How to fix the reffing problem in the NFL

[QB Bills]

Like many others here, I'm still seething about that game for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which was that awful showing by the referees.

 

This isn't a novel concept, I don't believe. If I remember correctly, Bill Belichick floated the idea years ago. To fix the reffing issue, make every play/infraction challengeable with the caveat that you get two wrong challenges per game (punishable by yardage and/or losing a timeout).

 

The big pushback on this would be that it would seriously slow the game down (especially if you're of the thought that there is holding on every play) but I think if you give more manpower and authority to off-field officials who are reviewing plays as they happen, this would minimize the delay. The way it is now, 90% of the time the tv viewer knows whether a challenge is going to be successful way earlier than the on-field refs receive the message and announce it. The process is incredibly ridiculous if you think about it.

[transient]

OP, you accidentally added an “r” to “effing”.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

Pass interference needs to be 15 yards maximum. It's the only penalty over 15 yards. Also defensive holding needs to stop being automatic 1st downs. 

 

Easiest fix. I don't normally get angry with officials because it's a hard job. They're down on the field at real speed. We watch from above, then watch slow replays.

 

I wonder if they allowed the sky judge to correct these calls. Maybe give him like 30 seconds to decide if a penalty stands or not. I can typically watch a replay and decide in a few seconds.

[NewEra]

Never gonna happen.  
 

Adding technology and giving more power to adjust calls with the eye in the sky.  Adjusting the rules to overlook some penalties that have zero bearing on the play, ex: If the opposite side WR is holding and has no impact on the play, let it go.

 

Too bad the nfl doesn’t want to fix the “problem”.  I don’t think there’s a problem in their eyes. 

[Mynamemike]

I liked how the xfl did it.  A camera inside the booth and let you listen to what’s being said.  No chance the nfl is that transparent but something similar would be nice.  

[Buffalo_Stampede]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

Never gonna happen.  
 

Adding technology and giving more power to adjust calls with the eye in the sky.  Adjusting the rules to overlook some penalties that have zero bearing on the play, ex: If the opposite side WR is holding and has no impact on the play, let it go.

 

Too bad the nfl doesn’t want to fix the “problem”.  I don’t think there’s a problem in their eyes. 

What is wrong with using technology?

[All_Pro_Bills]

2 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Never gonna happen.  
 

Adding technology and giving more power to adjust calls with the eye in the sky.  Adjusting the rules to overlook some penalties that have zero bearing on the play, ex: If the opposite side WR is holding and has no impact on the play, let it go.

 

Too bad the nfl doesn’t want to fix the “problem”.  I don’t think there’s a problem in their eyes. 

They won't see a problem until fans decide they've had enough and stop supporting the product by hitting the league and their sponsors in the wallet.  

[NewEra]

8 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Pass interference needs to be 15 yards maximum. It's the only penalty over 15 yards. Also defensive holding needs to stop being automatic 1st downs. 

 

Easiest fix. I don't normally get angry with officials because it's a hard job. They're down on the field at real speed. We watch from above, then watch slow replays.

 

I wonder if they allowed the sky judge to correct these calls. Maybe give him like 30 seconds to decide if a penalty stands or not. I can typically watch a replay and decide in a few seconds.

That’ll just erase several big plays and we’ll be watching DPI instead of great plays.  
 

watching from above 💯 👌 love it. add more cameras and 2 more eyes in the sky  to monitor the plays in real time, multiple monitors.  If the field ref on the take makes a terrible call, the eye should be able to fix it.  Whether it’s by picking up a flag and negating a penalty, changing spots, throwing a flag themselves.  Getting things correct doesn’t have to take long time.   
 

4 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

What is wrong with using technology?

Huh?  I’m advocating for using technology 

 

i just don’t think it’s going to happen…. Or it would have already happened.  Maybe in another decade or so

Edited December 14, 2021 by NewEra

[BuffaloRebound]

You need a camera on every player on the field.  And 22 refs in a booth somewhere watching every player.  That’s the only way to get some consistency in the officiating.  The refs on the field are put into an almost impossible position every week.  They have worse angles than what everyone at home can see.  

[djp14150]

15 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Pass interference needs to be 15 yards maximum. It's the only penalty over 15 yards. Also defensive holding needs to stop being automatic 1st downs. 

 

Easiest fix. I don't normally get angry with officials because it's a hard job. They're down on the field at real speed. We watch from above, then watch slow replays.

 

I wonder if they allowed the sky judge to correct these calls. Maybe give him like 30 seconds to decide if a penalty stands or not. I can typically watch a replay and decide in a few seconds.

 

there are two type of PI flagrant is a spot foul. These are clear and obvious. Not flagrant is a 10 yd penalty.

 

flagrant is clearly defined so non calls can be buzzed by the video official or challenged without risk.  Same with face mask and horse collar penalties that are not called. On face mask it has to be something more than just a hand on the mask but a shift or pull of helmet needs to be obvious.

 

the video official can call penalties without a big stoppage.

 

Plays like was it a fumble/ pick/ score plays are reviewable on challenge but not cost a TO. Thry can also be re erased by video without challenge.

 

 

[PatsFanNH]

32 minutes ago, QB Bills said:

Like many others here, I'm still seething about that game for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which was that awful showing by the referees.

 

This isn't a novel concept, I don't believe. If I remember correctly, Bill Belichick floated the idea years ago. To fix the reffing issue, make every play/infraction challengeable with the caveat that you get two wrong challenges per game (punishable by yardage and/or losing a timeout).

