Can We Have The NFL Replacements Back, Please?

[twocentsworth]

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".

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

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

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.

[APG]

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

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".

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.

[Robert Goodman]

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

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by APG

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.

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.

[HLin NC]

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

[asdf]

Originally Posted by hlin nc

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

+1

[twocentsworth]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

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.

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!

[MD Longhorn]

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

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!

True. And don't forget that "the worst call in the history of football" ... the horrid call that ended the lockout - that appalling thing at the GB vs Seattle game that challenged the integrity of the playoff chase this year... was actually called correctly.

[maven]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

True. And don't forget that "the worst call in the history of football" ... the horrid call that ended the lockout - that appalling thing at the GB vs Seattle game that challenged the integrity of the playoff chase this year... was actually called correctly.

You can't possibly mean that the mechanics were sound, and that alone is a significant indictment.

You must mean that the outcome was correct, and I think you're in a relatively small minority in believing so.

[APG]

Originally Posted by MD Longhorn

True. And don't forget that "the worst call in the history of football" ... the horrid call that ended the lockout - that appalling thing at the GB vs Seattle game that challenged the integrity of the playoff chase this year... was actually called correctly.

From everything I've seen, the call was incorrect. And this play has come up a handful of times this season (obviously not in as big of a situation) and they correctly gave the ball to the play that controlled the ball first.

[jTheUmp]

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.

[twocentsworth]

Originally Posted by jTheUmp

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.

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.

[Adam]

Originally Posted by twocentsworth

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.

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.

[JRutledge]

Originally Posted by Adam

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