After further review: Packers intercept pass, lose game
I'm guessing you've seen this image already. (AP photo/seattlepi.com by Joshua Trujillo)
Gee, I don’t know. Looked like an OK call to me.
(Kidding! I’m a kidder!)
In all seriousness: Yes, the NFL looks awful, and yes, the NFL has it coming for putting its precious product — meaning, professional football — in a position to be compromised by a bunch of officials whose training in no way prepared them for this task. And yes, the NFL needs to end the lockout posthaste for the greater good of the NFL. But you knew that already.
What’s of greater interest (at least to me) is that the NFL’s famous “after-further-review” system, which was radical in its conception and implementation, failed at the moment it was needed most. Anyone who watched the Falcons-Broncos game of the previous Monday night grasped that the on-field officials were so cowed by the setting that they were scared to call anything, but replay — and there were a slew of replays that night — was there to set the record straight.
One Monday later, replay couldn’t distinguish a Green Bay interception from a Seattle reception, and somehow the touchdown stood. The NFL’s excuse: Because simultaneous possession was ruled on the field, only indisputable video evidence could overturn the call. And apparently these pictures were, ahem, open to dispute.
So the call on the field — er, one of the calls on the field — was allowed to stand, and now everybody is in a-dither because the Great American Game has been besmirched, but really: Who couldn’t see this coming? In Week 1 the replacements refs gave the Seahawks (yep, them again) a timeout they didn’t have as they were scrambling to score the winning touchdown. That time they failed. Week 2 was way worse. Week 3 was so bad — the Ravens’ hairbreadth winning field goal wasn’t reviewed because field goals are, for reasons unclear, not reviewable– as to make you laugh out loud.
Surely Roger Goodell will climb down from his bullying pulpit and admit what everybody else sees: That the real refs are needed, that to continue with these out-of-their-depth replacements is to risk invalidating the regular season. But the real mystery is why Goodell, who claims his life’s mission is to “protect the [NFL-logo] shield” could have let things deteriorate to this ridiculous extreme.
Ah, well. Maybe we can use replay to review the commissioner’s thought process. That’s assuming he had one. That’s also assuming replay can be invoked in cases of rampant stupidity, which I seriously doubt.
By Mark Bradley
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223 comments Add your comment
Tami
September 25th, 2012
11:18 am
@ Mr. Mustard: Compelling argument. Thanks for stating it.
Just Saying..
September 25th, 2012
11:22 am
@11:01
Say it, rivercard!
3rd down efficiency is overrated
September 25th, 2012
11:25 am
Goodell is not doing a great job but I agree with the commenters above who lay some of the blame on the refs’ union. It’s ridiculous how the media completely gloss over the fact that the “real” refs make between $130K-$180K for working 16-22 Sundays a year. Maybe–just maybe–it’s their demands that need to be scaled back to resolve this.
omg
September 25th, 2012
11:26 am
Ok all of you blaming the NFL for poor officiating please get out your union card!! Wave it high! The refs are no worse than before and unions are twice as bad. If the old refs were good then why do we have instant replay and reviewing every score. So wave that union card but the refs are doing just fine. If you want to do something get the ESPN and network commentators off the tv while the game is in play. I DO NOT CARE TO WATCH THE COMMENTATORS.
Hillbilly D
September 25th, 2012
11:31 am
omg
You can always turn the sound off; problem solved.
7576DAWG
September 25th, 2012
11:31 am
There has been too many calls missed in the last few weeks for it not to be a big deal. A lot of the calls meant the wrong team won the game.
My solution is a fan protest. These replacement officials obviously need all the help they can get Goodell needs to expand the reason for the use of the replay and make it clear to the officials that the only thing that matters is to get the call right. If for a limited time getting the call right is not important then the best way for fans to protest is to simply not go to the games. I know how fanatical some fans are about Pro Football but your protest would be for the “GOOD OF THE GAME”.
Just Saying..
September 25th, 2012
11:31 am
“Time – how is what refs make compared vast majority of Americans relevant in any way?”
Because Time actually doesn’t believe in a free market for wages. Time wants to use his value system to determine what a professional skill is worth.
