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
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
223 comments Add your comment
Najeh Davenpoop
September 25th, 2012
12:58 pm
Roger Goodell is an absolute joke. It takes a specialized type of idiot to be able to screw up the most recession-proof, guaranteed-to-succeed corporation in America but somehow he has managed to do it. Every decision he makes is a calculated attempt to show the world how big his dick is and he will stop at nothing to continue proving that point, regardless of how it affects the league. This man has to go.
P B Orr
September 25th, 2012
1:00 pm
The real issue football-wise is not that some calls are blown – it’s that these guys cannot control the game. That’s not something you can teach. The best of the best officials are in the NFL because that’s a non-teachable skill.
Paddy
September 25th, 2012
1:02 pm
P B Orr……your solution is an impromptu players strike to get the real refs back to work? The players would not strike to get their own mothers back! Nor should they. The players don’t have a union, they have a ‘band of brotherhood’. Their only grievence is that their financial advisor lost them a ton of $ on Facebook stock!
Najeh Davenpoop
September 25th, 2012
1:02 pm
It requires burying your head several feet in the sand if you really think the replacement refs are no worse than the original refs. The original refs occasionally make bad calls. The replacement refs DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT THE RULES ARE. There’s an ENORMOUS difference.
Mitt Romney
September 25th, 2012
1:04 pm
It I was in charge, I would nuke the replacement refs and take away their tax deductions.
panic fan
September 25th, 2012
1:04 pm
Was this planet created by money for money ,did the things that grow and live on this planet pay to be here. Who bought and paid for the animals that live among us aka the wild grass and plants are truly free until man put a price on it sounds all to familiar
Barton
September 25th, 2012
1:08 pm
I feel like I’m just getting a more obscene version of sportcenter last night, but without the TV personalities..
diehardsufferingfan
September 25th, 2012
1:09 pm
so time u said nothing about the owners who are greedier than anyone in this equation. they are so petty and egomaniacal to think they can just replace the refs with me and you. these refs couldnt even get d1 college jobs and you have them in the NFL?!? yes the regular refs make mistakes but not in pace of game, being intimidated by players and coaches and just an overall lack of confidence in their calls. THAT is a glaring difference which makes the game hard to watch sometimes. free market system syas that you should be paid what you are worth, regardless if you or i think they make too much. NFL is a billion dollar industry and these refs are vital to the integrity of the game and goodell ann the owners are insulting everyones intelligence thinking they can put a band aid on a 6 inch gash. they are BILLIONAIRES. fork over the extra mil to keep the integrity of the game and so called protection of the shield as goodhell says over and over but can no longer convince me he even believes that himself. selfish, greedy, and petty. #bringbacktherealrefs
Legend of Len Barker
September 25th, 2012
1:09 pm
There’s an urban legend as recalled on one of the NFL Films documentaries about the Franco Harris catch. The game was played at Three Rivers Stadium.
The officials break their huddle and the crew chief motions to a cop.
“If I tell you that the ball hit a Pittsburgh player on the helmet (thus ending the play) and it’s not a catch, how many cops can you get to escort us off the field.”
“Six.”
“Then six for Pittsburgh!”
There was no way the officials would rule in Seattle that it’s not a touchdown.
bfred
September 25th, 2012
1:10 pm
From what I’ve read the main sticking point is the refs want a new defined benefit pension plan that pays a minimum of $37,000 per year for life post-retirement. Those plans seem without fail to balloon out of control and are exactly the kind that are bankrupting city and county governments. I can see why the NFL is hesitant to agree. $150k per year for part-time work over eight months seems like fair comp to me; institute a 401(k) plan like everyone else has, let the NFL fund $15k of annual contributions per ref, and get on with it.
On last night’s call, everyone knows mutual posession goes to the receiver but that play wasn’t even close. The DB caught it, had both hands on it and brought it in to his body. The receiver managed to get an arm wedged in there. How the ref that signaled touchdown came to that conclusion (and the fact that posession can’t be reviewed for whatever moronic reason) is beyond me. If I’m Mike Smith, I’m telling my team that they need to go out every game with the intent of crushing their opponents and not being in position to allow a blown call to determine the game. The Falcons seem to be letting up on offense in the second half; no more of that.
moboman
September 25th, 2012
1:17 pm
come on. Its no worse than baseball umps! Adds that third intangible to every game. PLAY ON!!!
James
September 25th, 2012
1:18 pm
Just another example of how unions are destroying America and bringing us to socialism. We need a law that outlaws unions and puts anyone who goes on strike in jail. Don’t want to work for what the invisible hand of the market says you should work for? That’s fine commie, we have a nice job for you in prison making license plates.
