Can We Have The NFL Replacements Back, Please?
 

Never thought I would say/type that Thread Title.....

I am tired of seeing the "regular" NFL officials simply have no clue and make "no call" during plays in various games this season. It's not that they make the wrong call (which is happening often)....IT'S THAT THEY MAKE ABSOLUTELY NO CALL AT ALL...and wait for a replay review later.

Case in point: Bears v Vikings (11/25); RB Matt Forte runs off left tackle & is tackled by several defenders in a pile of players. After a second or two of delay, a Vikings defender picks up the ball and runs towards the end zone. NONE of the officials had a whistle OR a clue as to what happened. NONE of the officials ran/followed the defender to the end zone (a Side Judge actually ran toward and past the pile of players w/ his hands out as if to say - "what just happened?") It took Referee Scott Green approx. :20 to finally turn on his mic. to declare "Touchdown". As everyone was milling around prior to the PAT, he then said "Replay confirms the call on the field - Touchdown". After that a officiating supervisor on the sideline got the attention of the Linesman who killed the PAT and got Green's attention....then Green said: "The previous play is under review".

OF COURSE they reversed it because the RB was clearly down by contact. (ALL 22 PLAYERS stop their actions because they knew he was down). What a complete disaster that play and crew was (the crew also missed a clear "helmet-to-helmet, left his feet to launch himself" block by DT Jared Allen on an INT).

I haven't even mentioned the Lions v Texans TD run that the officials incorrectly allowed (another complete embarassment).....

I haven't even mention the approx. 1:15 of game time that a crew allowed to run off the clock while conducting a 1st down measurement during the 49ers v Rams game.....

I haven't even mentioned Tony Corrente cursing over an open mic. during a Colts game......

The regulars are only marginally better than the replacements at SIGNIFICANTLY more cost....

This may be the first time in NFL history that, based on per game officials grading system, some replacement officials will work the Super Bowl because they graded out higher than the "regulars". No wonder why the NFL Officials Union DIDN'T want a reserve officials staff available to replace under-performing "regulars".

How was this TD incorrectly allowed? Watching that game live, I didn't think he'd hit the ground. I was wrong... but at full speed, I thought he'd avoided his knee hitting (the elbow wasn't apparent on first view at all). If the official's angle was such that he didn't see the player down, he should not blow the whistle. The rest is the coach's fault.

Incidentally, you mention 5 or 6 incidents over several weeks. When the RR's were on the field, it was 15 or 20 every week.

There's not a single replacement official that would make the Super Bowl if they were scrutinzed by the league like the regulars are (and Mike Peierra said as much). That's not to say that some of those mistakes aren't excusable (mainly the timing mistake). To say that they were just marginally better is just wrong in my opinion. I could clearly see the difference in just penalty enforcements...there's no way I should know the penalty enforcements that much better than those working a game.

Heck, I thought the game was more interesting with replacement players.

And because of that, it was the flow of the game where I noticed the biggest, most immediate difference. It seems the RR games could be counted on for at least 3 or 4 needless confusion-filled delays. The games now run MUCH smoother. There will never be NO mistakes, but I think one more week of RR's and I was going to stop watching.

Football officiating 101:
If you don't see the player on the ground (and, in the NFL's case, down by contact) AND in possession of the ball, you DO NOT blow your whistle.

Also, all turnovers and scoring plays are automatically reviewed... as a consequence, NFL officials (and D1 college officials) are taught that "if in doubt, it's a fumble/interception/turnover/touchdown"... because the replay folks can (and will) come in and overturn the play if necessary.

The biggest problem I see now is they are officiating TO replay.

They still are making more money and working with players I'll never come close to seeing:)

As I said, it's not just that they got the call wrong....THEY HAD ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA WHAT HAPPENED. 7 guys on the field in stripes....and they didn't know what to do!!!!!!

I can buy the change in positioning of the Umpire to behind the line of scrimmage causes a "hole" in the sight lines (both the Bears v Vikings game AND Lions v Texans game could have used an Umpire in the "old" position to see both of these plays).....but these are "Pro's", the "best of the best", highly-paid professionals - this should NEVER happen.

The replacements got a bad rap because everyone perceived that every call was wrong....remember the Broncos @ Falcons game early in the year? John Fox and the Bronco coaching staff were whining like babies even AFTER a replay review confirmed they had 12 on the field. They were STILL convinced the replacements were wrong....they would NEVER do that to the "regulars"....but now we know how bad the regulars have been this season!

I guarantee they have more of a clue than you or any replacement officials ever will.

Good grief.

Let us know when you work your next perfect game.

+1

+2

You do realize that not all seven are watching the ball, right? They don't have more eyes on the ball than a crew of five would have, and there are often times when sh1t happens and bodies were in the way.

Of course he does not realize this, he does not officiate football. He is like a lot of ignorant observers, he probably has not idea who would be watching this play at all.

Peace

Matt Forte injured on reversed defensive touchdown call - NFL Videos

Jim Daopoulos on week 12.

Mike Pereira on week 12.

There was also an IW which took away a defensive touchdown. Tough week for the regular guys.

Steratore, Winter, and Vinovich have been great in the games that I've seen.

And R85 used the word "buttocks" on the mic. :D