Solution to bad calls?

[oldmanfan]

Theee are so many complaints about bad calls in the NFL, and many say we should rely more on technology to overcome these.  But my concern is you could conceivably look at any given play in the NFL and pick out a call that should have been made.

 

How about adding a minimum two more officials on the field (I'd put them in the defensive backfield) along with allowing the guy in the press box to make a call if he sees something.  Give each coach one challenge  regardless of the type of call.  If you add officials in the back you have two more sets of eyes back there, and it seems the calls that are by and large screamed about occur primarily back in that area.  The guy in the box can catch the most egregious holding.  And coaches still can challenge truly bad calls.

 

And once this is done, accept the fact that in any game like football there will be human error and just accept that as part of the game.

[TigerJ]

I'm willing for the league to try just about anything.  Here's another idea: I think the officials automatically review plays where a change of possession takes place.  I think they could expand on that to include penalties called or not called.  

[HappyDays]

Refereeing should be done from a central office with numerous camera angles for each game. Reviews would be quicker that way. A central office would have watched the PI twice and immediately called the penalty. Challenges would also go faster. Watch the slow motion replay 3 or 4 times and make a call. Some guy staring into a booth on the sideline is the most inefficient way possible.

[Gray Beard]

I like the idea that a guy in the press box could stop the game and initiate a second look.  The trouble is, there are calls such as holding that occur so often it’s hard to know when it’s crossed a line and should be called.  I could definitely see accusations of bias.

[JimmyNoodles]

Officials should be full time.  It's crazy that the NFL does not have full time refs.  Also, the game needs to be called the same in the regular season as in the playoffs.  Refs always let more go in the playoffs.  Maybe the regular season should be the same? 

[Stenbar]

How bout the referees are held accountable for calling a correct game. If  you miss or blow a call that is your responsibility, you get fined the first time, suspended the second time and fired the third.. Simple, doesnt get any easier or more accountable than that

[Royale with Cheese]

4 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Refereeing should be done from a central office with numerous camera angles for each game. Reviews would be quicker that way. A central office would have watched the PI twice and immediately called the penalty. Challenges would also go faster. Watch the slow motion replay 3 or 4 times and make a call. Some guy staring into a booth on the sideline is the most inefficient way possible.

 

You’ll still need field refs but I agree that reviews should be done in an office.  If there is a really questionable call like this...they need to do what they can to get it right.

[BuffAlone]

3 minutes ago, JimmyNoodles said:

Officials should be full time.  It's crazy that the NFL does not have full time refs.  Also, the game needs to be called the same in the regular season as in the playoffs.  Refs always let more go in the playoffs.  Maybe the regular season should be the same? 

There are currently 24 full time NFL officials

[berg1029]

6 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Refereeing should be done from a central office with numerous camera angles for each game. Reviews would be quicker that way. A central office would have watched the PI twice and immediately called the penalty. Challenges would also go faster. Watch the slow motion replay 3 or 4 times and make a call. Some guy staring into a booth on the sideline is the most inefficient way possible.

This was kind of the first thing that popped into my head.  At least have someone communicating with the refs via headset in game so that any egregious misses can immediately be rectified-i.e. the PI in the Rams-Saints game

[Ol Dirty B]

Or how about we all stop being children and just accept bad calls are a part of sports.

 

If you make the game so clean and perfect you take so much out of it. 

Edited January 22, 2019 by Ol Dirty B

[eball]

Just now, Ol Dirty B said:

Or how about we all stop being children and just accept bad calls are apart of sports.

 

If you make the game so clean and perfect you take so much out of it. 

 

C'mon, dude.  That's no longer an acceptable position given the technological world we live in.  There is literally NO reason not to eliminate egregious judgment errors by officials.

[NewEra]

Just like I’ve been saying for years, put a ref (or multiple) in the booth with multiple cameras. Allow them to throw a flag.  Or pick up a flag.  It shouldn’t be this difficult 

[RememberTheRockpile]

14 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Refereeing should be done from a central office with numerous camera angles for each game. 

