle East would make sense and make this easier

 

[lukin2006]

I don't think there is an anti-Cowboys bias-- I just think that NFL refs are too inconsistent and in some cases-- incompetent. Other teams besides Dallas have been hurt by bad and inconsistent officiating.

IMO-- the refs were inconsistent as hell on Sunday and it affected the game. It sucks and I'm not happy about it-- but I don't have much confidence the NFL will fix the issue.

One potential solution could be to allow coaches the flexibility to use a challenge on a play where they feel there was indeed a penalty that was not flagged (like Irving getting held on the last pass of the game). Still only give teams 2 challenges a game-- just expand the scope of what they can challenge. The game doesn't slow down anymore than it already is, and you also allow the NFL to save face by instituting a rule change that acknowledges the problem of bad officiating while also giving teams the ability to overcome that obstacle.

In fairness to the refs-- they are human and can miss a call. But if you let a team challenge-- at least a couple calls a game could be rectified and we could stop seeing so many games decided by the refs.

I definitely agree. I've often wanted a coaches challenge that was dedicated to a possible missed penalty call...1 per half ... the game can't get much slower, the game could get sped by letting an official in a remote location make the call instead of the on-field official...

 

[Hawkeye19]

I definitely agree. I've often wanted a coaches challenge that was dedicated to a possible missed penalty call...1 per half ... the game can't get much slower, the game could get sped by letting an official in a remote location make the call instead of the on-field official...

Yah-- it could certainly be a step in the right direction. In fact-- you could actually have a guy like Mike Perreira be back at NFL HQ and any penalty challenges are reviewed by him and an objective team and they hand down a objective ruling on the situation further removing any potential bias or incompetence from the equation.

The point is to get the calls right and now with replay we certainly have the technology to do so. Would just require a compromise so that the game speed doesn't become an issue.

 

[lukin2006]

Yah-- it could certainly be a step in the right direction. In fact-- you could actually have a guy like Mike Perreira be back at NFL HQ and any penalty challenges are reviewed by him and an objective team and they hand down a objective ruling on the situation further removing any potential bias or incompetence from the equation.

The point is to get the calls right and now with replay we certainly have the technology to do so. Would just require a compromise so that the game speed doesn't become an issue.

Agreed getting e call right should be the priority.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

It would be a Pandora's Box... every play would potentially become voidable due to technically illegal line play which has become acceptable. You think that you get mad when an away from the ball, ticky-tack hold brings back a long Zeke TD run, wait until it gets brought back by a ticky-tack hold that wasn't even originally called...

 

[Jake]

I don't think there is an anti-Cowboys bias-- I just think that NFL refs are too inconsistent and in some cases-- incompetent. Other teams besides Dallas have been hurt by bad and inconsistent officiating.

IMO-- the refs were inconsistent as hell on Sunday and it affected the game. It sucks and I'm not happy about it-- but I don't have much confidence the NFL will fix the issue.

One potential solution could be to allow coaches the flexibility to use a challenge on a play where they feel there was indeed a penalty that was not flagged (like Irving getting held on the last pass of the game). Still only give teams 2 challenges a game-- just expand the scope of what they can challenge. The game doesn't slow down anymore than it already is, and you also allow the NFL to save face by instituting a rule change that acknowledges the problem of bad officiating while also giving teams the ability to overcome that obstacle.

In fairness to the refs-- they are human and can miss a call. But if you let a team challenge-- at least a couple calls a game could be rectified and we could stop seeing so many games decided by the refs.

The Canadian Football League already allows this and it's a good thing. I've seen PI calls, and non-calls, get reversed by it.

"It'll make the games too long!"

BS. Two hours of commercials are why the games are long.

 

[Chuck 54]

Appreciate the idea, but no thanks. Yes, there was holding on the final play, but Scandrick and other DBs clearly interfered throughout the game as well. There are too many penalties and too much TV air time for the ref announcing them now, slowing the game...too many ridiculous conferences where it's clear they don't know what's going on.

Our offense should have score more than 13 points in the first half, and our defense shouldn't give up 36 yards on the final play of the game.

 

[Hawkeye19]

It would be a Pandora's Box... every play would potentially become voidable due to technically illegal line play which has become acceptable. You think that you get mad when an away from the ball, ticky-tack hold brings back a long Zeke TD run, wait until it gets brought back by a ticky-tack hold that wasn't even originally called...

Wrong.

You missed the part where coaches still just have 2 challenges (could turn to 3 if both challenges are won). You are just expanding the scope of what would be allowed to be challenged.

 

[CalPolyTechnique]

I don't think there is an anti-Cowboys bias-- I just think that NFL refs are too inconsistent and in some cases-- incompetent. Other teams besides Dallas have been hurt by bad and inconsistent officiating.

