NFL Officiating

[Sea Ray]

OK, we all know the situation in the NFL and officiating is an inexact science but I'm going to focus my comment on the Seahawk-Cardinal game. For those of you who missed it, here's the backround on it:

(CBS/AP) GLENDALE, Ariz. - Replacement officials in Sunday's game between Arizona and Seattle made a mistake by awarding the Seahawks an extra timeout in the closing seconds.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll called timeout with 30 seconds left, but the officials had announced two plays earlier Seattle used its last one when receiver Doug Baldwin was injured.

After huddling, then meeting with two different people from the sideline, the officials determined the previous stoppage had been on an incomplete pass, so the Seahawks were not charged with a timeout.

Under NFL rules, teams are required to use a timeout for an injured player in the final two minutes, whether the clock is running or not.

The mistake didn't end up having an impact on the game; Seattle failed to score on four plays inside Arizona's 6-yard line as the Cardinals held on for a 20-16 win.

"It was my error," referee Bruce Hermansen said in a statement. "We gave them (Seattle) the additional timeout because of the incomplete pass stopping the clock before the injury occurred. When in effect, the clock has no bearing on the play at all, whether it's stopped or running, we should not have given them the additional timeout."

/>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-...extra-timeout/

Now I saw it live and let me re-cap it. They granted a timeout after Seattle ran the ball up the middle on 1st and goal from about 8 yd line with 0:30 left. As the article states, they already had announced that Seattle was out of TOs. Then they huddled and talked extensively with "the booth" as the Cardinals were yelling that the 'Hawks were out of TOs. There was a saignificant delay. Finally the head ref announces that Seattle was awarded a TO here because they incorrectly ruled earlier that they be charged with an injury TO because that play was on an incomplete pass.

So my question is this: after consulting with people "upstairs" who supposedly had access to a rulebook, how did they get this call wrong? As the article above states the ref admitted after the game that he was wrong and the injury TO should have been charged regardless of whether the clock was stopped or not.

I get that bad judgements are made in the heat of the moment and split second decisions sometimes need to be made but that's not what happened here. In this case the refs had time to consult and come to a sound decision. Given all that, they still blew it which leads to my question:

Why should this ref be brought back for any more NFL games? He should be gone and sent back to do college div 2, 3 or wherever he came from. This sort of egregious error is inexcusable

[ArmyBengal]

Wait until it actually costs a team a game.

All hell will break loose.

And it should...

[BengalszoneBilly]

Wait until it actually costs a team a game.

The regular refs handed the Steelers two Superbowl wins for crissakes. These guys aren't any worse in my eyes.

[ArmyBengal]

Wait until it actually costs a team a game.

The regular refs handed the Steelers two Superbowl wins for crissakes. These guys aren't any worse in my eyes.

I'll give you the Superbowl against the Seahawks for sure.

These guys might not be any worse, but the situation is what it is and if these replacement refs cost a team a game, things will get blown up like crazy.

[redsbengalsbucks]

OK, we all know the situation in the NFL and officiating is an inexact science but I'm going to focus my comment on the Seahawk-Cardinal game. For those of you who missed it, here's the backround on it:

(CBS/AP) GLENDALE, Ariz. - Replacement officials in Sunday's game between Arizona and Seattle made a mistake by awarding the Seahawks an extra timeout in the closing seconds.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll called timeout with 30 seconds left, but the officials had announced two plays earlier Seattle used its last one when receiver Doug Baldwin was injured.

After huddling, then meeting with two different people from the sideline, the officials determined the previous stoppage had been on an incomplete pass, so the Seahawks were not charged with a timeout.

Under NFL rules, teams are required to use a timeout for an injured player in the final two minutes, whether the clock is running or not.

The mistake didn't end up having an impact on the game; Seattle failed to score on four plays inside Arizona's 6-yard line as the Cardinals held on for a 20-16 win.

"It was my error," referee Bruce Hermansen said in a statement. "We gave them (Seattle) the additional timeout because of the incomplete pass stopping the clock before the injury occurred. When in effect, the clock has no bearing on the play at all, whether it's stopped or running, we should not have given them the additional timeout."

/>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-400_162-...extra-timeout/

Now I saw it live and let me re-cap it. They granted a timeout after Seattle ran the ball up the middle on 1st and goal from about 8 yd line with 0:30 left. As the article states, they already had announced that Seattle was out of TOs. Then they huddled and talked extensively with "the booth" as the Cardinals were yelling that the 'Hawks were out of TOs. There was a saignificant delay. Finally the head ref announces that Seattle was awarded a TO here because they incorrectly ruled earlier that they be charged with an injury TO because that play was on an incomplete pass.

So my question is this: after consulting with people "upstairs" who supposedly had access to a rulebook, how did they get this call wrong? As the article above states the ref admitted after the game that he was wrong and the injury TO should have been charged regardless of whether the clock was stopped or not.

I get that bad judgements are made in the heat of the moment and split second decisions sometimes need to be made but that's not what happened here. In this case the refs had time to consult and come to a sound decision. Given all that, they still blew it which leads to my question:

Why should this ref be brought back for any more NFL games? He should be gone and sent back to do college div 2, 3 or wherever he came from. This sort of egregious error is inexcusable

The way to take care of this is an automatic runoff of 60 seconds as a penalty for calling a timeout when a team has none. As it is now the mistake had already occurred and there was no action to take other than start the game again with the clock stoppage ADVANTAGE for Seattle. Because there is no rule against calling extra timeouts and no current penalty for doing so, Seattle got away with an extra clock stoppage.

I watched alot of football yesterday and didnt see many more bad calls than normally occur, the Settle call was the worst. I did see alot of banging and pass interference in the Den/Pitt game that wasnt called, but Pittsburgh always seems to get away with being very physical with anybodies receivers.

[Sea Ray]

I am particularly troubled that in the Seattle game the officials didn't even know the rules that they're paid to enforce. That's a big problem

[BengalszoneBilly]

I am particularly troubled that in the Seattle game the officials didn't even know the rules that they're paid to enforce. That's a big problem

This Seattle game was way worse. The Packers got hosed. Are the majority of these replacement officials from the state of Washington?

[Sea Ray]

I am particularly troubled that in the Seattle game the officials didn't even know the rules that they're paid to enforce. That's a big problem

This Seattle game was way worse. The Packers got hosed. Are the majority of these replacement officials from the state of Washington?

Agreed, These officials determined the winner of a game that will have playoff implications

[skyline]

I thought the play at the end was pretty bad, but I can see why they called what they did. I don't think they misunderstood the rules completely, but rather didn't apply them well.

What really bugged me, though, was the roughing the passer penalty Green Bay had called on them early in the 4th quarter. Wilson had run out of the pocket and a Green Bay defensive player lunged after him and took him down by his legs. This would be a penalty if the QB was in the pocket. But, once the QB leaves the pocket he is a runner and those rules no longer apply. This play was a huge one in the game AND it shows a complete lack of knowledge for the replacements. Very irritating.

[volcom69]

The Ref didn't change the call, because if he did can u imagine the riot in Seattle. That Ref would have had so much Starbucks coffee thrown in his face, death threats, bottled thrown! It's a joke and it makes games hard to watch! Get the refs back please!

[Earendil]

I hate to be that guy, but now the rest of the league knows what the Bengals have put up with for years.