Is it me or are the Refs starting have more influence over games?

[Cowboyz1]

I know it's inherently difficult to call games with today's extraordinary athletes on the field making bang bang plays and having to make calls in a split second. However, I have been both a ref for soccer and football and it just seems to me you have to let them play and let the teams determine the outcome of the game. Calls away from the play and having no influence on the actual play needs to be left alone while making calls that give the advantage to another team are just bad.

 

Example: Jags have 4th down and throw a pass that is a wounded duck into the the ground as the result of an arm getting hit during the pass rush. The ref calls PI on a receiver that gets hit while the ball flutters to the ground about 6 feet away. NO chance of getting to that ball at all and the linebacker just did what Linebackers do. HIT. They pick up the flag due to tip ball claim. After review the tip ball was in fact only the QB's arm getting hit which should have negated the PI call also. But NO they reinstate the flag for PI and Jags go on to win.

 

Example 2: Cowboys throw a swing pass out to McFadden and Street who is their WR is standing in front of the defender. The catch is made, Street starts to block, McFadden goes in for a TD. They call PI on Street negates scoring play. NO WAY should that call have been made in any game, in any league at any level. Horrible game changing call.

 

There are numerous examples of Refs deciding games and it's getting ridiculous. You have to allow these guys to play football. It's a contact sport and should be called like they do in the playoffs. They don't call near the stuff they do in the regular season in the playoffs.

[Grits and Shins]

< sigh >

 

Refs don't decide games. The bad calls you mentioned are just ONE play of many, many plays in those games. You can't isolate ANY play in a game and indicate that it was the play that won or lost you the game as NO play stands alone. Until you can show me a team that played a perfect game with no turn overs, no penalties, no punts, no sacks allowed, scoring on every drive, with a defense that allows no points we can't even begin to blame the refs.

 

I didn't watch the Jags game, but I watch the Cowboy game. A big reason they lost that game was because Cassell threw 3 interceptions, Beasley fumbling the kick away didn't help either.

[Cowboyz1]

< sigh >

 

Refs don't decide games. The bad calls you mentioned are just ONE play of many, many plays in those games. You can't isolate ANY play in a game and indicate that it was the play that won or lost you the game as NO play stands alone. Until you can show me a team that played a perfect game with no turn overs, no penalties, no punts, no sacks allowed, scoring on every drive, with a defense that allows no points we can't even begin to blame the refs.

 

I didn't watch the Jags game, but I watch the Cowboy game. A big reason they lost that game was because Cassell threw 3 interceptions, Beasley fumbling the kick away didn't help either.

I will tell you this. Being up instead of down in a game sure changes how Cassell throws the ball. Being up on the score board sure changes the play calling. The way we were running the ball and the Giants scoring only 13 points on offense seem to me had a lot to do with the outcome of that game.

[Grits and Shins]

I will tell you this. Being up instead of down in a game sure changes how Cassell throws the ball. Being up on the score board sure changes the play calling. The way we were running the ball and the Giants scoring only 13 points on offense seem to me had a lot to do with the outcome of that game.

 

There is absolutely no way to know how the Giants would have reacted to that score or how the game would have unfolded. That game was close enough that being up or down 1 TD wasn't going to change how the game was called. The Cowboys lost the game all on their own.

[Cowboyz1]

 

There is absolutely no way to know how the Giants would have reacted to that score or how the game would have unfolded. That game was close enough that being up or down 1 TD wasn't going to change how the game was called. The Cowboys lost the game all on their own.

I agree but I have to say I hate the calls the refs are making this year and most recent years. Let the players play football. That's all I'm saying. Make them make the plays and don't give them plays with calls that shouldn't be called.

[Grits and Shins]

I agree but I have to say I hate the calls the refs are making this year and most recent years. Let the players play football. That's all I'm saying. Make them make the plays and don't give them plays with calls that shouldn't be called.

 

I can certainly agree that sports media and sports fans everywhere are shining a bright light on every single bad call that happens. And I can agree that I hate to see bad calls. And I think we all would like some more consistency, especially around what is a catch and what is not a catch. But bad calls happen and are not the reasons for wins or losses.

