I Can't Handle The Officiating Any More

[Darrell Green Fan]

I had no dog in the fight last night but it was a good game so I had interest. Until the officials jobbed the Texans again with 2 consecutive bad spots, one was even reviewed. This can't happen in a tie game with 6 minutes left. The Hopkins play was bad enough but at least it was a more difficult call, the spots were obvious. I have no idea why this keeps happening.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Horrible officiating has been an ongoing narrative for the better part of a decade now.

I support the full-time initiative.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

I get it, fans will always complain. I'm not sure full time refs are the answer, will looking at film all week really make them better? Still the PR alone may be worth it for the league.

But it's clearly getting worse and the lack of accountability should be looked at. When even a casual fan cringes when they learn Jeff Triplett is working their team's game something is terribly wrong. There was no excuse for last night.

 

[Taddy Mason]

I get it, fans will always complain. I'm not sure full time refs are the answer, will looking at film all week really make them better? Still the PR alone may be worth it for the league.

But it's clearly getting worse and the lack of accountability should be looked at. When even a casual fan cringes when they learn Jeff Triplett is working their team's game something is terribly wrong. There was no excuse for last night.

I haven't seen much of anything this year, but there's been too much nuance once they started reinterpreting the rules. From a fan prospective watching, you see blatant shit that doesn't get called and then on the other end a ticky tack foul against you. Cam Newton can take a helmet to helmet hit without a flag, but on the next series the opponents QB can get their helmet grazed by a pinkie and a 15 yarder can be called. There's no consistency in anything, that could be applied to any rule/penalty. It's just frustrating to watch when there's a million flags a game and the announcers speculate what it might be, but they never show a replay of what was actually called, which is one of the most frustrating things about it. I'm going to bold that, just because it sucks when you hear a penalty is called and the announcers say there's nothing to it, but there's never a replay.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

It's a very fast game that is difficult to officiate. The Cam deal is really hard to understand but I look at it like the way the refs treated Shaq vs the rest of the centers. For some reason he didn't get foul calls just because he was bigger than the rest. But spotting a ball isn't hard, it really isn't. Especially with the help of replay.

 

[Taddy Mason]

It's a very fast game that is difficult to officiate. The Cam deal is really hard to understand but I look at it like the way the refs treated Shaq vs the rest of the centers. For some reason he didn't get foul calls just because he was bigger than the rest. But spotting a ball isn't hard, it really isn't. Especially with the help of replay.

I call bullshit on your Cam to Shaq example. As a Philly fan, I saw McNabb get speared against the same Panthers while already down and on his back and nary a call. I saw him get many a hit that drew nothing, while the opponents QB, would get the slightest fraction a call. Similarly, I saw Iverson get smacked in the head by Shaq and not get a foul called. It is what is is, but at least in basketball, they'd try to even them out once they saw how they fucked up.

 

[fordman84]

I haven't seen much of anything this year, but there's been too much nuance once they started reinterpreting the rules. From a fan prospective watching, you see blatant shit that doesn't get called and then on the other end a ticky tack foul against you. Cam Newton can take a helmet to helmet hit without a flag, but on the next series the opponents QB can get their helmet grazed by a pinkie and a 15 yarder can be called. There's no consistency in anything, that could be applied to any rule/penalty. It's just frustrating to watch when there's a million flags a game and the announcers speculate what it might be, but they never show a replay of what was actually called, which is one of the most frustrating things about it. I'm going to bold that, just because it sucks when you hear a penalty is called and the announcers say there's nothing to it, but there's never a replay.

THIS. MNF is the worst about it. They are allergic to showing replays unless it is loud mouthed Gruden wanting to scribble all over the screen because "look at how this lineman turns someone to block them". Who the fuck cares, Jon? I want to see the catch, the run, and the tackle. i want to see a replay when a foul is called. Fox and CBS can do it, why can't ESPN?

 

[Clayton]

I just figured the refs were in Raiders colors. They sure acted like it at the start of the game and I didn't stick around to see how bad it got at the end.