Sports make men out of boys and train the leaders of tomorrow. How is that suppose to work if our sports are infested with socialist unions? Outlaw them before it’s too late.
Home of the Braves
September 25th, 2012
1:20 pm
I think some of the replacemet referees used to work for Vince McMahon. That explains it.
Just Saying..
September 25th, 2012
1:30 pm
from Peter King, SI:
“Now, as to the replay: Let’s be clear about what can and can’t be reviewed. Simultaneous possession between the goal lines cannot be reviewed. Simultaneous possession in the end zone can be reviewed. That’s an important distinction that many in the media have not made…”
And yes, I do realize that many poster here have better sources than Peter…
sheepdawg
September 25th, 2012
1:39 pm
james don’t just sound stupid, he used his keyboard to remove all doubt
rivercard
September 25th, 2012
1:41 pm
Just saying – thanks for that. I had understood from reporting that it couldn’t be reviewed. Maybe that was incorrect. I don’t believe it was even simultaneous possession, but that is beside the point.
James – I am hoping that was sarcasm.
gordonguy1969
September 25th, 2012
1:42 pm
You know, this would all be solved if only half the stadium or less was filled for each game. Sure, they’ve already got your ticket money, but think of all the concessions they’d be losing, and how it would look on TV. Of course, none of you will do that…you’ll just go to the game and complain.
After further review...
September 25th, 2012
1:43 pm
You have a bunch of guys who are probably used to 2,000 or so in the stands and no, or very limited, live TV coverage suddenly put in a position where there are 75,000 or more in the stands, and millions more watching on TV, and, by the way, many of the rules are different than what they are used to. The stakes for the players and teams are signficantly higher, as well.
Given all of that, it’s hardly surprising that they are struggling, to say the least. While replay can fix many things, it was not set up to fix everything, so some things will wind up standing, despite how obvious the mistake may be.
The regular refs clearly aren’t perfect, but they are at least used to the working conditions, and they have a better knowledge of the rules. Let’s hope the lockout is over soon, before the season turns into a nightmare.
After further review: Packers intercept pass, lose game – Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) | Gaming Social | Daily Gaming News Magazine
September 25th, 2012
1:47 pm
[...] Atlanta Journal Constitution (blog) [...]
Bill Martin
September 25th, 2012
1:48 pm
The only idiot, my thought. is Mark Braley for writing such an article which was nothing
more than his one sided opinion. H does not know the rule book so the peopl;e who do upheld the touchdown ruling. Mark if you can’t write any better than this hang up your pen and go back to trade
school and do something that you might understand or cn follow directions. To work for a paper the size of the Atlanta Journal casts a very negative reflection upon said paper,
your boss needs at the very least to put you on probation for six months with threat of dismissal
if your ever write such a poor, poor, poor,poor article.
After further review...
September 25th, 2012
1:48 pm
James -
You do realize that the refs aren’t on strike, that they were locked out, right? YOu do know the differnence, right?
rivercard
September 25th, 2012
1:50 pm
Bill Martin – didn’t make much sense , but hope it made you feel better.
Just Saying..
September 25th, 2012
1:51 pm
“and if i strike i get thrown in jail?”
Actually, the historical record is that Pinkerton’s are sent in to shoot them down. Without consequence.
Teaches them a lesson, I believe is the theory…
egeagle
September 25th, 2012
1:53 pm
Ivan said it bestback on page one. If I had a dollar for each time the Falcons got jobbed by the stellar regular refs, I might be able to go to a game If the ESPN folks don’t get the wins by their faves, they scream foul. Green Bay gor a big number of calls last night as well. Blown calls like the Immaculate Reception and Drew Pearson’s push off on Nate Wright are NFL lore because they were called in favor of the media favorites. ESPN was butt-hurt when the Birds beat Peyton last week. Aaron Rodgers and the Pack are the victimes this week. The replacemint refs just aren’t on the same page as the media gurus. If this happens to the Birds, we’re just whining and crying.
geno cunningham
September 25th, 2012
1:54 pm
Why is pass interferrance never called on ‘Hail Mary” passes?It happens every time but is never called by refs in pros or college games.
Dee
September 25th, 2012
1:55 pm
Cooder Brown said: Whats the difference in this and what strong arms hochuli did a couple years ago?
Not a damn bit of difference. The regular refs have been screwing the teams they didn’t favor for YEARS. At least these refs haven’t been showing favoritism.
Ivan
September 25th, 2012
1:56 pm
Sooo… the Falcons will be #1 and happy to be “BY CHEATING”?
Just Saying..
September 25th, 2012
1:56 pm
Lil Bill @ 1:48:
Thank you for your writing sample. No question Mark will print that one out, and paste on his desktop.
