Why can't the eye in the sky just be the eighth official on the field?

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

On 1/19/2025 at 3:17 PM, Chaos said:

its 2025.  If the technology allows better officiating why not use it.  There are seven officials on the field.  Why can't the eye in the sky just be the eighth official and throw flags during the play, and if need be overruing other refs after the play.  Why wait until after the play  only, and for some penalties only? 

This has been an ongoing question for years. Mostly started in baseball, but migrated to all other sports. I understand the baseball part, but football penalties are way too open for interpretation. It will never happen as much as most people want it to. And NGL, I like when officials let the games become more physical. Just as long as both teams get equal treatment. Holding happens nearly every play (defensive and offense.) It will result in a flag fest every game. I hate when refs let that stuff slide the entire game and then decide to throw a holding flag during the most crucial drive. Pre-snap penalties, RTP, and FGs should all go to the “eye in the sky” for analysis IMO.

[Chaos]

5 minutes ago, ChronicAndKnuckles said:

This has been an ongoing question for years. Mostly started in baseball, but migrated to all other sports. I understand the baseball part, but football penalties are way too open for interpretation. It will never happen as much as most people want it to. And NGL, I like when officials let the games become more physical. Just as long as both teams get equal treatment. Holding happens nearly every play (defensive and offense.) It will result in a flag fest every game. I hate when refs let that stuff slide the entire game and then decide to throw a holding flag during the most crucial drive. Pre-snap penalties, RTP, and FGs should all go to the “eye in the sky” for analysis IMO.

The seven on the field are open to interpretation too.  I am just adding an 8th human official with a better viewing angle.  Not someone to diagnose every play in replay in slow motion.   The goal would be to avoid the situations where everyone watching the game moans simulataneously at some incrediblly absurd calls.  Officials on the field discuss calls among themselves all the time.  Let the eye in the sky help sort it out.  Phanton facemasking for example.  In real time, everyone but the guy who throws the flag watching on tv, typically knows it was not a facemask. Its not rocket science. On or off the field. 

[ChronicAndKnuckles]

Just now, Chaos said:

The seven on the field are open to interpretation too.  I am just adding an 8th human official with a better viewing angle.  Not someone to diagnose every play in replay in slow motion.   The goal would be to avoid the situations where everyone watching the game moans simulataneously at some incrediblly absurd calls.  Officials on the field discuss calls among themselves all the time.  Let the eye in the sky help sort it out.  Phanton facemasking for example.  In real time, everyone but the guy who throws the flag watching on tv, typically knows it was not a facemask. Its not rocket science. On or off the field. 

I am all for it. I just think it’s a long shot. 

[nucci]

There should be a ref in a booth upstairs with a big screen TV and calling down on the field for any questionable calls. Allowing teams to hurry up and snap the ball so there can be no review is not fair. They can determine the correct call and not have to sit thru 2 minutes of commercials .

[zow2]

The eye in the sky seems shrouded in vagueness.  I mean sometimes the refs pick up a flag and the announcers say, the eye in the sky called down.  Then other times they can't pick up flags on obvious stuff like Facemask penalties that never happened.  Does anyone really know when the eye in the sky can get involved or not?  Surely the NFL does not want a terrible call to influence the Super Bowl participants.

[PromoTheRobot]

On 1/19/2025 at 3:17 PM, Chaos said:

its 2025.  If the technology allows better officiating why not use it.  There are seven officials on the field.  Why can't the eye in the sky just be the eighth official and throw flags during the play, and if need be overruing other refs after the play.  Why wait until after the play  only, and for some penalties only? 

 

They do it with no issues in spring football. I thought the XFL did it best. Didn't add any more time to the game then the challenge system.

[stlbills13]

While we're criticizing the way the NFL operates, I would really like to see more delay of game penalties called

[BillsShredder83]

On 1/19/2025 at 3:20 PM, Doc Brown said:

Then you'll get complaints about the other 1500 other possible holding calls missed the entire game that aren't as obvious.  They tried to allow coaches to challenge DPI calls and it was a disaster.  It's a slippery slope and/or unintended consequences that will just make things worse.

The NFL tried.... the refs acted like besmirched insulted woman and refused to overturn a single one because they didnt like their judgement being questioned.  

 

Right then and there they shouldve opened a referee'ing academy like the MLB's ump school, and accepted only the top .1% of the best of the best.

 

Crazy they let those dorks strong arm the league that pays them.  Does anybody think there arent a million refs who would push their own mother down the stairs to sniff that job??  The NFL can say with 100% certainty this is the best of the best, cant possibly get better???