I think there is a place for this (the missed PI and the blow to the head that wasn't). OTOH, video technology is still only 2 dimensional. It lacks the depth perception inherent in having 2 eyeballs. 

Edited January 22, 2019 by RememberTheRockpile

[Ol Dirty B]

Just now, eball said:

 

C'mon, dude.  That's no longer an acceptable position given the technological world we live in.  There is literally NO reason not to eliminate egregious judgment errors by officials.

 

An acceptable position? Maybe I just don't take a dumb football game as serious as you.

 

Personally, I think bad calls are a part of the game. How both teams respond to them is part of the drama. This is entertainment. I would say that your take is more so one that borders placing a delusional importance on this game. 

[ProcessAccepted]

32 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Theee are so many complaints about bad calls in the NFL, and many say we should rely more on technology to overcome these.  But my concern is you could conceivably look at any given play in the NFL and pick out a call that should have been made.

 

How about adding a minimum two more officials on the field (I'd put them in the defensive backfield) along with allowing the guy in the press box to make a call if he sees something.  Give each coach one challenge  regardless of the type of call.  If you add officials in the back you have two more sets of eyes back there, and it seems the calls that are by and large screamed about occur primarily back in that area.  The guy in the box can catch the most egregious holding.  And coaches still can challenge truly bad calls.

 

And once this is done, accept the fact that in any game like football there will be human error and just accept that as part of the game.

Other sports like rugby have remote refs with video replay access that quickly communicate to the on field refs if there is an issue with a call. It does not delay the game like the current NFL huddle up process does. 

[Augie]

1 minute ago, RememberTheRockpile said:

I think there is a place for this (the missed PI and the blow to the head that wasn't). OTOH, video technology is still only 2 dimensional. It lacks the lacks the depth perception inherent in having 2 eyeballs. 

 

Devil’s advocate here....if they have enough angles, like the Edelman did he or din’t he touch it, that gets a lot more reliable. (But hey, I’m still not sure if he touched it, but I think they probably got it right?) 

 

As for MORE refs? The NRC PI was sandwhiched by two refs. I think there is a herd mentality. If one guy had thrown the flag, the other would have launched immediately. But the reverse turned out to be the case. 

[eball]

3 minutes ago, Ol Dirty B said:

 

An acceptable position? Maybe I just don't take a dumb football game as serious as you.

 

Personally, I think bad calls are a part of the game. How both teams respond to them is part of the drama. This is entertainment. I would say that your take is more so one that borders placing a delusional importance on this game. 

 

^^^

Gross overreaction.  Don't know what got in your craw but you can knock it off any time!

[LABILLBACKER]

20 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Refereeing should be done from a central office with numerous camera angles for each game. Reviews would be quicker that way. A central office would have watched the PI twice and immediately called the penalty. Challenges would also go faster. Watch the slow motion replay 3 or 4 times and make a call. Some guy staring into a booth on the sideline is the most inefficient way possible.

Exactly,  get rid of the stupid sideline booth and put 3 officials who immediately vote on changing a call or non call. Give each coach 1 penalty or non call  challenge. It wouldn't add more than 5-6 minutes to a game. Get the call right so we know which team should've advanced.  The CFL does this.

Edited January 22, 2019 by LABILLBACKER

[RememberTheRockpile]

1 minute ago, Augie said:

 

Devil’s advocate here....if they have enough angles, like the Edelman did he or din’t he touch it, that gets a lot more reliable. (But hey, I’m still not sure if he touched it, but I think they probably got it right?) 

 

Not disagreeing. There are also going to be times when 2 eyes are going to be better than 2 dimensional cameras. There are also more cameras in a playoff game then there  are normally are during the regular season. 

[Ol Dirty B]

3 minutes ago, eball said:

 

^^^

Gross overreaction.  Don't know what got in your craw but you can knock it off any time!

 

You called my position unacceptable... That's pretty much it. I don't mind human error in games. Like I said, it adds to the drama and entertainment. It's part of the story. That's what I like. If everyone runs perfect routes, makes correct reads, throws the perfect ball, makes the correct call the game isn't nearly as entertaining to me. I like the story and the drama. 