Should make every Monday feel like Friday…
mwb
September 25th, 2012
1:57 pm
we still haven’t won a playoff game
diehardsufferingfan
September 25th, 2012
1:57 pm
lol @ just saying
rivercard
September 25th, 2012
2:00 pm
mwb- your right, but we can’t win one if we don’t get in. 3-0 is a nice start towards that. One foot in front of the other and we will eventually get there.
G
September 25th, 2012
2:02 pm
If the players are so pissed, why don’t they get with the owners, who are also pissed, and figure out how much more the refs wants and just pay it. I’m sure if you spread it out, it wouldn’t cost more than a couple of $20’s per player and a grand for a freaking owner. So stupid.
Billyho55
September 25th, 2012
2:04 pm
GOOD AFTERNOON MR. BRADLEY/POSTERS,
THE NFL WILL NOT TOLERATE BEING EMBARRASSED LIKE THIS! HOPEFULLY ALL THE BITCHING AND COMPLAINING THAT IS HAPPENING ON ALL THE SPORTS SHOWS WILL AID IN THE CAUSE AS WELL! I COULD BE DEAD WRONG BUT I FIRMLY BELIEVE WE WILL SEE THE REGULAR REFS BACK IN TWO WEEKS! WHEN THIS BS FINALLY CONCLUDES IT WILL TAKE A WEEK FOR THE REFS TO ALL GET FITTED BY NIKE, SO, I SAY THEY COME TO AN AGREEMENT THIS WEEK AND THEY WILL BE BACK WEEK 5!
PAY THE DAMN REFS FIDEL GOODELL!!!
Barack Obama
September 25th, 2012
2:04 pm
Wow those refs are almost as bad as I am at my job.
SnellvilleDawg
September 25th, 2012
2:04 pm
NFL fans,
Welcome to our world.
Sincerely,
college football fans
suggs
September 25th, 2012
2:06 pm
Bottom line folks. Are the replacement refs gonna keep you from watching the Falcons Sunday? That’s what I thought and the owners know this also.
Bobby Lee
September 25th, 2012
2:06 pm
I usually only watch college football, but I have to admit that the replacement refs have made the NFL much more interesting. Its like a reality show.
Jimmy Crack
September 25th, 2012
2:06 pm
I say, Let ‘em crash! We may be in the best position to weather this referee union fight.
The Falcons are 3-0, alone in 1st Place, and if we play like we have, there are no potentially close games in the near future (Panthers at home, defensively-injured Redskins away, Oakland at home) that the fake refs could screw up with one big, bad call. So, with a bye week coming after the Oakland game, it is possible we may get through to the midpoint of the season 6-0, and watch the chaos ensue with other teams throughout the NFL in a variety of close game debacles. We may be fortunate enough to get the real refs back by the Eagles game in Philly.
SDog
September 25th, 2012
2:06 pm
the packers will still win that weak division–no big deal.
POTF
September 25th, 2012
2:08 pm
Sam Baker sure plays better with replacement refs. Get my drift?
Barack Obama
September 25th, 2012
2:14 pm
It’s George Bush’s fault.
Saints Fan
September 25th, 2012
2:22 pm
Its all dos refs fault dats making dem Saints lose. Ya’ll know we is da best 0-3 team in football.
Paddy
September 25th, 2012
2:24 pm
Bill Martin…….there is only one side to this sad story & Mr Bradley nailed it, big time!
Taxi Smith
September 25th, 2012
2:33 pm
So then what do we do when the regular officials make an equally egregious call? It happens, you know. There is no perfectly called game in any sport. Baseball umpires routinely make bizarre calls and we all accept them as a “part of the game” and move on.
Esquire
September 25th, 2012
2:34 pm
Simultaneous catch? If the defender catches the ball but the receiver catches the defender then it’s a completed pass??
That’s a ref on the take folks, plain and simple.
VaDawgFan
September 25th, 2012
2:36 pm
Best column ever, Mr. Bradley. I couldn’t have said it better myself–and considering how highly I value my own opinions, that’s saying something.
Dk
September 25th, 2012
2:36 pm
Make the owners share the responsibility for this happening. Goodell works for them and is going to “hold the company line”.
Phucker
September 25th, 2012
2:38 pm
If ALL the players and coaches refuse to play 1 week, this will be resolved within 2 days! Until the money is affected nothing will happen unless the refs cave!!!!
Buckeye
September 25th, 2012
2:52 pm
I wonder if that call went against Grantham or Muschump if their skulls would still be intact and their eyes remained in their sockets?
Allison Wonderland
September 25th, 2012
2:53 pm
145th!!!