The NFL has an officiating problem

[Russ Smith]

Before someone tries to claim this is a Jake bash, I watched one game start to finish(us) and 2 partial games(Vikings/Chiefs, Broncos/Colts) all weekend so my comments are limited to those 3 games.

Seattle is quite likely to miss the playoffs this year due in large part 2 games where refs made mistakes that may have changed the outcome.

Saturday, Eddie Kennison has the ball running down the sideline, a Viking defender on his left, out of bounds, knocks the ball free. As the ball is going out of bounds the defender, still out of bounds, knocks it back in. The ball bounced out the endzone as is ruled a touchback, after review, play upheld!!! Unreal, the only thing I can think is the replay angle that proved conclusively the ball was going out until the defender hit it was shown so late the refs may not have seen the replay, but even then it was completely obvious that it should have been KC ball. Horrible call.

Sunday in the Cards game McCown lofts the ball up to Quan after the fleaflicker, Quan makes a one hand leaping grab, falls forward and hits the ground lowerbody first. When the hand comes down to the ground, the ball pops out, no catch. Again, the lowerbody hits first, if he's stretching for the goalline in that situation they will say he was down, how can that not be the case in this one? Yes I'm biased but that was a catch IMHO.

McCown was running quite a bit in the game, at least twice after releasing throws on the run he was hit late, once (I think it was Simmons) the guy hit him at least 2 steps after the throw, no call, and frankly I agreed, if your QB is going to run that much, he's going to get hit.

Sunday night, Jake Plummer rolls left, forces a ball that's nearly picked by I think Macklin, flag. As I'm getting ready to scoff at the pass interference call, they instead call roughing on Washington the LB who had taken one step and lightly shoved Jake with one hand. Jake's momentum combined with the shove to make him fall. Horrible call, even Theismann said it was a bad call.

2-3 plays later Jake lofts a beautiful throw to Rod Smith who appears to bobble the ball before going out of the endzone, TD. I instantly say "that'll come back." For 30 seconds I'm baffled why Dungy isn't challenging, then it becomes clear, under 2 minutes in the half Dungy can't challenge, he has to wait for the refs upstairs to do so, and they don't, extra point is kicked as we're all watching the replay of Smith adjust the ball as he's going out of bounds. So it's 28-17 Broncos going into the half(Colts drove for a quick FG). Again, it was a close play and to not even choose to replay it is criminal. Denver winds up winning 31-17, if you just change the outcome of those 2 plays, both of which occurred on 2nd and 9, you end up with Denver having to convert 2 3rd and 9 plays to keep that drive going, even if you assume they get one the odds are fairly good at best they get a FG in that drive making it 24-17 instead of 28-17. It wound up not mattering but a huge play to not even review.

With the amount of money riding on the NFL and playoff berths it's simply unbelievable how many calls are being missed even with the advantage of instant replay. Every year it happens but
nothing ever changes.

Sorry had to vent.

 

[Mike Olbinski]

I agree, instant replay had a bad day yesterday...

Mike

 

[Billy Flynt]

No that wasn't a Jake-bash- (surprising enough for you Russ). I saw all three games, plus some others and the officiating was horrible all weekend.

The crew at the Cards' game is one of the worst I have ever seen. Every time I see them they screw up a handful of calls (and not only against the Cards - no sour grapes).

You were right on the mark, Russ.

 

[jf-08]

there was a TD by Denver, I think it was Rod Smith, that the receiver was pushed out of bounds before he got to the end line AND the ball never crossed the pyulon & it was called a TD.

2 bad calls on the same play.

 

[Jersey Girl]

I hear ya, Russ. The roughing the passer call on the Colts was totally bogus. I thought there were a lot of bogus roughing the passer calls made on Sunday, but that was definitely the worst of the bunch.

And, yeah, that should have been a catch and a TD for Quan. Funny how the receiver (can't remember who) in the Colts/Broncos game dove into the end zone and lost the ball when his hands hit the ground, but because he had caught the ball a few yards before and there was not defender around (and because the ground can't cause a fumble, I suppose), it was 6 points. So, because Quan catches it in the end zone it's NOT a TD? He caught the ball, got two feet down, broke the plane and then -- when his hand hit the ground -- he loses it.