[JoshAllenHasBigHands]

Nothing. Human error is a part of the game.  Moreover, human error goes both ways.  It evens out in the flow of the game. 

[GETTOTHE50]

I think post-snap penalties should not be called unless they are terribly, TERRIBLY obvious, 

 

Holding, for example, is subjective. How many times have we seen Kyle and Jerry tackled? We never get the benefit of the doubt with holding. Just take it out of the game. 

 

Pre snap penalties deserved to be called every time. Delay of game/False starts/Offside, too many men, illegal formation etc. 

 

its the subjective post snap penalties that can truly dictate the games. i say let the players play. 

 

 

[PromoTheRobot]

27 minutes ago, HappyDays said:

Refereeing should be done from a central office with numerous camera angles for each game. Reviews would be quicker that way. A central office would have watched the PI twice and immediately called the penalty. Challenges would also go faster. Watch the slow motion replay 3 or 4 times and make a call. Some guy staring into a booth on the sideline is the most inefficient way possible.

 

Actually they should have one official in a La-Z-Boy in front of a big screen with a 6-pack and a bowl of guac. It's amazing how much you can see that way.

[LeGOATski]

3 minutes ago, Ol Dirty B said:

 

You called my position unacceptable... That's pretty much it. I don't mind human error in games. Like I said, it adds to the drama and entertainment. It's part of the story. That's what I like. If everyone runs perfect routes, makes correct reads, throws the perfect ball, makes the correct call the game isn't nearly as entertaining to me. I like the story and the drama. 

The problem with the NRC hit is that it wasn't human error. It was a purposeful non-call. 

 

That doesn't make a good story. It's just a crooked part of the game that should be eliminated.

 

A lot of people are being totally ignorant to this fact or just saddling their high horse.

[Foxx]

47 minutes ago, oldmanfan said:

Theee are so many complaints about bad calls in the NFL, and many say we should rely more on technology to overcome these.  But my concern is you could conceivably look at any given play in the NFL and pick out a call that should have been made.

 

How about adding a minimum two more officials on the field (I'd put them in the defensive backfield) along with allowing the guy in the press box to make a call if he sees something.  Give each coach one challenge  regardless of the type of call.  If you add officials in the back you have two more sets of eyes back there, and it seems the calls that are by and large screamed about occur primarily back in that area.  The guy in the box can catch the most egregious holding.  And coaches still can challenge truly bad calls.

 

And once this is done, accept the fact that in any game like football there will be human error and just accept that as part of the game.

the single most bestest thing to prevent controversy would be to minimize subjectivity. the way to do this it to delineate a very clear and precise set of rules and apply them uniformly. period. end of controversy. 

[Ol Dirty B]

Just now, LeGOATski said:

The problem with the NRC hit is that it wasn't human error. It was a purposeful non-call. 

 

That doesn't make a good story. It's just a crooked part of the game that should be eliminated.

 

A lot of people are being totally ignorant to this fact or just saddling their high horse.

 

So you're saying the ref intentionally didn't throw the flag?

[LeGOATski]

1 minute ago, Ol Dirty B said:

 

So you're saying the ref intentionally didn't throw the flag?

Yes. It's obvious.

[uticaclub]

22 minutes ago, eball said:

 

C'mon, dude.  That's no longer an acceptable position given the technological world we live in.  There is literally NO reason not to eliminate egregious judgment errors by officials.

The reason is, it’s the only way for the league to control and have an influence on the game. It is possible to overcome bad calls and win a game the league wants you to lose, but with all things being equal and most games coming down to a single play or call, telling a ref to make calls the benefit a single team is actually the refs just doing their job

[Prickly Pete]

It's a game. 

It's fine as it is. Not because there couldn't be better refereeing, but because the controversy is part of the appeal. 

A video referee system that called a "perfect" game, would suck the life out of the game.

[LeGOATski]

Lol....