IMO-- the refs were inconsistent as hell on Sunday and it affected the game. It sucks and I'm not happy about it-- but I don't have much confidence the NFL will fix the issue.

One potential solution could be to allow coaches the flexibility to use a challenge on a play where they feel there was indeed a penalty that was not flagged (like Irving getting held on the last pass of the game). Still only give teams 2 challenges a game-- just expand the scope of what they can challenge. The game doesn't slow down anymore than it already is, and you also allow the NFL to save face by instituting a rule change that acknowledges the problem of bad officiating while also giving teams the ability to overcome that obstacle.

In fairness to the refs-- they are human and can miss a call. But if you let a team challenge-- at least a couple calls a game could be rectified and we could stop seeing so many games decided by the refs.

I don't how feasible it would be but I like your innovative thoughts.

Officiating league wide is horrendous.

Call it ageism or whatever you want, but I'd like to see some younger refs officiating the game. In the military most fighter pilots are in their 20s-30s because they are at their peak in both their mental and physical acuity. Yet in the NFL we have senior citizens running around the field.

I don't want to hear about "experience" either because if experience was really that paramount we wouldn't be having this discussion about officiating.

 

[Hawkeye19]

I don't how realistic it is but I like the innovative thought.

Officiating league wide is horrendous.

Call it ageism or whatever you want, but I'd like to see some younger refs officiating the game. In the military most fighter pilots are in their 20s-30s because they are at their peak in both their mental and physical acuity. Yet in the NFL we have senior citizens running around the field.

Good point.

I think the reason the NFL does it is b/c most refs are part time. They are cutting down on the expense of having full time officials-- and it shows on the field. They should go ahead and bite the bullet and commit to expanding the roster of full time refs and get younger at the same time-- as you suggest. Train em up year round and keep them in shape.

I'd also keep the same crews together and not rotate/sub officials.

 

[Super_Kazuya]

Wrong.

You missed the part where coaches still just have 2 challenges (could turn to 3 if both challenges are won). You are just expanding the scope of what would be allowed to be challenged.

Wrong. You missed the point.

 

[Hawkeye19]

Wrong. You missed the point.

So a team could bring back two (or at most 3) runs a game if they choose to challenge. We could also eliminate big plays (like the non call on Irving) against us-- so it's not all a bad thing.

Also-- another positive result would be that OL would elevate their technical play to avoid getting nailed-- so the net effect would be better overall play. I don't see a downside at all. If a player holds and he ends up being held accountable even if the flag wasn't originally thrown-- it's fine by me and makes the game more pure.

 

[hornitosmonster]

Cowboys not playing? Don't watch. I pledge not to watch. I don't matter as one person but a million or two not watching causes numbers to drop and that hits the bottom line

 

[big dog cowboy]

The Canadian Football League already allows this and it's a good thing. I've seen PI calls, and non-calls, get reversed by it.

"It'll make the games too long!"

BS. Two hours of commercials are why the games are long.

This is a great post.

I watch CFL games until the NFL starts every year. They make it work and the game is better.

 

[sbark]

Cowboys not playing? Don't watch. I pledge not to watch. I don't matter as one person but a million or two not watching causes numbers to drop and that hits the bottom line

Fully agree...........if I change my mind, I will watch at a BWW etc to avoid Dish Net passing on my data to the NFL ratings.......

 

[rdskn4eva]

This would be like allowing Baseball managers to challenge balls and strikes.

The only penalty that I think should be challenge-able, if you allowed it, would be defensive pass interference.

That said, yes, officiating is horrible in the NFL...Easily the worst of the 4 major sports.

 

[conner01]

It would be a Pandora's Box... every play would potentially become voidable due to technically illegal line play which has become acceptable. You think that you get mad when an away from the ball, ticky-tack hold brings back a long Zeke TD run, wait until it gets brought back by a ticky-tack hold that wasn't even originally called...

Exactly

 

[superonyx]

It would be a Pandora's Box... every play would potentially become voidable due to technically illegal line play which has become acceptable. You think that you get mad when an away from the ball, ticky-tack hold brings back a long Zeke TD run, wait until it gets brought back by a ticky-tack hold that wasn't even originally called...

I agree... But there is a way it would just need to be limited to certain penalties and with restrictions that the penalty occurred near the ball ect.
Also I don't like the idea of every play being voidable. Instead make the challenge only on calls where the ref threw the flag or if they didn't then only for a potential pass interference. Like when Witten was tackled on the goal line this weekend. Or that PI call where it should have been a holding at best not a spot foul that put them in range for that 57 yard FG.

Another big thing that needs to happen is the league needs to start a no arguing policy with the refs. Studies show that being a crybaby celebrity player or coach does impact the refs judgement. The NHL had this problem and they fixed it. Games become hard to watch when every incomplete pass ends with a WR jumping up looking at the ref and simulating throwing the flag, while the QB starts crying to the refs.