And that call during the Vikings game was atrocious.

Pretty bad officiating this weekend, for sure.

 

[Pariah]

Originally posted by Russ Smith


Sunday in the Cards game McCown lofts the ball up to Quan after the fleaflicker, Quan makes a one hand leaping grab, falls forward and hits the ground lowerbody first. When the hand comes down to the ground, the ball pops out, no catch. Again, the lowerbody hits first, if he's stretching for the goalline in that situation they will say he was down, how can that not be the case in this one? Yes I'm biased but that was a catch IMHO.

Even guys on the 'hawks board were saying they got away with one on that non-TD call.

 

[Jersey Girl]

Re: Re: The NFL has an officiating problem

Originally posted by Pariah
Even guys on the 'hawks board were saying they got away with one on that non-TD call.

And that catch would have given Quan another, what, 52 yards toward the record? Damn!

 

[Russ Smith]

Re: Re: The NFL has an officiating problem

Originally posted by Pariah
Even guys on the 'hawks board were saying they got away with one on that non-TD call.

It was brutal, there was no bobble at all and the rule says catch and control, not with 2 hands. I thought he caught the ball against SF 2-3 games ago that hit the ground and popped out again with one hand.

Obviously it didn't matter at 3-11 now 3-12 but what if it HAD mattered?

how do you tell Seattle if they miss the playoffs sorry we screwed up? How do you tell Miami now out of the playoffs(I think) that yeah we probably should have reviewed that "catch" by Rod Smith?

I think that was the worst call of the whole weekend because they simply chose to NOT review it. If I'd been Dungy I would have thrown my flag out there even though I can't challenge it, do anything to stop the Broncos from lining up to kick the extra point while the replay is being shown, I think he was TOO relaxed there I never thought it was a catch live let alone on replay.

 

[dylanbw]

Agree/Clarification

Russ,

You are correct on most points, but to clarify the Vikings-Chiefs DEBACLE - Brian Williams of the Vikings hit the ball TWICE while he was out of bounds (makes it a dead ball, correct?), then a 2nd Vikings defender steps out of bounds on his way to recovering the ball on the 2 yard line (there was no touchback on the play). Dick Vermeil correctly challenged the play, but he challenged saying Kennison had stepped out.

The replay refs apparently only looked at Kennison's feet and missed the two other major infractions on that play. Based upon what happened during teh Bryant Johnson non-TD call in Pittsburgh, I believe they are allowed to "notice" different infractions during replay review. What a joke officiating has become in the NFL. Billion Dollar industry, 10 cent officiating.

While I also believe Anquan had that TD - two things were very interesting about that play: - when Dallas ran that against us they has TWO wr WIDE OPEN. We run the flea-flicker and Q is blanketed by Springs. More importantly, how about the absolute textbook, catch the ball at its highest point, leap by Q?! His vertical is just sick....Spud Webb-like...He is so the man!

Here's another vote for Ben R. at #1 as well.

Dylan

 

[jf-08]

What was also sick about that flea-flicker is that it happened too damn fast. The Def backs never had a chance to bite on the run because the toss back to McCown happened too soon..

 

[dylanbw]

Good point

..Shipp needed to dance around a little bit, then toss it back.....he was probably just assuming the line would break down any second so he rushed it a bit.....

 

[Billy Flynt]

Re: Agree/Clarification

Originally posted by dylanbw
Russ,

The replay refs apparently only looked at Kennison's feet and missed the two other major infractions on that play. Based upon what happened during teh Bryant Johnson non-TD call in Pittsburgh, I believe they are allowed to "notice" different infractions during replay review. What a joke officiating has become in the NFL. Billion Dollar industry, 10 cent officiating.

Dylan

The director of officiating said after the Pittsburgh game that the entire play is open to review once a challenge is made. Therefore they should have picked up the other infractions on the play. Like you said, 10 cent officating.

