How to fix the reffing problem in the NFL

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

Real time app and let the fans vote? 

[SCBills]

“Buffalo 66”, but with Scott Novak

[LabattBlue]

Some of these suggestions are ridiculous.  More cameras, more on field officials, more remote officials, full time officials, etc…

 

You know what you end up with? 3 or 4 times the number of penalties you have now…and then there would be bitching about too many penalties.  
 

Bottom line…players try to get away with as much as possible, knowing every penalty cannot be called, and they hope they don’t get flagged at a key point in the game. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

First of all they get it right an amazingly high percentage of the time for how fast the game moves be it penalties, possession, or spotting the ball. 

 

A few fixes

1. Offsetting penalties - a simple redo is stupid.  If the offense was called for holding but the Defense was flagged for DPI 30 yards down field how is that offsetting?  

2. If the defender jumps into the neutral zone unless he has made contact he should be allowed to get back unless the center snaps the ball.  If the OT moves in response to the movement into the neutral zone then it should be blown dead and replayed with no penalty to either player.  

3. All plays should be eligible for review from a truly independent body.  All boundary plays should be reviewed by the booth not just possession or scoring plays just as it is under 2 min.  When they moved to reviewing PI it became quite clear even obvious mistakes were not going to be corrected. They were policing their own and chose not to make them look bad.  Coaches get 1 challenge per game and if they win the challenge they get another. 

4. PI on underthrown balls - the defender has no chance to avoid this penalty and it is unfair.  This should not be a foul. NBA had something similar where a defender was charged a foul if the guy bringing up the ball stopped for no reason just to draw contact.  Same principle applies here.  It's physics too.  A defender can't backpedal as fast as a guy can run forward so they must turn their hips and run with the WR. At that point they can't look back and stop at the same time the WR stops.  There needs to be a chance for the defender to make a football play.  

4. Defenseless WR - if the WR changes the strike point the defender should not be flagged as long as they follow the other rules such as not hitting with the crown of helmet or launching themselves

[reddogblitz]

I would be in favor of just dumping replays altogether just live with the calls. Also make officials full time employees and make them practice too.  

 

There's already too much standing around in football as it is. Even with the amazing technology we have today they still can't get it right.  What makes you think if there were more they could?

 

The idea of a 4 hour football game does sound good to me. I'm old enough to remember when they were 21/2 hours long.

Edited December 14, 2021 by reddogblitz

[The Wiz]

3 hours ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

I really don't believe that happens. We all have to understand its a judgment call at full speed. There will be human error. 

 

I just wish there was a way to allow someone upstairs watching to change a terrible PI call. If it's not a quick obvious reversal then it stands. That's why I say decision should be 30 seconds or less.

Having someone overrule the on field official without being asked to do so would just prove how often and how bad the employees of the NFL are.  Even if they overturned 30% of the calls, that would mean the guys on the field are wrong quite a bit.

[BassToMouth]

12 hours 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.

😂🤦‍♂️ yes a multi billion dollar behemoth ‘can’t’ find competent officials. That’s why Hochuli’s son is now a ref. 
 

Will you all please wake up? 

[PatsFanNH]

5 hours ago, Generic_Bills_Fan said:

I’ve got a feeling theyd still lean the way of the big name teams that people want to see win but it’s worth a try at least lol.   I’m still waiting for a controversial call to go against the bucs since Brady was there 😂 over time that’s supposed to even out and it just never seems to.  Knowing Brady I’m sure he doesn’t even want his team to get help from the refs lol I don’t pin any of this on him at all 

It was so strange getting that late terrible roughing the passer call against you guys a couple weeks ago I totally forgot Brady wasn’t there anymore for a second hahaha

it was also weird actually playing a good enough game against a Brady led team to be able to complain about the refs 🤣 that’s pretty rare for us lol

Mocap suits for all players lol 

Lol ya that penalty I still can’t figure out how they thought it was late or out of bounds.. 

 

You never would make a run against a Brady/BB team like that because BB would have adjusted after the second TD. It’s amazing how many coaches can’t adjust on the fly. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

5 hours ago, The Wiz said:

Having someone overrule the on field official without being asked to do so would just prove how often and how bad the employees of the NFL are.  Even if they overturned 30% of the calls, that would mean the guys on the field are wrong quite a bit.

They're already doing it for some things like change of possession plays and ball spotting.  The Bills actually were helped by the sky judge a few weeks ago.

 

They need to allow a sky judge to reverse an interference call. What I propose is only for called interference. I don't want the sky judge actually calling penalties. 

[ChrisWatson#21]

19 hours ago, frostbitmic said:

If the NFL wanted to make sure the games were officiated correctly and honestly, they'd have done something about it years ago. The fact that nothing has been done about it speaks loudly.

 

Sports entertainment baby.

Speaks loudly of how little respect they have for the fans.  I used to think the horse racing industry was disrespectful to the public but the NFL went above and beyond with it.  They see fans as junkies looking for that next dopamine hit.

[Billsfan1972]

How complicated do you want it?

