Fixing the Officiating

[st pete gogolak]

I’m not going to go down the conspiracy rabbit hole, but with all the money being bet on NFL games, the League HAS to do something to reduce the influence the officials have on game outcomes.  Obviously, it will never be reduced to zero, but there has to be a way to at least reduce their influence.  Here are my thoughts but very interested if anyone has a thought on this.

 

Defensive PI.  Move from spot foul to 15 yards.  If “flagrant” PI becomes an issue, tinker with the rule the following year.  
 

Illegal contact. Increase area for contact from 5 to 10 yards.  Eliminate ticky tack fouls. Contact has to be substantial and reduce receiver’s ability to contest for a catch.  The call on the Eagles last night in the second half gifting the Chiefs a first down was a travesty.  
 

Defensive holding. Again, eliminate ticky tack foul.  Holding has to reduce receiver’s ability to contest for a catch. 
 

Offensive holding. At least be consistent.

 

Sick of refs determining outcomes.  Thoughts?

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

Whatever became of the 'full time official' concept of years ago?  No more bored judges, lawyers, and CEOs micromanaging the games. 🤔

[The Firebaugh Kid]

Nobodys gonna like this, but some penalties and non penalties need to be reviewable. Human error will never go away.

[ALLinALLEN]

I think the best way to do so would be to change the penalty yardage somehow for all the penalties. Not sure how to do it but it makes no sense how a DPI is spot foul and sometimes 40+ yards, but OPI is 15 yards...? Maybe OPI should be the yardage backwards LOL

[Dancing Fool]

Pretty confident that the results the NFL is getting with their referees is exactly what they are hoping to achieve. I would encourage you to just accept that the NFL has their reasons for not "fixing" your perceived issue and enjoying the product for what it is.

 

After all, if the NFL felt that it was a problem, they would make dramatic changes. Year after year, they do not.

 

One can speculate as to why the NFL disagrees with your assessment, but it may have to do with their classification as "sports entertainment", a designation shared most notably with the modern WWE.

[WhoTom]

Just now, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Nobodys gonna like this, but some penalties and non penalties need to be reviewable. Human error will never go away.

 

I agree, which reminds me ... during the Bills-Jets game, there was a flag for an ineligible man downfield. Then the ref said, "After review, it was determined that the lineman was not downfield," and they picked up the flag. Since when is that reviewable?

[Long Suffering Fan]

I don't know if it can be fixed, but I have the same frustration.  I am so sick of a penalty being called on a crucial 3rd down stop (that is the same as a turnover!) or a big gain and it is the definition of ticky-tack.  Then, the infuriating in game official joins the broadcast and says that is definitely a penalty and they will call that every time.  Ugh.  It happens on almost every play and it has not been called all game.

[Bob Jones]

Defensive PI / Holding / Illegal Contact- 10 yards and NO automatic 1st down.

 

Offensive Holding - train the refs better, so that there is consistency across all officiating crews.

 

Roughing the QB - Make all QBs wear hi vis yellow skirts, and allow defenders to “down” them with just a 2-hand touch. 😉 Getting really tired of a lot of these Roughing the QB calls.

Edited November 21, 2023 by Bob Jones

[Marcus Aurelius]

Note that the "officiating process" is less egregious in the playoffs and the Superbowl.

Mystically - a hands off approach suddenly manifests itself.

[Ya Digg?]

So my issue with changing DPI to 10 or 15 yards is you are potentially rewarding a defender getting badly beaten 35-40 yards down the field. I don’t think the NFL will ever change that rule simply because it helps the offense 

[Billzgobowlin]

What about intentional grounding?  Also would love for tv commentators to not add their opinion as much as they do and relay it as fact.

[ddaryl]

A.I. Coming our way soon regarding officiating.

[ngbills]

Officiating is the primary tool the nfl has to control outcomes of games. 