[stevegrab]

 

Example: Jags have 4th down and throw a pass that is a wounded duck into the the ground as the result of an arm getting hit during the pass rush. The ref calls PI on a receiver that gets hit while the ball flutters to the ground about 6 feet away. NO chance of getting to that ball at all and the linebacker just did what Linebackers do. HIT. They pick up the flag due to tip ball claim. After review the tip ball was in fact only the QB's arm getting hit which should have negated the PI call also. But NO they reinstate the flag for PI and Jags go on to win.

 

Care to elaborate, why should the arm getting hit negate the PI call? Was the QB not attemptnig a pass? They overruled that it was tipped, which it wasn't, so the PI call is valid.

 

Sounds like the right call to me. I think there could be more consistency, but I also think the calls get a lot more scrutiny now from the fans and media including this "you lost us the game" when there are many other reasons they lost.

[gilthorp]

I think we need to see a change in how PI is called. WR's are getting away with the push off all the time, and it's hurting the game.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

I think we need to see a change in how PI is called. WR's are getting away with the push off all the time, and it's hurting the game.

at the very least consistency would be awesome. And it's not just crew to crew, its play to play

[Cowboyz1]

 

Care to elaborate, why should the arm getting hit negate the PI call? Was the QB not attemptnig a pass? They overruled that it was tipped, which it wasn't, so the PI call is valid.

 

Sounds like the right call to me. I think there could be more consistency, but I also think the calls get a lot more scrutiny now from the fans and media including this "you lost us the game" when there are many other reasons they lost.

If you saw the play you would have realized that the WR had no chance to make the play and the hit would have been perfectly timed had the ball even got that far. They just blew that call badly and allowed the Jags to continue their game winning drive. Buffalo should have been off the field yet the Jags got a gift of a call. If I am the ref in that game, I would never make that call ever. The player had ZERO chance of making a play on the ball and the hit was legal. Horrible call that decided another game.

[Grits and Shins]

If you saw the play you would have realized that the WR had no chance to make the play and the hit would have been perfectly timed had the ball even got that far. They just blew that call badly and allowed the Jags to continue their game winning drive. Buffalo should have been off the field yet the Jags got a gift of a call. If I am the ref in that game, I would never make that call ever. The player had ZERO chance of making a play on the ball and the hit was legal. Horrible call that decided another game.

 

So Buffalo made no mistakes, no penalties and played an otherwise perfect game ... that is what you are saying?

[HowboutthemCowboys]

 

So Buffalo made no mistakes, no penalties and played an otherwise perfect game ... that is what you are saying?

sometimes I would agree with what you've said( for the billionth time). But when a team is given another chance to play on offense after a blown call on 4th down on the last drive of the game, you're wrong

[satelliteoflovegm]

I sometimes think pass interference should be a 15 yard penalty with no automatic first down unless you're inside the 30 or some established yard line. Keep in the end zone fouls spotted at the one but some changes might be warranted.

 

Doesn't solve bad calls no matter what the rule is.

[Cowboyz1]

There you go again. Bullkaka call on the corner for Baltimore. He made a great play on a 230 pound receiver in Fitz but they penalize him for it. Horrible call let them play. Free yards and first down.

[Grits and Shins]

sometimes I would agree with what you've said( for the billionth time). But when a team is given another chance to play on offense after a blown call on 4th down on the last drive of the game, you're wrong

 

So none of the plays that went before or came after mattered then ...

[gilthorp]

:deadhorse:

 

The two Masters of it - watch and learn folks, watch and learn.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

 

So none of the plays that went before or came after mattered then ...

Yes. Buffalo could have scored more pts. Or they could have stopped them after the penalty. That's correct. Now, admit that if the refs hadn't blown the call Buffalo would have ran out the clock and the game would have ended. Ray Charles can see that..can you?

[Cowboyz1]

There again. So the next time someone comes in and kills Chris Johnson because he stops while sitting on top of a linemen for a good 2 seconds they will call unnecessary roughness. They should have blown the whistle at forward progress. If you notice the linebacker was about to light him up but thought better of it. Next time Chris Johnson is going to get concussed. I'm all for playing to the whistle but that play was over and if they want 300 pound players to make sure Chris is dead while in the arms of another linemen so be it. Look out though. Bad officiating there.

Edited October 27, 2015 by Cowboyz1

[Avernus]

Starting to?...this has gone on for quite some time...

