NFL
Anger Boils Over After Blown PI Call in NFC Championship. A Potential Solution to the NFL’s Officiating Problem is at Their Fingertips
Championship Weekend is normally bread, butter and then some for the NFL. Four of their best teams fighting for their lives and a chance at a Super Bowl appearance. This Sunday quickly turned into a nightmare for the league towards the end of the NFC Championship between the New Orleans Saints and Los Angeles Rams, in which the Rams won 26-23.
The Saints, who were on the Rams’ 13 yard line, faced a tied score with 1:45 left on the game clock. Drew Brees threw a bullet pass to wide receiver, Tommylee Lewis, who was on a wheel route. Without making a play on the ball (or even facing it), Rams’ cornerback, Nickell Robey-Coleman slammed into Lewis, making a reception impossible. By definition, this is pass interference — but not according to the officials that night.
“I was just like, you know what, my best chance is just to smash him,” Rams defensive back Nickell Robey-Coleman said about Saints’ receiver Tommylee Lewis https://t.co/2LqSzdgJSg
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) January 21, 2019
Had the call been made, the Saints would have had an automatic first down in prime scoring position. A touchdown there would have forced the Rams to drive downfield for a game-tying touchdown with little time left.
The officials also missed a crucial face mask call that changed LA’s trajectory through the game negatively. Regardless, if one call is enough to lose you a game, you probably didn’t play well enough to win. However, this in no way justifies the egregious missed call on Sunday.
Human Error
Human error affects every athletic contest, particularly when it comes to officiating. Officials get calls right far more than they do wrong and, while they spot the majority of penalties on the field, by no means do they catch them all. NBA commissioner Adam Silver has said that human error is actually “part of the game.”
Technology like instant replay has drastically changed officiating in the NFL by countering human error. Officials on the field now have the ability to review footage in situations where there is a challenge to the ruling.
Another preventative step the NFL has taken is the league’s new replay command center at their headquarters in New York City. In the command center, tens of analysts watch each game that is going on, as well as previous contests, to monitor the officiating of the play.
Staff members take notes on missed calls, the frequency of penalties, and egregious player infractions. From there, players could be met with fines, coaches may receive a message with an apology or a warning, and training material is created for on-the-field officials.
The Current Challenge System
Along with their Bose headset and Microsoft tablet, head coaches are equipped with two red flags. These flags are to be thrown onto the field in the event a coach disagrees with a ruling on the field. A coach may only use a challenge if they have a timeout to give due to potential penalties that come from unsuccessful challenges.
When a coach uses a challenge, they have a moment to speak with the head official, at which point the official watches over the tape and comes to one of three conclusions:
- The Ruling on the field is confirmed, the coach is charged a timeout
- Ruling stands, the coach is charged a timeout
- The Ruling on the field is overturned, a new ruling is issued (fumble to a player was down at the 22 yard line, for instance)
The difference between the first two is if there is visual proof to confirm the ruling, or if there is not enough visual proof to confirm or deny the ruling.
The current challenge system regarding rulings has faced little criticism since instant replay was voted into the league in 1999 and expanded thereafter. In 1999, just 29% of coaches’ challenges were successful, while 2017 saw 49% of challenges end successfully for coaches. This doesn’t mean officiating has gotten worse; rather, that instant replay has gotten better.
The Blue Flag
While the current challenge system has become more efficient every year, the red flag only applies to play rulings. The call, or lack of one, on Sunday that’s caused the frenzy was a penalty ruling. More often than not, penalty calls can in-part determine the outcome of a drive or even a game. In this area, coaches are left with no recourse.
While the command center in New York bares witness to these missed calls, they bow to the game officials. Later on, they may send a letter to a team apologizing for the officiating error. For a league that takes in upwards of $13 billion in revenue, and rules the North American sports market, this is unacceptable.
A simple solution to this problem does exist, an idea supported by Patriots’ head coach, Bill Belichick. The NFL could introduce a blue flag to accompany the two red flags coaches have around their waist on game day. The blue flag would allow coaches to challenge specific penalty calls or lack thereof.
Had Sean Payton had a blue flag on Sunday’s game, almost without doubt, a pass interference penalty would have been called upon review.
Blue Flag Overview
- Two Flags Per Half
- Used to Challenge Any Penalty or Non-Penalty Challenge
- No Timeout Charge for Unsuccessful Challenges
- challenges in the name of safety and rule compliance shouldn’t be punished
- In the Event a Non-Penalty Call is Reversed, an Appropriate Call and Corresponding Penalty Will be Issued, Including Expulsion
- In the Event a Penalty Call is Reversed, the Corresponding Penalty Will be Retracted, Including Expulsion
The blue flag would encourage player safety, along with further improving officiating. Repeated missed holding calls and roughing the passer calls can result in serious injury. If coaches were able to draw attention to such scenarios, the league could work better to reduce player injuries.
With several additions to the rule book every year, the chance for human error increases. Just like players and coaches are having to adjust to new rule additions (i.e. helmet to helmet), so are officials. A blue flag could assist in the learning curve. The blue flag could challenge a bad call on a penalty the league is still adopting. It could also be a learning experience for all parties on how officials and coaches interpret such penalties.
An increase in game stoppages is the only clear downside to introducing the blue flag. However, most coaches and players would agree it’s a worthwhile sacrifice if it means the appropriate calls will be made.
The flag’s in your court now, Goodell.
Photo Credit
Featured Image courtesy of scott via Flickr
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