Time was just absent the school day socialism was described…
heartofdarkness
September 25th, 2012
11:33 am
Using this board as a small sample survey, common man viewers of NFL games for entertainment don’t have much more than a mild bemusement over the fact that someone officiating a competitive game can make an erroneous call, while the reaction of broadcasters, columnists, gamblers, bankers in games of chance and pundits are tending toward full fledged hysteria befitting declarations of war, pandemics or rising taxes. The fact that a nationally televised game could end on the last play, with a hail Mary pass by a charismatic rookie quarterback might destroy one of America’s last growth industries is, to put it mildly, difficult to accept.
Maybe I view televised sport with the jaundiced eye of one who has watched too many stage-written NBA contests, or find the official’s of professional football games a much better value per dollar than what we are getting from our elected officials in Congress, but I remain confident that this crisis, too shall pass.
blue
September 25th, 2012
11:33 am
Jeff; Roger Goodell called…he said “don’t call me Shirley”
Fan Since 1966
September 25th, 2012
11:34 am
To omg….turn your tv off and listen to the radio. And I am NOT a Union man. And before you accuse me of being “Left Wing” let me assure you I am far from it. I backed the owners last year. This is a totally different set of circumstances. The game is suffering and with it so are we (fans).
Old Guy
September 25th, 2012
11:35 am
I turned the game off after Sidney Rice tackled a Green Bay DB and then the DB was called for interference. The real shame is that Clemons had a career night and kept the Seahawks in it so that a hail mary pass could win it. If your QB gets sacked 8 times in a half then you might deserve to lose.
Bottom line on the refs is that if we as the consumer continue to tune in and watch then what does the NFL care.
One final note to Drew Brees and the players on twitter: You guys want to complain then you pay the refs otherwise shut up. The NFLPA could pick up the difference in ref pay could it not?
JoeFann
September 25th, 2012
11:37 am
The real issue is not whether or not it was simultaneous posession. The real question is why didn’t the covering official flag Tate for offensive pass interference. There is no excuse for not seeing that when you’re in perfect position. We all saw it live. One of the first things an official is taught in that situation is to watch the players, not the ball. Same thing on a punt. Had he flagged Tate, the catch is moot. Penalize the Seahawks for OPI, and the game is over. The game will not be extended for an untimed down unless the foul is on the defense.
blue
September 25th, 2012
11:40 am
for all of you Mensa members using the excuse of “the regular officials blow calls all the time”…use a little intelligence. Nobody is saying the regular officials don’t blow calls. But their mistakes are less frequent and typically are NOT going to be at the same ‘level of wrong’ as these guys. You don’t see regular refs putting the ball six yards forward from where it is supposed to be, giving teams a time out when they don’t have one, etc.
steffon572
September 25th, 2012
11:44 am
How is it that the replay officials are not in the same union as the on field officials
rivercard
September 25th, 2012
11:44 am
omg – I have no union card so will skip over that.
So because the experienced and trained refs aren’t perfect , it is okay to bring in someone demonstrably less qualified to do their job?
George Stein
September 25th, 2012
11:46 am
The larger issue is that the regular refs suck, too, and that makes the argument that the replacements are damaging the game more difficult to accept.
Shug
September 25th, 2012
11:47 am
I love all the consternation over something as trivial as a commercial sporting event. Oh, the handwringing! The angst!
Get a life.
Just Saying..
September 25th, 2012
11:51 am
omg @ 12:26:
Your anti-union diatribes might find more fertile ground over at Kyle’s Place.
And to complete your world view, it was Luca Brasi who held the gun to Goodell’s head to sign the refs’ existing contract.
Or did he use the horse’s head on that one…?
done
September 25th, 2012
11:52 am
I’m watching games just to see the refs make bad calls then to see the coaches go ballistic.
afan
September 25th, 2012
11:52 am
I agree with Goodell. If ref’s don’t wish to work for $8000 a game let them stay home. From what I’ve seen so far the sub ref’s are almost as bad as the regular ref’s. Do they make mistakes..Yes! Do the reg ref’s make mistakes Yes..get a life.
rivercard
September 25th, 2012
11:55 am
Shug – your comment and consternation over our comments and consternation are duly noted.
afan
September 25th, 2012
11:56 am
ACLU sues CIA over drone killings….maybe we need ACLU to call the games.