 

There is human error, but even with replay, the stupidity and how long it takes is ridiculous.  

 

Most can make the decision in 30 seconds, but then the Head ref going into a booth is idiotic.  Simply those in the "command center" call down, tell them there is a review and tell them what the result is.  

 

I.e. spot of the ball, TD, fumble or Int.  For penalties, only allow Interference, Defensive holding and dangerous plays (horse collar, face mask, leading with helmet).

 

Look the best is the Coach get's a challenge on one PI or flagrant foul call a game (nothing else) and loses a timeout or 15 yard penalty or loss of an extra down (which the Bills had none Sunday). 

 

But at the end of the day can you imagine, no flags thrown on the Diggs play and then as Bass trots out the Ref waves time as there is a booth review????  Now Bucs fans go crazy.

 

The Refs were responsible for the outcome Sunday and not sure what could be done. 

[Negan]

The NFL needs to hire independent refs outside the league not their own refs.  

 

I don't know if this sounds crazy lol 

 

[muppy]

wow sooo many comments I can make regarding posts in this thread. Coming in to page 3 of such a thoughtful discussion Im a bit overwelmed and I dont want to monopolize but Ima gonna try at the top sharing my thoughts and it'll edit into one post. m

23 hours 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. 

the problem would originate if they saw their revenue drop. We all know this. And I think we also know (and so does the NFL) that we as a loyal fanbase are Not going to give up our NFL heritage aka The Buffalo Bills.

 

we are in a quandry of personal choices and what you deem acceptable/ Un acceptable

 

for me I cant imagine not being a bills fan. Theve got me hooked. I cant help the ones on top are bottom line only caring rat baastids.

 

 

[muppy]

21 hours ago, frostbitmic said:

If the NFL wanted to make sure the games were officiated correctly and honestly, they'd have done something about it years ago. The fact that nothing has been done about it speaks loudly.

 

Sports entertainment baby.

your loud voice is  similar to mine just making that money money money NFL...put a face of respectability and charity on its face but what they really care about is keeping that money flow. But their incentive to make officials /officiating better????????? yeah pfft ACCOUNTABILITY?? for starters. **&%$%^&* I have no faith they will make changes or if they did happen it'd be windowdressing not enough

 

I cannot back the nefarious reasoning aka they Rig Games for Las Vegas.....wouldnt that be easy to ferret out? wouldnt they get caught? Man I dunno......

Edited December 15, 2021 by muppy

[muppy]

15 hours ago, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

Real time app and let the fans vote? 

haha that is an extremely interesting idea....i would partake of that 100% and real time within say the most 2 Big Screen replays.......awesome. I like it.

 

would it make the NFL change a call
?

 

**gigglsnrt** haha that would  be the rub..Nope.

 

m

22 hours ago, BuffaloFan68 said:

Best solution is to watch Canadian & college football & stop supporting the NFL until they learn to put a better product out there. Currently the NFL is just a richer version of the WWE.  I know it’s easier said than done but last year was the first Super Bowl I didn’t watch since the mid 70’s.  I’ve already quit going to games & buying the merchandise. I’ve stopped playing fantasy football & I don’t watch anything but the Bills games. It is a garbage product & it most likely won’t get better until we get rid of, our homeboy, Goodell. 

I am going to guess and say there are many who do keep up with college football due to being alumni or married to, connected to somehow but as I stated thats a reallly hard sell to a diehard. "Oh let not partake of one of our lives greatest sources of fun and Late summer to winter in WNY Bills football....me ?

 

GO BILLS 

 

*shrug* Im not complaining just personal truth.

 

m

[Sharky7337]

Let the press interview the refs after the game.

[filthymcnasty08]

Something tells me the NFL likes things a bit imperfect, there's a lot of wiggle room there.  Without it, perfecting the technology etc, there's nothing to debate and it's impervious to manipulation.  The tech is available and has been for a long time.

 

The decision to centralize and influence the ultimate replay decisions from an office in NY, instead of with the crew at the game, brought the power to influence games upstairs to the execs.  (That would be the conversation that I would want to hear - between on-field and NYC office)

 

Next, the NFL got into bed (openly) with the gambling industry.

 

I don't know, but it all seems too lend itself to manipulation, if manipulation is what they want.

 

[Livinginthepast]

Ball Spotting could be easily fixed by a chip in the Ball. I dont fault the refs for not seeing it in real time when the guy jumps into the scrum. Tennis knows exactly when a ball is in or out so it should be quite easy to do this in a football if you want accuracy. The rest of the fixes are much more problematic but some are doable. NFL just has to get their heads out of their butts and stop with the excuses for incompetent officials and not implementing Tech.

[CodeMonkey]

On 12/14/2021 at 5:47 PM, Over 29 years of fanhood said:

Real time app and let the fans vote? 

That would certainly change the dynamic wouldn't it

[Blainorama5]

On 12/14/2021 at 9:06 AM, Buffalo_Stampede said:

What is wrong with using technology?

Havn't you heard?  The robots are coming to subjugate us all!   😉