 

The big pushback on this would be that it would seriously slow the game down (especially if you're of the thought that there is holding on every play) but I think if you give more manpower and authority to off-field officials who are reviewing plays as they happen, this would minimize the delay. The way it is now, 90% of the time the tv viewer knows whether a challenge is going to be successful way earlier than the on-field refs receive the message and announce it. The process is incredibly ridiculous if you think about it.

Before doing all this, why not just make being a ref a full time job? This way they can learn all the rules and exactly what the mean and when and how to enforce them. Why you have part timers doing a job that can change a game is so dumb! 

[LABILLBACKER]

19 minutes ago, NewEra said:

That’ll just erase several big plays and we’ll be watching DPI instead of great plays.  
 

watching from above 💯 👌 love it. add more cameras and 2 more eyes in the sky  to monitor the plays in real time, multiple monitors.  If the field ref on the take makes a terrible call, the eye should be able to fix it.  Whether it’s by picking up a flag and negating a penalty, changing spots, throwing a flag themselves.  Getting things correct doesn’t have to take long time.   
 

Huh?  I’m advocating for using technology 

 

i just don’t think it’s going to happen…. Or it would have already happened.  Maybe in another decade or so

Look how quickly they changed the NE punt that hit Harry's facemask. I can be done.

[MAJBobby]

College Football has Better Officiating then the "Big League".  Start by hiring them as Full time Referees.

 

Make Transparent the performance reports of the Refs. and Actually FIRE them when they are in the range of incompetent like a majority of the NFL Refs now.

[T master]

23 hours ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

They won't see a problem until fans decide they've had enough and stop supporting the product by hitting the league and their sponsors in the wallet.  

 

That will never happen after what has went on in the recent past i know a lot of veterans in my personal circle that haven't watched a NFL game in 2 years & i know there's a hole lot more than those that i know that have stopped so there's no way that they will ever lose enough fans to make them change anything they do unless the owners want to change it .

 

There should be a monetary discipline to a bad call in the real world if you screw up to much you (well you use to) get fired or docked in your pay they should review each call at some point & if it is a blatant bad call dock them ex amount and if it continues fire their a** .

 

The amount of missed calls for & against against Bills opponents in comparison is ridiculous just make it even is all we are asking that's not that hard ...

Edited December 15, 2021 by T master

[nucci]

31 minutes ago, All_Pro_Bills said:

They won't see a problem until fans decide they've had enough and stop supporting the product by hitting the league and their sponsors in the wallet.  

won't happen with all the money from gambling now

[NewEra]

8 minutes ago, LABILLBACKER said:

Look how quickly they changed the NE punt that hit Harry's facemask. I can be done.

I agree.  It can be done efficiently and effectively.  
 

I just don’t think the NFL has any interest improving what’s broken.  Why?  Idk, but the fact that so little has been done to rectify a glaring problem has a lot to do with it.  

[PolishDave]

This is what I suggested yesterday in another thread on here:

 

The solution is more refs in the booths with more camera angles.   For each of those refs covering the receivers there should be a second ref in the booth working as a team to make the right call.    Those two refs for each side of the field should be in constant contact making a joint decision on whether there is a call or non call on each play with the booth ref having the tie breaking vote because they would get to view multiple angles.   In reality the sideline refs should be nothing more than puppets throwing the towels only when the booth ref has clear video evidence of a foul.    And the video evidence should be displayed for the fans at the game and on television for every single foul.

 

We as fans have better viewing angles than the refs on the field do.   Each sideline ref gets only their one angle and they are expected to make the perfect call at full speed every time.  We get to see the play replayed again and again and again from multiple angles.    So the fix seems reasonably obvious to me - Give the refs the same viewing angles as the fans so that they can see what the fans can see.   Call penalties from the booth - but have the ref on the sideline throw the flag.  And make the officials provide video evidence of every penalty.   No evidence = no penalty.   In my opinion this is a no brainer that would reduce poor officiating substantially.   And it could be executed without slowing the game down like challenges do.  

 

Increase the number of cameras on the sideline or skycams to whatever is necessary to provide 360 degree angles for every play as well as a view from close to directly above.    The technology already exists and it's dirt cheap.   Why not use it.

Edited December 14, 2021 by PolishDave

[Tenhigh]

2 hours ago, BuffaloRebound said:

You need a camera on every player on the field.  And 22 refs in a booth somewhere watching every player.  That’s the only way to get some consistency in the officiating.  The refs on the field are put into an almost impossible position every week.  They have worse angles than what everyone at home can see.  

I had a similar suggestion a while ago, but it was a little smaller scale.  I suggested that each ref has a booth counterpart who can tell them when they missed a flag they should have thrown or threw one they should pick up. This partner would have replay access as well as overrule ability to the field ref.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Tenhigh

[cle23]

1 hour ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Pass interference needs to be 15 yards maximum. It's the only penalty over 15 yards. Also defensive holding needs to stop being automatic 1st downs. 

 

Easiest fix. I don't normally get angry with officials because it's a hard job. They're down on the field at real speed. We watch from above, then watch slow replays.

 

I wonder if they allowed the sky judge to correct these calls. Maybe give him like 30 seconds to decide if a penalty stands or not. I can typically watch a replay and decide in a few seconds.

 

The issue with doing the 15 yard penalty for DPI is that on almost every deep ball, especially at the end a half/game, is that the defender will just tackle the receiver and take the penalty.  If you get beat, just interfere.  

 

I haver no issue with the calls being observed from a central location to review quick, it just makes it tough especially if teams are running hurry up.

[YoloinOhio]

This is hilarious