Are NFL refs going the way of the NBA? (1 Viewer)

[UnknownCoach]

The most obvious issue involves the roughing the passer calls. I'm worried about the future of NFL officiating.

 

[daveR]

They're stuck enforcing the rules they're given.

 

[Arizona Ron]

Calling an NFL game is way harder than calling an NBA game. The rules in an NFL & NBA game that are designed to protect players are the hardest to call – flagrant fouls, block/charge in the NBA and roughing the kicker or passer in the NFL.

On top of that, the NFL also has pass interference, illegal blocks, holding etc. that aren’t as cut and dry. There is much more interpretation and decision making involved in NFL games. It’s always been hard, there’s just a lot better TV coverage on games now than ever.

 

[ChargersOH]

The problem is that NFL Ds for years have been taught to hit the QB as much. You want to make them feel the footsteps and know a hit is coming.

Right now if you take more than a step or if they feel you easily could have held back they'll flag you.

I have mixed feelings. With the size and speed of the game, this change really is needed to protect QBs, especially young ones on lesser teams with weak OLs.

On the flip side it does take some strategy out of the mix.

Overall I'd say it was a smart change. The NBA may give calls to special players, but that really just swings a few points a game one way or the other which usually isn't large. If the NFL doesn't protect their QBs we'll continue to see them going down at an alarming rate, and many suffering from Steve 'Batman' Young syndrome.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

The QB is protected. Everyone knows he's protected. If you dive at his knees or give him a hard shoulder after the ball is gone you're going to get flagged.

I do think the first roughing the passer call against the Titans just before halftime last night was wrong though.

No defensive player who has an unrestricted path to the quarterback may hit him flagrantly in the area of the knee(s) or below when approaching in any direction.

As for the Ravens against the Pats - I have no idea what they're whining about. They've always been willing to take 15 yards to try and intimidate. As you saw yesterday when Ray Lewis (whiner in chief IIRC) tried to kill Chad Johnson after the ball was well past. For them to be complaining about this is a joke.

 

[forbidden doughnut]

As for the Ravens against the Pats - I have no idea what they're whining about.

I think they were whining about the play where Brady didn't get hit and there was a penalty and they have a valid argument imo. Yeah Brady got grazed, but it wasn't enough to even make him move a step. That was ridiculous. If he goes down, throw the flag, but I don't think it's worth throwing the hankee if the guy doesn't even get hit.

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

As for the Ravens against the Pats - I have no idea what they're whining about.

I think they were whining about the play where Brady didn't get hit and there was a penalty and they have a valid argument imo. Yeah Brady got grazed, but it wasn't enough to even make him move a step. That was ridiculous. If he goes down, throw the flag, but I don't think it's worth throwing the hankee if the guy doesn't even get hit.

If you throw a punch and miss, do you get flagged or not?

 

[Werewolf Moderator Fan]

As for the Ravens against the Pats - I have no idea what they're whining about.

I think they were whining about the play where Brady didn't get hit and there was a penalty and they have a valid argument imo. Yeah Brady got grazed, but it wasn't enough to even make him move a step. That was ridiculous. If he goes down, throw the flag, but I don't think it's worth throwing the hankee if the guy doesn't even get hit.

If you throw a punch and miss, do you get flagged or not?

If you try to run into the kicker and miss, do you get flagged or not?

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

As for the Ravens against the Pats - I have no idea what they're whining about.

I think they were whining about the play where Brady didn't get hit and there was a penalty and they have a valid argument imo. Yeah Brady got grazed, but it wasn't enough to even make him move a step. That was ridiculous. If he goes down, throw the flag, but I don't think it's worth throwing the hankee if the guy doesn't even get hit.

If you throw a punch and miss, do you get flagged or not?

If you try to run into the kicker and miss, do you get flagged or not?

How do you miss if you "try" to run into the kicker? Seems a bit different than intentionally diving at a guy's knees or throwing a punch. If you disagree on this point we'll have to just move on.

 

[Werewolf Moderator Fan]

As for the Ravens against the Pats - I have no idea what they're whining about.

I think they were whining about the play where Brady didn't get hit and there was a penalty and they have a valid argument imo. Yeah Brady got grazed, but it wasn't enough to even make him move a step. That was ridiculous. If he goes down, throw the flag, but I don't think it's worth throwing the hankee if the guy doesn't even get hit.

If you throw a punch and miss, do you get flagged or not?

If you try to run into the kicker and miss, do you get flagged or not?

How do you miss if you "try" to run into the kicker? Seems a bit different than intentionally diving at a guy's knees or throwing a punch. If you disagree on this point we'll have to just move on.

How do you miss if you throw a punch?

 

[Manster]

i voted no, they are making bad calls all around, or whatever it said.

perfect example was the personal foul on Alan Ball against a KC WR (Bradley?) i forget who it was. anyway, he got penalized for hitting a guy with his shoulder. now, the ball had deflected out of the reciever's hand. but it happened so fast, and the defender had already commited to the hit. this penalty was key in keeping the KC drive alive. LET THEM PLAY!!! THESE BAD CALLS CAN AFFECT THE OUTCOME OF GAMES!!! THIS IS FOOTBALL NOT PADDYCAKES!!!

with all that said, i realize its prolly not the officials' fault. they are just doing what they are mandated to do. although, personal foul calls are judgement, and it just seems like they are going WAY overboard with these calls.

 

[Gr00vus]

If you throw a punch and miss, do you get flagged or not?

If you try to run into the kicker and miss, do you get flagged or not?

How do you miss if you "try" to run into the kicker? Seems a bit different than intentionally diving at a guy's knees or throwing a punch. If you disagree on this point we'll have to just move on.

How do you miss if you throw a punch?

 

[SlaX]

I voted all options because I could. But I think the refs are doing a good job. It's hard to make the correct call 100% of the time.

 

[forbidden doughnut]

As for the Ravens against the Pats - I have no idea what they're whining about.

I think they were whining about the play where Brady didn't get hit and there was a penalty and they have a valid argument imo. Yeah Brady got grazed, but it wasn't enough to even make him move a step. That was ridiculous. If he goes down, throw the flag, but I don't think it's worth throwing the hankee if the guy doesn't even get hit.

If you throw a punch and miss, do you get flagged or not?

If you try to run into the kicker and miss, do you get flagged or not?

How do you miss if you "try" to run into the kicker? Seems a bit different than intentionally diving at a guy's knees or throwing a punch. If you disagree on this point we'll have to just move on.

Those kickers are elusive creatures. We can do that whole agree to disagree thing, but your argument of the intentional punch v a missed hit is pretty silly by comparison. You can't call a hold or a facemask if it doesn't actually occur. Call me crazy, but if you don't actually hit the QB you can't really be called for roughing the passer.