[blacklabel]

Every year I try to just prepare myself for the fact that officiating is going to be an abysmal dumpster fire, yet every year they find new ways to impress me with their idiocy. 

 

This really isn't anything major but for a while I've wondered why "half the distance to the goal" is a thing. Why not just kick the first down marker ten or fifteen yards down the field? Team stays at their own six yard line or whatever, but now it's 1st and 20 or 25, etc. 

Edited November 21, 2023 by blacklabel

[NeverOutNick]

I’ll get more into the weeds later because I’m at work but the officiating is a HUGE problem and has been. Here are a couple quick fixes the NFL needs to do:

 

1. make the NFL refs a full time gig and let them get paid a lot of money 

2. make refs accountable for their mistakes with suspensions and eventual firings

 

NFL has deep pockets and should’ve done something to pay the good refs rightfully years ago. By doing 1 and 2 on my list there will be so many more potentially great applicants to become refs in the future and we won’t have the “boys club” we have now that doesn’t feel the pressure to make a good call or else.  This may not fix everything but I guarantee it’ll help out a lot 

[Chaos]

A couple of concrete suggestions:

 

1) Defensive Pass Interference is the single biggest game changer.   I think the rules would be much improved if there were two versions of DPI (like there is with fask masking, or roughing the kicker).  Flagrant/Intentional spot foul as it is now.  Incidental, same as defensive holding, five yards automatic first down.  Obviously this involves some judgement, still but I think it would be better. 

 

2)Roughing the Passer.  Another game changer. Like roughing the kicker, I feel like there needs to be a five yard and 15 yard version.   Again, it involves judgement, but I think we all know that when they wait until Patrick Mahomes requests the RTP call, it likely means it was not flagrant, as one example. 

 

[BananaB]

So when you throw a 50 yard pass it’s beneficial for the DB to take a PI penalty?

[Bob Jones]

1 minute ago, BananaB said:

So when you throw a 50 yard pass it’s beneficial for the DB to take a PI penalty?

As we see every week in the NFL, there is absolutely NO guarantee that a receiver is even going to make the catch, whether it’s 10 yards downfield or 50. So yes, limiting a PI penalty to 10 or 15 yards would be a good thing.

[Bob in STL]

47 minutes ago, Dancing Fool said:

Pretty confident that the results the NFL is getting with their referees is exactly what they are hoping to achieve. I would encourage you to just accept that the NFL has their reasons for not "fixing" your perceived issue and enjoying the product for what it is.

 

After all, if the NFL felt that it was a problem, they would make dramatic changes. Year after year, they do not.

 

One can speculate as to why the NFL disagrees with your assessment, but it may have to do with their classification as "sports entertainment", a designation shared most notably with the modern WWE.

It can never be improved?  It is always fair and correct?  Just accept it?   

 

This kind of thought would have kept us sleeping on the ground in caves.  

 

IF your not improving and getting better, then you are getting worse.  

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

fix the nfl first. until it's "not fixed" drive killing, game changing and momentum stopping bad calls will continue to exist and likely (as it has) get worse.

[Comebackkid]

If the NFL wanted to change they would penalize their referees and hold them accountable but they don't.

[Real McClappy]

The 5 yard defensive holding calls for automatic 1st down is broken when it's 3rd and 18.

[Sestak4ever]

1 hour ago, st pete gogolak said:

I’m not going to go down the conspiracy rabbit hole, but with all the money being bet on NFL games, the League HAS to do something to reduce the influence the officials have on game outcomes.  Obviously, it will never be reduced to zero, but there has to be a way to at least reduce their influence.  Here are my thoughts but very interested if anyone has a thought on this.

 

Defensive PI.  Move from spot foul to 15 yards.  If “flagrant” PI becomes an issue, tinker with the rule the following year.  
 

Illegal contact. Increase area for contact from 5 to 10 yards.  Eliminate ticky tack fouls. Contact has to be substantial and reduce receiver’s ability to contest for a catch.  The call on the Eagles last night in the second half gifting the Chiefs a first down was a travesty.  
 