[Augie]

15 minutes ago, RememberTheRockpile said:

Not disagreeing. There are also going to be times when 2 eyes are going to be better than 2 dimensional cameras. There are also more cameras in a playoff game then there  are normally are during the regular season. 

 

And I do not disagree with that, either. 

[Nextmanup]

This problem isn't going to be solved by adding MORE reviews, officiating, and delays.

You will never, ever "get it right" all the time, so don't try.

 

I'd love to see the whole thing abolished, with calls on the field standing, and that's that.

Games would be so much more watchable.

 

Everyone's team would win some, lose some, get royally screwed, etc. but it would probably even out over time.

 

 

[LeGOATski]

4 minutes ago, OJ Tom said:

It's a game. 

It's fine as it is. Not because there couldn't be better refereeing, but because the controversy is part of the appeal. 

A video referee system that called a "perfect" game, would suck the life out of the game.

We need bad officiating for the game to be exciting?

 

Wtf

 

This is why we can't have nice things...

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

58 minutes ago, TigerJ said:

I'm willing for the league to try just about anything.  Here's another idea: I think the officials automatically review plays where a change of possession takes place.  I think they could expand on that to include penalties called or not called.  

 

..certainly agree....could easily see an increased role for Al Riveron paying HUGE dividends going forward...............

[Prickly Pete]

18 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

We need bad officiating for the game to be exciting?

 

Wtf

 

This is why we can't have nice things...

 

Ha, nice try.

No, we need the human element.

 

It's a never ending problem, enforcing the rules. You take it deeper each step, and new problems crop up.

Edited January 22, 2019 by OJ Tom

[LSHMEAB]

34 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

Yes. It's obvious.

Nonsense. Don't you think they would have called a discreet hold or TWO if they were really hellbent on screwing the Saints? 

 

If it were to be done, you'd probably never know it.

[JimmyNoodles]

1 hour ago, BuffAlone said:

There are currently 24 full time NFL officials

124 part time

[SinceThe70s]

36 minutes ago, Nextmanup said:

This problem isn't going to be solved by adding MORE reviews, officiating, and delays.

You will never, ever "get it right" all the time, so don't try.

 

I'd love to see the whole thing abolished, with calls on the field standing, and that's that.

Games would be so much more watchable.

 

Everyone's team would win some, lose some, get royally screwed, etc. but it would probably even out over time.

 

 

 

I agree with your premise but not your solution. I'd love to see the length of a review be capped and strictly adhered to. If you can't tell it's a blown call in a short period of time live with it and move on. 

 

One of the plays that I remember that started this mess was when Vinny Testaverde's head reached maybe the 1 1/2 yard line, the ball maybe the two and they called it a TD. Anyone who saw the replay knew instantly they blew it. Same thing with the Saints game. Get the obvious blown calls right and move on from the rest. 

[Buddo]

The quickest way to improve matters, is to make all penalties reviewable/challengable. Give the teams an extra flag to throw, and allow a couple of challenges per team for 'non-calls'.

 

Apart from that, the league really does, imho, need to employ someone who can rewrite the rules in plain english, and do away with over complicating stuff like catches, and QBs losing the football.

 

[row_33]

1 hour ago, oldmanfan said:

Theee are so many complaints about bad calls in the NFL, and many say we should rely more on technology to overcome these.  But my concern is you could conceivably look at any given play in the NFL and pick out a call that should have been made.

 

How about adding a minimum two more officials on the field (I'd put them in the defensive backfield) along with allowing the guy in the press box to make a call if he sees something.  Give each coach one challenge  regardless of the type of call.  If you add officials in the back you have two more sets of eyes back there, and it seems the calls that are by and large screamed about occur primarily back in that area.  The guy in the box can catch the most egregious holding.  And coaches still can challenge truly bad calls.

 

And once this is done, accept the fact that in any game like football there will be human error and just accept that as part of the game.

 

 

People are horribly biased watching football and are convinced their team is getting ripped off every single play by the refs.

 

This is a personal pathology, not a matter for the officials.