Packers @ 49ers
 

Is this the Super Bowl crew?

Football Zebras.com | A look at the NFL's officials and the calls they make

Sure hope it wasn't the Bronco-Raven crew. That game had no flow what so ever. I'm sure everyone loved the delays in 8 degree weather.

Officiating in single digit, or sub zero, conditions brings it's own set of challenges to game officials, as it does to players and coaches. Delays and necessary clarification are part of any contest, regardless of weather conditions, although extreme weather condistions certainly add their own qualities to a contest.

Usually game officials go with the flow of the game initiated by the participants, rather than create their own.

I disagree. The officiating crew is as much of a factor, if not more so than the players and coaches are.

I agree. The officials can have a huge impact on the flow of the game. Ball mechanics, efficiency of penalty enforcement, and how technical they are calling the game all have a huge impact. Players and coaches can also have an impact.

No doubt, game officials can impact the flow of the game, sometimes quite substantially, but generating or controlling the flow seems somewhat beyond our job description.

I think that was the point I was trying to establish.

While officials may not be able to control the flow in all situations, in situations similar to the Ravens-Broncos game, we can be a detriment to flow. That may or may not be the fault of the crew.