Whatgoesaround
September 25th, 2012
11:59 am
I’m a Falcons fan; but, I’m not happy with with the way GB loss. It seem okay when it’s someone else; but, I’d hate for us to get screwed on such a horrible call.
Moe, Larry, and Curly
September 25th, 2012
12:04 pm
Regardless of the union/non union issue, the calls last night–pass interference and bogus touchdown–were so bad that they almost indicate intent. I dislike both of these teams, but my eyes still work pretty well.
MIKEHUNT
September 25th, 2012
12:11 pm
I’ll bet Brett Favre was rolling over in his grave over this one.
Jeff
September 25th, 2012
12:13 pm
Mr. Mustard is exactly right. I’m enjoying watching the free market work. Too bad so few people actually believe in the free market nowadays. (E.g., the Fed, Congressional bailouts, Obamacare, “price gouging” laws, etc). You can talk about “union busting” and all that, but this is just supply and demand. The NFL is an entertainment organization. It can pay or not pay people whatever it wants. But the officials–a group of guys with a very rare skill set–are not obligated to work for what the NFL wants to pay. There are no bad guys here. Each side is representing its own interests. And if there is no meeting of the minds, then the NFL will have to deal with awful officiating. I love watching this freak show called the NFL because I love watching the free market at work!
JSS
September 25th, 2012
12:15 pm
The NFL is stealing your money!!! Hillbilly D, that is scholarly stuff!
Sargent Carter
September 25th, 2012
12:19 pm
Call it the RefX Factor. In a secret meeting somewhere near Area 51 beofre this season started, the NFL Rules Committee decided the game needed a uncontrollable variable to make the game more volatile. They quckly decided that unpredictable officiating was THE answer…Hence, the 2012 season…is what they made it…look at all the press it gets.
David
September 25th, 2012
12:20 pm
@Jeff Exactly!
older1
September 25th, 2012
12:20 pm
If the players and coaches won’t this problem solved,all they have to do is SAY we are not playing untill the REFS. ARE BACK. I BET IT GET SOLVED THEN.
older1
September 25th, 2012
12:21 pm
WANT.
BooBoo
September 25th, 2012
12:25 pm
Back in the days when the Falcons were usually bad more than good, there was a Monday Night Football game where a desparation pass was thrown in the last second, which was caught by Billy ‘White Shoes’ Johnson around the 3 yard line. The 49ers defenders were all over him, but he scratched and clawed to get the ball over the end zone line, well after his knee went down with the ball around the 1 yard line. The referees who now want full-time benefits for part-time work said, “Hey, it is about time the Falcons won a game … TD.” EVERYONE knew the refs blew the call, but look it up in the history books and it shows the Falcons beat the 49ers. Moral of the story is: When this season is over, no one will care what happened in Seattle last night, except Packer fans. There is no guarantee the locked out officials will not miss calls and make horrendous calls that effect the outcome of a game, because they have done it before so badly the league has changed rules to make it better for them to make calls. As long as both teams play it rough, when the rules say play it gentlemanly or be flagged, games should last 4 hours and that means more game for your NFL buck. Meanwhile, those individuals who want the league to give in to the locked out officials, start a pool and sign promises to pay their benefits for them, because the fans always pay for everything.
Dr. Henry -- Augusta
September 25th, 2012
12:25 pm
roger goodell speaks for the owners – - He doesnt control the purse strings — He can only negotiate what they ( the owners ) authorize… Billionaires dont become super wealthy by succumbing to bitching and whining…. If you are going to be angry at someone be angry to the Blancs, Joneses, Maras, Fords, Rooneys etc… Also, maybe the real refs should consider their demands…. six figures for a part-time job is not too shabby last I checked….. Under their present system they could earn up to 180K per season or about 10K per game…..No, they had no pension but neither did the players!!
er
September 25th, 2012
12:27 pm
er-
WhoCares?
September 25th, 2012
12:29 pm
Seemed like an interception to me, but who knows for sure. Certainly not the refs. What a disgrace that was. but as for the Packers’ getting robbed — well, nope. They played terribly (seven sacks in the first quarter they gave up???) and deserved to lose. Not sure Seattle deserved to win, but then….. Bottom line: The NFL has become a punch line for comedians and non-comedians alike, and a respected product is little more than a laughing stock (unless you’re a coach or player, in which case it’s a tragedy)
Rob
September 25th, 2012
12:30 pm
@Jeff — 100% correct
WhoCares?