 

[cdumler7]

I just figured the refs were in Raiders colors. They sure acted like it at the start of the game and I didn't stick around to see how bad it got at the end.

Unfortunately it got worse. They really messed up twice with terrible spots. It was an obvious first down on two straight plays and they gave the Texans terrible spots. Even reviewed it once and still got it wrong.

 

[Orlando Eagles]

In fairness to the part time refs....they are being asked to officiate a game on the fastest, most elite level. And on this level they have mucked with the rules too much...and tried to enforce new rules for safety that can be subjective in real time and hard to enforce at the speed they are played.

It is not the game they were asked to call a decade ago. While I think there is merit to full time refs, I am just not sure even full time employment can make this easier to do. Maybe a good start would be to reinforce more universal application of the calls.

For me this is the absolute reason I have watched less NFL this year. And it's not even close.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I dont want to hear about how there's a conspiracy against the Raiders ever again after watching MNF last night.

 

[Clayton]

Unfortunately it got worse. They really messed up twice with terrible spots. It was an obvious first down on two straight plays and they gave the Texans terrible spots. Even reviewed it once and still got it wrong.

I thought they missed a spot for the Texans early on, too, but I was watching the game in a restaurant so I couldn't tell 100%. The ref calling the play on the sideline dead was embarrassing, though.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

From my understanding is that the Refs don't actually can't freeze the frames. Seems like an obvious addition and if the NFL is scared of refs misusing it, then maybe fulltime refs should be a solution...

 

[huskers1217]

To me, Hopkins was the worst call. Keep the play going and let replay call him out of bounds

 

[Fountain City Blues]

To me, Hopkins was the worst call. Keep the play going and let replay call him out of bounds

A good example of how arcane NFL rules are.

 

[Beaker]

THIS. MNF is the worst about it. They are allergic to showing replays unless it is loud mouthed Gruden wanting to scribble all over the screen because "look at how this lineman turns someone to block them". Who the fuck cares, Jon? I want to see the catch, the run, and the tackle. i want to see a replay when a foul is called. Fox and CBS can do it, why can't ESPN?

"This guy! This guy's a football player! Watch as he comes on down the line, and bam! Opens up the hole for the runningback!"

Yes Jon. I know what a pulling guard is. Also, it was a 3 yard gain.

 

[klbynes500]

When the defenders made helmet-to-helmet contact with Cam Newton, they were penalized. There was a DB, from the Broncos, of whom received a fine for his contact to Cam's helmet.

From what I saw, this season, from the officials' calls: the officials are officiating, perfectly. Quit blaming the officials, when your team loses!

 

[The Q]

It's a very fast game that is difficult to officiate. The Cam deal is really hard to understand but I look at it like the way the refs treated Shaq vs the rest of the centers. For some reason he didn't get foul calls just because he was bigger than the rest. But spotting a ball isn't hard, it really isn't. Especially with the help of replay.

That was just pathetic that the NBA never fixed that.

And full time refs isn't going to help with spotting the ball issues. And frankly that happens all the time, even on 1st and 2nd down plays, but we don't really notice or care because...it's first or 2nd down.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

When the defenders made helmet-to-helmet contact with Cam Newton, they were penalized. There was a DB, from the Broncos, of whom received a fine for his contact to Cam's helmet.

From what I saw, this season, from the officials' calls: the officials are officiating, perfectly. Quit blaming the officials, when your team loses!

Yes but even us neutral fans can see Cam is not getting calls every other QB is getting.

Orlando's post is the problem, many of us are simply not watching and this issue is a reason. Ratings are down, the league must do something. And if that means firing Jeff Triplett and hiring full time refs (although I doubt it will help) then they have to consider the backlash if they don't.

 

[purguy12]

Its getting bad. That Hopkins play might be one of the worst calls ever. I mean how do you get replay wrong on that. U see green between his foot and sideline. Its time to suspend Refs just like you would suspend players for doing something wrong.