Has league-wide officiating gotten worse?

[The Red King]

I know, I screamed at the officiating in the Miami game, but I mean overall.  A critical no-call in OT in the Colts/Titans game.  And it seems most any game I tune in to has some wretched calls.

 

So, my question is two-fold.  First, is it just me, or does officiating overall this season seem noticably worse across the entire league then prior seasons?  And second, if so, what do you think can be done about it?  Nobody wants to see games decided by the zebras.

[RiotAct]

doesn’t seem any worse than previous seasons.

 

 

One way to attempt to fix it would be to hire full-time refs that train and watch game tape like crazy on their downtime, instead of using guys who are  gym teachers and financial consultants in their “day jobs”.

[Freddie's Dead]

Not really, it's been uniformly terrible for years.  

[Bleedbuffaloblue]

5 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

doesn’t seem any worse than previous seasons.

 

 

One way to attempt to fix it would be to hire full-time refs that train and watch game tape like crazy on their downtime, instead of using guys who are  gym teachers and financial consultants in their “day jobs”.

Yeah, probably not substantially worse than years past, but there are a couple crews that are downright terrible. The crew that did this week’s Miami game IMO is the absolute worse. Hughes gets tackled in the backfield, no call. Then they call Morse for holding when he barely touches the guy up around the pads. Just one example, but that crew’s head ref is just the worse. Can’t make any call without huddling with the entire crew. Just a bunch of dumb and dumber.

[LeGOATski]

It became more unbearable for me after the AAF and XFL showed us how good it can be. Let the players play, only call the obvious stuff, and have a quick and transparent replay review system.

 

Keep in mind that I also complain about the refs while watching all the other games the Bills aren't playing in. I feel no shame in complaining about the refs as long as I'm doing it for all teams.

 

The NFL refs' mantra seems to be "Call the ticky tack stuff, disregard the obvious stuff, get as much screen time as possible, and remember: there's no such thing as bad publicity."

 

 

[Pete]

1-absolutely ***** officiating that has huge impacts in outcomes of games

 

2-swallow the whistle.  Suspend with pay, any intent to injure otherwise

[Don Otreply]

The Refs as a whole, are a bunch of part time employees, this alone says it all, the league/owners don’t so much as care an iota about the Refs, unless it were to disrupt the cash flow, and then they would only give lip service to the issue. 

[Royale with Cheese]

I don't think so.  I just think we have more cameras to catch more errors.

[RoyBatty is alive]

No it hasn't.

 

The rules are getting more and more complex every year like what is a catch, what is roughing the passer, etc etc.

 

Then on top of that you have multiple camera angles in super slow motion and they highlight the bad calls over and over again.

 

So it APPEARS as though officiating is getting worse but given the challenges i think it has stayed the same if not improved slightly.

[Brand J]

Nothing will be done about them or their ticky-tack/inconsistent calls until YOU, the viewer, decide to stop putting money into the machine. We all know that’s not gonna happen, so the refs will continue being a focal point of the action instead of what they’re supposed to be - rules overseers. 

[Robert Paulson]

9 minutes ago, RiotAct said:

doesn’t seem any worse than previous seasons.

 

 

One way to attempt to fix it would be to hire full-time refs that train and watch game tape like crazy on their downtime, instead of using guys who are  gym teachers and financial consultants in their “day jobs”.

some sort of transparent grading system with consequences needs to be enacted. maybe there is an internal  system right now but if there is it isn't working. i still go back to that jets cincy personal foul that cost the  bengals the game- how is that called and not reviewed? it would have to be eased in or else everyone would be fired by season's end. 

 

The criteria should be:

1. full time officials with minimum health requirements-pay them a little more and make them full time. i am sick of seeing 50-60 year old men trying to keep up with what is going on. 
2. definition of uniform standards on calls with year round training- they didn't call as much holding last year and the game was better- it shouldn't increase penalties and game time if done right
3. adherence to uniform standards- no more this crew calls 3x as many PI as the next
4. gradual increase in discipline for errors- you can't fire someone for one blown calls but there are certain refs/crews that just continually make horrible calls with no consequences
5. increase use of eye in the sky to help them
6. improve challenge method- the PI challenge trial a few years ago was quietly ended because no calls were ever overturned by refs protecting their decisions. this somehow has to be improved by taking it out of the field refs hands

it will never be perfect but a billions dollar organization should be able to improve this.

 

unless this is a feature and not a bug and they like the conversation, chatter it produces around the water coolers and chat rooms

 

 

[RoyBatty is alive]

The NFL should just bite the bullet and have every play watched "in New York" and be able to ring officials if they see something egregious.  Plus that would help take out the human element....being intimidated by the home crowd or screamed at by Coaches.

Edited November 2, 2021 by RoyBatty is alive

[billsfan89]

Every year people complain about the referees in the NFL. When was officiating in the NFL ever good? 

[LeGOATski]

1 minute ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

No it hasn't.

 

The rules are getting more and more complex every year like what is a catch, what is roughing the passer, etc etc.

 

Then on top of that you have multiple camera angles in super slow motion and they highlight the bad calls over and over again.

 

So it APPEARS as though officiating is getting worse but given the challenges i think it has stayed the same if not improved slightly.

Agree with the rules.

 

Disagree about the cameras. For one, the egregious stuff they miss is seen by most people in real time. Two, the cameras should only aid them with a quick and transparent review process that NFL simply refuses to implement. 

[LabattBlue]

Just stop with the “we need full time officials” crying.  The other 3 major NA sports all have full time officials, and guess what?  Just as much crying about the officiating/umpiring in those leagues. 

Edited November 2, 2021 by BTB

[BuffaloRebound]

3 minutes ago, Royale with Cheese said:

I don't think so.  I just think we have more cameras to catch more errors.

This plus it was a lot easier for refs when teams ran the ball more plus there are a lot more rules. The illegal contact, pass interference, holding, breathing on the QB, lowering the head, defenseless receiver…Almost an impossible job now for the refs on the field.  

[4_kidd_4]

Not sure if it’s necessarily worse, but seems like some of the processes (replay, official reviews under 2 mins, etc) get really drawn out and take away from the overall flow of a game. It’s very irritating in that regard.

[LeGOATski]

2 minutes ago, billsfan89 said:

Every year people complain about the referees in the NFL. When was officiating in the NFL ever good? 

This is some sort of backwards thinking, though.

 

Don't fix what ain't workin?

[quinnearlysghost88]

It’s gotten worse because the NFL has, over the last 10 years, had refs emphasize certain penalties. This year is taunting, in years past it’s been the 5yard holding penalty, excessive celebrations, roughing the QB, hitting defenseless wrs. 
 

the issue arises when you get crews that are still zeroed in on some of those hot buttons, while others aren’t. It’s all unevenly applied. 

18 minutes ago, BTB said:

Just stop with the “we need full time officials” crying.  The other 3 major NA sports all have full time officials, and guess what?  Just as much crying about the officiating/umpiring in those leagues. 

Honestly hockey may be the most solid officiating. As controversial as it may sound, I think it’s because they have younger guys calling them games. NBA is pretty solid too. Fans don’t like HOW the games are called, but they’re consistent in following the rules established. MLB is trash and the umps are divas. It needs to go digital. 

Edited November 2, 2021 by quinnearlysghost88

[stosh64]

It's just mind boggling to me that the NFL, a multi billion dollar operation, uses part time, amateur officials.

 

They need full time professionals that face reprimands when their calls are sub-par.

 

It's not F#n rocket science.  Blows my mind that the people that have the power don't care.