Will the NFL supplement officiating via TV? (1 Viewer)

[Caesar]

There have been a ton of horrid calls this year, and a lot of missed calls as well.  Its not just this year, but it does seem like its getting worse, or more obvious, as technology improves.  The calls seem so clear to the hundreds of millions watching on TV, and yet, we continue to see game outcomes being decided by bad officiating on the field.  I can't imagine them making penalties instant replay-able, (my god, that would be brutal), but what about someone with a different vantage point to get it right.  Athletes are stronger, faster, quicker now, and refs will continue to miss more and more on the field.

So, does the NFL ever decide to supplement the on-field officiating with someone in a booth or back in NY who can radio down to the Ref?

I wonder if this is feasible from a practical standpoint, and how much of a difference this could make.  Every NFL fan is an armchair ref, so what are your thoughts? 

Do you see it happening?

 

[lod001]

Since so much is judgmental, the league probably should look into having a ref in each game that over rules these mistakes.

'Pick that flag up, that was a sack, not roughing the passer.'

 

[Caesar]

Since so much is judgmental, the league probably should look into having a ref in each game that over rules these mistakes.

'Pick that flag up, that was a sack, not roughing the passer.'

This is where I am coming from.  I wonder if it is even a consideration.  Its not intended to replace the refs on the field, but simply to add a level a QA to the process.

 

[Rhythmdoctor]

Saw thread title and immediately envisioned a scenario where fans at home can vote in the call in real time. Most votes make the call. I’d take that over the current format because some of the calls they make or don’t make seem impossible based on video replay. 

 

[Interseptopus]

They cant even get replay right. I dont expect them to get anything right... on the field or in a booth. 

 

[jtp1982]

That’s a good idea overall.

But a lot of the horrible calls I’ve seen this year you could chalk up to growing pains from the new player safety emphasis.

For example nobody is ready for the refs to really call a penalty every time any player lowers their head to initiate contact.  If they called that rule by the book this year there’d be a full scale revolt.  Imagine a flag on RB’s plowing over an LB, run blocking linemen, etc. any time one of them led with their helmet.  Just wouldn’t fly right now, game hasn’t changed enough.

So you’ve got a new set of rules that refs have to implement by calling them selectively.  Which is just a recipe for uneven officiating and refs taking the heat over an issue that’s bigger than just them.

 

[starks]

Eventually one day the only people that will have a job will be prostitutes and Jason Witten

 

[Da Guru]

There have been a ton of horrid calls this year, and a lot of missed calls as well.  Its not just this year, but it does seem like its getting worse, or more obvious, as technology improves.  The calls seem so clear to the hundreds of millions watching on TV, and yet, we continue to see game outcomes being decided by bad officiating on the field.  I can't imagine them making penalties instant replay-able, (my god, that would be brutal), but what about someone with a different vantage point to get it right.  Athletes are stronger, faster, quicker now, and refs will continue to miss more and more on the field.

So, does the NFL ever decide to supplement the on-field officiating with someone in a booth or back in NY who can radio down to the Ref?

I wonder if this is feasible from a practical standpoint, and how much of a difference this could make.  Every NFL fan is an armchair ref, so what are your thoughts? 

Do you see it happening?

Official calls are not getting worse but two thing have hurt them.  the game is always getting faster and technology is getting better. There in no way the human eye can see at game speed what replay shows frame by frame. So it really is not bad officiating..it is the replays we see are so much different than what they actually see.