September 25th, 2012
12:35 pm
Regardless of where you might stand on NFL vs. Refs, hope everyone would understand that the refs per-game pay includes the weeks of studying and practicing they have to do to learn that thick and nuanced NFL rules book. We see what happens when the subs come in; it’s not a Saturday night dram session that’s missing, I’m afraid.
Paul in NH
September 25th, 2012
12:35 pm
The ridicuous call at the end of the MNF game was just the topper on a weekend of complete refereeing incompetence. The regular refs might make mistakes but has anyone ever seen a game where they walked off 27 yards on a 15 yard penalty? It happened in the Detroit game. It seems they got their 44 yard lines mixed up
Paul in NH
September 25th, 2012
12:36 pm
The comments about Goodell just being the front man for the owners are correct. If you want anything to happen get the attention of the owners. For starters by not giving tax money to fund stadia.
Ken
September 25th, 2012
12:37 pm
If these had been the regular officials and they make the same call it would a topic of discussion as well. Any situation involving replacement officials will get MAJOR SCRUTINY!! If this were the regular officials and the call had gone in favor of the Packers, Seattle would say they got robbed!! The call came on the last play of the game and it was a game changer that is a BIG DEAL regardless of who the officials are!!
Fal Can
September 25th, 2012
12:38 pm
Until the owners sit Goddell down and make him end this Officials Strike, this is going to continue. The NFL is Arrogant and they are trying to make the Refs break and accept their terms. Goddell works for the owners, and his “Integrity of the Game” and “Player Saftey” policies are hypocritical at best. Sad to see the state of the game in this condition!
What are the TV ratings?
September 25th, 2012
12:39 pm
“the NFL has it coming for putting its precious product — meaning, professional football”
Wrong wrong wrong. The purpose of the NFL is to make money for the owners. Period. The end. If the owners want to toss out the pompous Ed Hochuli and these other clowns that work one day a week, good for them.
Despite what all the talking buffoons at ESPN claim, reffing is not some highly complex science that requires years of solemn study to understand. It’s a game. And the reason its popular is because the games are fun to watch. A blown call doesn’t change that. If Green Bay didn’t want to lose, they should’ve played better against the sad sack Seattle Chickens.
Dum-Bass
September 25th, 2012
12:43 pm
This all comes down really to the fault of one entity, the original union-backed refs. Leave it to the unions to mess everything up royally for everybody. Unions no longer have a purpose in this world. Union thugs are trying to take over sports now. Don’t blame it on the replacement refs, blame it on the greedy original refs!
panic fan
September 25th, 2012
12:45 pm
So once again its all about the money looking back i think it always has been obvious to all, things in life cost money that may be the real fault of how our world fails to be fair and just
xxx
September 25th, 2012
12:51 pm
What this really exposes are the orchestrated games and winners, ala New Orleans gift superbowl after Katrina failed to complete the mission.
What are the TV ratings?
September 25th, 2012
12:51 pm
Exactly Panic Fan. If only we took away money, our world would be “fair and just”.
Just ask the fine people of North Korea how that’s working out (you’ll find them cooking wild grass because they have no food).
P B Orr
September 25th, 2012
12:55 pm
I get so sick of listening to smug jerks like TV here. Probably as pompous in real life as in print.
TheTruth
September 25th, 2012
12:55 pm
If no one told you these were “replacement officials” would we even know? The commentators are the ones making a BIG deal of this. Sure they are getting calls wrong. So do the “real officials”. Basically it is just something else for people to bitch about.
The officials could get control if the league will back them. How? Easy, tell the player or coach mouthing off that this time I’m walking 15 yards, next time you’ll be the one walking off this field to the locker room. Do that and you’ll see everything calm down.
Barton
September 25th, 2012
12:58 pm
I thought it was a touchdown… good clal
P B Orr
September 25th, 2012
12:58 pm
Yes Truth, if you’ve ever watched 10 minutes of football you’d know. There’s a lot to it. Not just dealing with the rules – running up and down the field, paying close attention to dozens of players, and most importantly, having the authoritative presence to deal quickly and effectively with large, large men in armor.