On the Quan play, the only reason I can see why they screwed the call is b/c of a rulling that you must control the ball through the completion of the play. However, once his hip hits in the endzone, it is a TD. The ball hitting the ground and coming loose is after the completion of the play. It is still a blown call.

 

[Russ Smith]

Re: Agree/Clarification

Originally posted by dylanbw
Russ,

You are correct on most points, but to clarify the Vikings-Chiefs DEBACLE - Brian Williams of the Vikings hit the ball TWICE while he was out of bounds (makes it a dead ball, correct?), then a 2nd Vikings defender steps out of bounds on his way to recovering the ball on the 2 yard line (there was no touchback on the play). Dick Vermeil correctly challenged the play, but he challenged saying Kennison had stepped out.

Correct, not a touchback, recovered at the 3 yard line but should have been a dead ball. And the refs have in fact admitted the ball should have been dead when Williams touched the ball out of bounds.

The Boldin call infuriated me it may cost him an NFL record for yardage by a rookie.

 

[Buckybird]

The thing I don't understand is if the refs were unsure of possession or control, how can a receiver palm aball one-handed
and not have control? Should have been a TD.

 

[vince56]

Originally posted by Buckybird
The thing I don't understand is if the refs were unsure of possession or control, how can a receiver palm aball one-handed
and not have control? Should have been a TD.

Exactly. He caught the ball 2 handed, switched the ball to 1 hand, was tackled, his hips landed on the ground and then the ball, firmly in his grasp, landed on the ground...THEN it came loose.

That's a TD. No doubt about it. No way the refs got it right yesterday. Terrible terrible call.

 

[Assface]

I get the Bucs game every week and they get tons of bad called, which surprises me considering they are the defending champs. In Baseball guys like Maddux get their own personal strike zone and in Basketball if you're name rhymed with ichael ordan you never got calls against you. I was watching one game a few weeks ago where McCardell was getting raped and there were no flags. Sometimes refs allow a little bit of cantact but it's rediculous when the game goes on and players are blatantly holding recievers. Even the leagues darling teams have gotten bad calls against them. I'm sure if you ask every Packer, Rams, Niners, etc. fan they can point out at least one call where even the booth guys were scratching their heads. It's not that the refs are biased, they just suck.

 

[conraddobler]

To me the NFL crews consistently undermine instant replay by just plain botching it.

Now some calls like went against the Chiefs with the same out of bounds type turnover ruling you mentioned just drive me crazy the rule is there they watch the play in slow motion and still they botch the call.

Boldin's catch was just outright robbery.

The NFL needs professional refs like every other sport. The problem is most of these guys are lawyers and they are just downright opinionated arse holes.

They need to make this the persons only job and fire the stupid ones.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by Assface
I get the Bucs game every week and they get tons of bad called, which surprises me considering they are the defending champs. In Baseball guys like Maddux get their own personal strike zone and in Basketball if you're name rhymed with ichael ordan you never got calls against you. I was watching one game a few weeks ago where McCardell was getting raped and there were no flags. Sometimes refs allow a little bit of cantact but it's rediculous when the game goes on and players are blatantly holding recievers. Even the leagues darling teams have gotten bad calls against them. I'm sure if you ask every Packer, Rams, Niners, etc. fan they can point out at least one call where even the booth guys were scratching their heads. It's not that the refs are biased, they just suck.

Yeah I wasn't claiming bias just suckiness and total lack of consistency. The roughing call against Jake sunday night was comical, McCown was hit harder and later at least 3 times in Seattle with no call. In fact Jake was hit harder and later in the same game with no call. I saw a guy saturday tackle a WR completely out of bounds, the guy had taken two steps out of bounds and the DB tackled him, and no call, but a slight shove to the QB is roughing?

It gets worse every year there's so much riding on NFL games in terms of money that you'd think they'd make an effort to get better officials.

a buddy of mine thinks that replay has scared refs, they're afraid to make the call because it might get overturned, so they make no call at all.