 

Its crazy how Goodell wrecked the worlds most perfect product.  All he had to do was leave it alone.  Instead hes acted with the swift impulse of ideas as a guy on his 100th rail at a 2am house party

[DrDawkinstein]

Call me crazy but I think something like an Eye in the Sky calling EVERYTHING to the strict letter of the rule would completely ruin the game.

 

It's a game of chaos. Humans smashing into other humans with reckless abandon.

 

I think we've seen plenty of examples of over-officious jerks making games unwatchable by throwing flags. Just let them play.

[BillsShredder83]

On 1/19/2025 at 3:32 PM, GunnerBill said:

 

The point is not whether it is a challenge or not a challenge. The point is whether it is a foul or not a foul and those subjective calls are never going to be perfect whether you have 10 refs or two.  

 

The best thing they could do IMO is really simplify the rule book.

Oh you dont like that theres a doctors thesis required to determine what is a catch?  Weird, most fans love that!!!

[GunnerBill]

3 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

Oh you dont like that theres a doctors thesis required to determine what is a catch?  Weird, most fans love that!!!

 

Yea I'd treat a catch consistently. Have you caught the ball with two feet or a qualifying body part down. If you have it is a catch. Scrap any judgment about whether the ball is moving. Scrap any need for a "football move" whatever the hell that is. Have you caught the ball, two feet or a qualifying body part down? If yes, it's a catch.

[T master]

On 1/19/2025 at 2:17 PM, Chaos said:

its 2025.  If the technology allows better officiating why not use it.  There are seven officials on the field.  Why can't the eye in the sky just be the eighth official and throw flags during the play, and if need be overruing other refs after the play.  Why wait until after the play  only, and for some penalties only? 

 

They should have someone that can look at the penalty's and over turn a bad call like the one against Dawkins which was clearly not a holding penalty ! 

 

They cold take the eye in the sky and mount a T shirt launcher on it with a bunch of flags loaded in it and when they see a penalty push a button to launch a flag out of it onto the field . One of the other refs would have to pick it up but that would be awesome . 😂

Edited 4 hours ago by T master

[DabillsDaBillsDaBills]

1 hour ago, stlbills13 said:

While we're criticizing the way the NFL operates, I would really like to see more delay of game penalties called

 

How about false start penalties? 

 

The supposed 'loophole' about tackles being allowed to adjust their back foot prior to the snap is literally not in the rulebook. Refs just choose to enforce it that way.

 

We're left with this amorphous grey area where OT's are allowed to move ~1 full second prior to the snap. Except when they're not. Enforcement can change crew to crew and even down to down. 

 

Or alignment penalties? Hope you enjoy seeing Jawaan Taylor line up ~2 yards farther back than he's allowed to cuz we're gonna see a LOT of that on Sunday 

[stlbills13]

23 minutes ago, DabillsDaBillsDaBills said:

 

How about false start penalties? 

 

The supposed 'loophole' about tackles being allowed to adjust their back foot prior to the snap is literally not in the rulebook. Refs just choose to enforce it that way.

 

We're left with this amorphous grey area where OT's are allowed to move ~1 full second prior to the snap. Except when they're not. Enforcement can change crew to crew and even down to down. 

 

Or alignment penalties? Hope you enjoy seeing Jawaan Taylor line up ~2 yards farther back than he's allowed to cuz we're gonna see a LOT of that on Sunday 

 

The worst part about the Jawaan Taylor is the universal agreement about it for 2 years now including from all our rules experts, some of which are actually associated with the NFL. But it still doesn't get called. To me that's the biggest area someone could point to if they wanted to say the refs/league favor the Chiefs. I've heard people say "well it'd ruin the game if you called it every single time". That is such a dumb argument but it does sound like the IQ of a Chiefs fan

Edited 4 hours ago by stlbills13

[Donuts and Doritos]

Any eye can't be an official bc officials are blind. 

[DrDawkinstein]

45 minutes ago, T master said:

 

They should have someone that can look at the penalty's and over turn a bad call like the one against Dawkins which was clearly not a holding penalty !

 

That's exactly what they tried to do with DPI review and the refs revolted. No way do they allow this.

[0017]

The NFL won’t change the way it is because it allows them to slant a game towards who they want to win, Bills fans should know this better than anyone! They did it against us for 20 years against the Patriots, a completely fair and honest called game wouldn’t guarantee victory for whoever the nfl chooses to prop up that year.