Shuffled Crews For NFL Playoffs
 

I've never officiated football, so I have no idea. How much harder (or not) is it to officiate with a different crew than you've been with all year in the NFL compared to a playoff crew in baseball? I'm not familiar with a lot of the officiating mechanics for football, but I'd imagine there are certain things that the same crews are naturally on the same page on that might not necessarily be the case in an "all-star" crew of sorts.

In football, we work a position with specific responsibilities. For guys at that level, it shouldn't be hard at all to adjust.

Our local HS chapter doesn't use crews and I work with a different group each week. If I can adjust, the professionals can so much easier.

Thank goodness I don't have to deal with that.

In the FOX broadcast booth, they called it one of the latest flag pickups they've ever seen. Even referee analyst Mike Pereira said following the play he 'strongly disagreed' with picking up the flag.


He even blamed it on the shuffled crews!
Did Refs Get It Right Picking Up Flag On Pass Interference Call?

While watching the game it sounded to me like Pereira blamed the communication problem and the lateness of picking up the flag, to not working as a crew, not the reversal of the call.
But, makes me think that if there is so little benefit to work with the same guys, then why do they work as a crew during the regular season?

There's more there than I felt there was on some other PI calls this weekend.

What I'd like to know is how Dez Bryant can run on the field, helmet off, argue a call, and not get flagged.

They didn't want to compound their error. If they would have flagged the USC and then reversed the pass interference, the USC would still be enforced.

The decision whether an UNC flag is appropriate OR NOT, is made by the covering official, based on a unique and specific incident, rather than an arbitrary "one size fits all" mandatory (a practice that has proven successful for 125 years).

Regarding the PI change call, the Referee has acknowledged that it would have been less confusing had he recognized there was a discussion between wing officials and waited for a conclusion before making an announcement. As always field officials don't have the advantage of hind sight and speculation given to "announcers" and make decisions in real time, subject to replay review rules.

There is inevitably a very fine line between what is, and what is not, incidental contact, and the objective of ALL officials is to assess that difference CONSISTENTLY THROUGHOUT the contest, regardless of who, or which team, the assessment applies to.

Non officials need to get off the "helmet off" part of this. It's illegal for a player in the previous play to take off his helmet. Rule says nothing about not having it on as you come onto the field after the play.

This is simply USC or not USC. The referee chose to pass when DB immediately left the field when requested. Nothing we haven't seen before. NFL is reluctant to flag simple (and short) protests over a call (whether from a player on the field or off, or a coach) - it takes a lot to draw USC here.

As a LJ, I deal with different U's each week. Some good, some not so good!

You.
Aren't.
Kidding.