 

I am starting to not even enjoy football anymore because of chit like the ridiculous officiating...

[Grits and Shins]

Yes. Buffalo could have scored more pts. Or they could have stopped them after the penalty. That's correct. Now, admit that if the refs hadn't blown the call Buffalo would have ran out the clock and the game would have ended. Ray Charles can see that..can you?

 

If Buffalo had scored on their first drive it would have been irrelevant

If EJ hadn't over Gregg on their 2nd possession to kill the drive and they hadn't had to settle for a FG, it would have been irrelevant

If Buffalo doesn't allow Jax to score a TD early in the 2nd quarter, it would have been irrelevant

 

....

 

and so on

 

There are countless plays Buffalo could have made to win the game regardless of what calls the refs did or did not make. The bad call by the ref.s is no more relevant to the loss by Buffalo than any of those other failures. If the same bad call had happened on Bufflalo's first drive you wouldn't say it was the play that lost them the game.

[BA Baracus]

I think we need to see a change in how PI is called. WR's are getting away with the push off all the time, and it's hurting the game.

PI should be reviewable. Outside of a scoring play, it has the greatest potential to directly impact a game of any single play or call.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

 

If Buffalo had scored on their first drive it would have been irrelevant

If EJ hadn't over Gregg on their 2nd possession to kill the drive and they hadn't had to settle for a FG, it would have been irrelevant

If Buffalo doesn't allow Jax to score a TD early in the 2nd quarter, it would have been irrelevant

 

....

 

and so on

 

There are countless plays Buffalo could have made to win the game regardless of what calls the refs did or did not make. The bad call by the ref.s is no more relevant to the loss by Buffalo than any of those other failures. If the same bad call had happened on Bufflalo's first drive you wouldn't say it was the play that lost them the game.

most hard headed son of a beeyotch EVAH

[Grits and Shins]

most hard headed son of a beeyotch EVAH

 

Because isolating a single play in the game, where ever it might occur (first or last) or whatever it's nature (bad execution, bad call) and labeling it as the reason for a win or loss is inane.

[stevegrab]

If you saw the play you would have realized that the WR had no chance to make the play and the hit would have been perfectly timed had the ball even got that far. They just blew that call badly and allowed the Jags to continue their game winning drive. Buffalo should have been off the field yet the Jags got a gift of a call. If I am the ref in that game, I would never make that call ever. The player had ZERO chance of making a play on the ball and the hit was legal. Horrible call that decided another game.

I'm still not seeing where they blew the call, just that you think it was a bad call. Did they follow the rules and general guidelines for what is PI or not? That is what matters during the game, not that something is a bad rule. For example, forget the game but a WR is going down the right sideline, QB throws the ball, but its short a few yards, DB had great inside position, WR tried to make a move to the ball and runs into the defender. PI on the defense, I've seen that called often, and its a case of a poorly thrown pass resulting in a PI call when the defender was just doing what they normally do. Is that also a bad rule and should no longer be PI.

 

I guess I see two paths of discussion regarding officiating. First and foremost are they following the rules, calling penalties when they should, and doing it consistently. (I don't agree with some fans and experts that they should not call anything but the most obvious calls late in a close game, a foul is a foul whether on the first play or last play of a tie game.) So when you say the refs are having more influence I take that to mean you think they are making calls the way they want, and not following the rules. For some reason they decide to call fouls in some cases but not others.

 

The second discussion about officiating would be are the current rules good, can we change them and so forth. If the ref followed the rules (like my example, and I think yours too) how are they influencing the game?

 

Sorry this is just another tired debate like "is the NFL getting too soft - bunch of pussies with every tough a foul, no more hard hits, rules that favor the offense...." and its usually coming from people that are such big fans they would never quit watching, but keep bitching about how "horrible the game is now".

 

Things are changing, saw a guy get hit last night on a catch, clobbered by the LB after he caught it and started to turn his head. No defenselss receiver, no leading with the helmet, etc. But in another 10-20 years that kind of hit may be illegal, as they look to protect the players from those very strong and sudden impacts. Complaining about it does no good really, not even sure that some reduction in fan interest would really have an short term impact.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

 

Because isolating a single play in the game, where ever it might occur (first or last) or whatever it's nature (bad execution, bad call) and labeling it as the reason for a win or loss is inane.

you're inane