NFL Officials Predictions

[Cordileran]

I thought the officiating was great with the one exception of the Muhammad fumble/incomplete pass call. Otherwise, great game!

[ChampaignBlue]

Wasn't JJ in violation of the no metal jewelry protruding from the uniform rule and how did the officials miss it during the pregame inspections?

[Snake~eyes]

Bob, I agree, excellent calls for incomplete, I too thought that the official was screened out but he came running in with an incomplete signal, nice job.

Originally posted by TXMike
We have heard time and time again that the NFL wants to guys to resort to flagging players as a LAST RESORT, which is probably much different than how most of us approach our level of games. Heck they even had at least 1 alternate official out on the field helping break up one scrum. That is the way they want it handled and this crew did what they were told.

I saw the alternate out there, that was in the begininning of the game. I understand that they want to save the flags for last resort stuff but I think they were losing control of the game in the first half. I agree with not flagging pushing/shoving/trash talking if possible but when some guy is punching another guy in a pile that needs to be flagged, even at the NFL level, even during the superbowl. I'm not saying that it is the crews fault and I understand they're told to go with the no call here but I disagree with it.

[JMN]

Originally posted by Bob M.
REPLY: The HL threw a flag. When Hochuli announced that the pass thrown at the feet of an eligible was not intentional grounding by rule, I thought (remember "thought" again) that the HL would be red-faced. But when he said that the foul was for an ineligible downfield and the replay clearly showed that #69 had gone beyond the LOS and looped back just about the time the pass was thrown, he was vindicated...and I had the red face.

Bob, I saw the play, but didn't at all consider that the HL threw for intentional grounding so it wasn't surprising to me that he had something else. On the replay, I saw the offensive lineman a few yards downfield in advance of the ball, but didn't catch him coming back across the LOS. Is the rule in the NFL that the lineman can return to his side of the LOS before the ball crosses the LOS?

Another consideration, was the ball thrown beyond the LOS?

Also, it would be have to be an exceptional play for a wing to throw a flag for intentional grounding. Consulting with the R to determine if there was an eligible receiver in the area - YES; tossing a flag - NO!

[Bob M.]

REPLY: JMN, the NFL's rule on ineligibles downfield is pretty much the same as the Fed's and the NCAA's except that it also applies to passes which do not cross the NZ. But as far as the guy being beyond and then coming back, tough luck! He was downfield. That's what I was trying to say in my post (maybe not well enough). The HL got it right. I agree that it would be highly unusual for a wing to throw for intentional grounding (probably because Hochuli would have strangled him!), but for the HL flagging ineligibles, seven-man crew mechanics call for the HL and LJ to stay put on the LOS until the pass is thrown. Even though ineigibles downfield is the primary responsibility of the U, the HL and LJ will be keying the closest ineligible to them. So they might very well catch an ineligible downfield.

[Edited by Bob M. on Feb 3rd, 2004 at 04:59 PM]

[JugglingReferee]

Originally posted by TXMike
I don't buy into for myself and I don't think the NFL buys into it for themselves. I recall a few years back when Jerry Seeman ran the officiating and he used to be famous for making the comment about "Super Bowl calls". He wanted guys making calls in the regular season that they would make in the Super Bowl. I don't know if that philosophy has changed but I doubt it.

Just re-reading some old posts and when I heard JS speak at Glen Abbey earlier this year, he very much mentioned Super Bowl Calls. (We've changed to this philosophy to Grey Cup calls, though.)

What a great speaker. He often said, "that's what it is." He'd describe something, comment on it and then say, "that's what it is." I heard it so many times, he could have convinced me that pink is blue as long as he said "that's what it is" afterwards.