Defensive holding. Again, eliminate ticky tack foul.  Holding has to reduce receiver’s ability to contest for a catch. 
 

Offensive holding. At least be consistent.

 

Sick of refs determining outcomes.  Thoughts?

Agree 100%👍

[BarleyNY]

The best fix would include simplifying the rules, not continually making them more complex. That would help, but there will always be borderline calls that will upset one fan base or the other. 

[boco357]

Why does the sky judge only come out on illegal man downfield calls?  

The endless huddles after plays by refs makes the games last so much longer.

[cle23]

43 minutes ago, Chaos said:

A couple of concrete suggestions:

 

1) Defensive Pass Interference is the single biggest game changer.   I think the rules would be much improved if there were two versions of DPI (like there is with fask masking, or roughing the kicker).  Flagrant/Intentional spot foul as it is now.  Incidental, same as defensive holding, five yards automatic first down.  Obviously this involves some judgement, still but I think it would be better. 

 

2)Roughing the Passer.  Another game changer. Like roughing the kicker, I feel like there needs to be a five yard and 15 yard version.   Again, it involves judgement, but I think we all know that when they wait until Patrick Mahomes requests the RTP call, it likely means it was not flagrant, as one example. 

 

 

There aren't 2 facemask penalties anymore.  They are all 15 yards.

[Patrick Duffy]

1 hour ago, st pete gogolak said:

I’m not going to go down the conspiracy rabbit hole, but with all the money being bet on NFL games, the League HAS to do something to reduce the influence the officials have on game outcomes.  Obviously, it will never be reduced to zero, but there has to be a way to at least reduce their influence.  Here are my thoughts but very interested if anyone has a thought on this.

 

Defensive PI.  Move from spot foul to 15 yards.  If “flagrant” PI becomes an issue, tinker with the rule the following year.  
 

Illegal contact. Increase area for contact from 5 to 10 yards.  Eliminate ticky tack fouls. Contact has to be substantial and reduce receiver’s ability to contest for a catch.  The call on the Eagles last night in the second half gifting the Chiefs a first down was a travesty.  
 

Defensive holding. Again, eliminate ticky tack foul.  Holding has to reduce receiver’s ability to contest for a catch. 
 

Offensive holding. At least be consistent.

 

Sick of refs determining outcomes.  Thoughts?

 

It sucks, but I would think they won't do anything about it since nothing has been done by now 

[ExiledInIllinois]

When did plays and penalties all of a sudden get subjected to arbitrary booth reviews?

 

Do they think we aren't paying attention?

[PatsFanNH]

1 hour ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Whatever became of the 'full time official' concept of years ago?  No more bored judges, lawyers, and CEOs micromanaging the games. 🤔

This right here make it a full time job that pays 100k a year and there 1 job is to know the rules backwards and forward and be able to make the call when they see it. 

[zow2]

The NFL loves points and comebacks more than anything.  The DPI penalty is so punitive. I'm sure they have a study of all DPI > 15 yards and it likely shows it leads to lots of points over the years.  

[Billzgobowlin]

53 minutes ago, NeverOutNick said:

I’ll get more into the weeds later because I’m at work but the officiating is a HUGE problem and has been. Here are a couple quick fixes the NFL needs to do:

 

1. make the NFL refs a full time gig and let them get paid a lot of money 

2. make refs accountable for their mistakes with suspensions and eventual firings

 

NFL has deep pockets and should’ve done something to pay the good refs rightfully years ago. By doing 1 and 2 on my list there will be so many more potentially great applicants to become refs in the future and we won’t have the “boys club” we have now that doesn’t feel the pressure to make a good call or else.  This may not fix everything but I guarantee it’ll help out a lot 

This solves absolutely none of the issues with refs other than pay

[st pete gogolak]

3 minutes ago, Patrick Duffy said:

 

It sucks, but I would think they won't do anything about it since nothing has been done by now 

Tend to agree.  One thing that may force changes is a ref being caught fixing games for cash.  It happened with an NBA ref. It very well could happen in the NFL.  Even if it does, 50/50 whether they take any real steps to solve the problem.

[Bobby Hooks]

56 minutes ago, Bob Jones said:

As we see every week in the NFL, there is absolutely NO guarantee that a receiver is even going to make the catch, whether it’s 10 yards downfield or 50. So yes, limiting a PI penalty to 10 or 15 yards would be a good thing.

That would be a huge mistake. You’d essentially ruin one of the most exciting parts of the entire game. 
 

I know bombs are one of the things that drew me to the game as a kid. If you make pi a 10-15 yard penalty you’re guaranteeing every single bomb where the db is beat will end in a pi. 
 

Heck, there’d be some teams/coaches that would strategize to do that stuff and squeeze them when they’re too close to attempt anymore bombs. 
 

It would be a really bad idea for the game (making it result in more pi’s/flags, and much less bomb tds), and for the nfl because for the same reasons as it’s bad for the game. New watchers want excitement, not flag central. 

Edited November 21, 2023 by Bobby Hooks

[mannc]

1 hour ago, The Firebaugh Kid said:

Nobodys gonna like this, but some penalties and non penalties need to be reviewable. Human error will never go away.

Agreed…especially roughing the passer, but this was tried with DPI and the results weren’t what people had hoped for…

[uninja]

If the NFL wanted officiating fixed they would have taken steps to do so. The current system is a feature, not a bug.

 

The best way to not be impacted by officiating is to simply be better than the other team.

[Don Otreply]

The NFL/ the league/ the owners make no changes unless it enhances the revenue flow…, 

[Chaos]

54 minutes ago, BananaB said:

So when you throw a 50 yard pass it’s beneficial for the DB to take a PI penalty?

It  is situational.  Clearly you can't have DBs simply clobbering recievers because they got burned.  But when Russell Wilson underthrows a pass by 10 yards, and the WR turns first and stops in his tracks due to the underthrow, and the defensive back runs into him, it should not be a spot foul. 

[Bookie Man]

The solution is quite easy and I’ve been saying this forever. 
 

ONLY CALL BLATANT PENALTIES. 

 

if it’s even a little bit close, a shred of doubt don’t call it. But call it the same way for both sides. They literally could drop a flag on about 90% of plays, for one thing or another with how ticky tacky they call it now. But it ruins the game. Someone is getting hosed and the game flow is jacked up and the game is difficult to watch. Just throw WAY les flags and it will be 10x better and more enjoyable. Less flags == Less room for error. 

[Big Turk]

Defenses have been clawing back quite a bit this year in terms of yards and points allowed per game.  Scoring peaked in 2020 and has been falling ever since...2020 was the highest scoring season in NFL history(24.8 points), this year is tied for 28th currently(21.7 points).  These are per team averages so scoring in a game is down over 6 points on average from 2020.

 

Yards gained again peaked in 2020 with teams averaging 359 yards, most in NFL history, this year we are 17th at 331.1 yards per team.  Yards per play peaked in 2020 at 5.6 YPP, again highest in NFL history. This year we are at 5.2, the lowest since 2007. 

 

Yards passing are slightly up over last year but down over 20 yards from 2020, which surprisingly was only 3rd in NFL history in terms of average yards per game.  2015 and 2016 both had more yards passing per team on average, but only by 2-3 yards.

 

Seems defenses have made adjustments to the pass happy attacks and have gotten better schematically and personnel wise to reeling them in somewhat.  

 

 

[RiotAct]

2 hours ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

Whatever became of the 'full time official' concept of years ago?  No more bored judges, lawyers, and CEOs micromanaging the games. 🤔

don’t forget sales reps and high school phys ed teachers!