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NFL and NFLRA agree on deal (Merge)


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Seriously guys! I think there would be lesser turmoil around that TD-call if regular refs had made the call... That was a "hard to evaluate" situation, but I believe replacement officials' call took parties back to the table and the agreement.

I'm sure that could be argued. It would still have been an uproar but the existence of replacement refs made it impossible to see the wood due to all the trees in the way.

I think what is unfortunate here is what the real issue is. The NFL backed the call, a call that we all know was in err to a serious degree. Such a thing occurring in a playoff game, or heaven forbid, the Super Bowl (the holiest of holy's of our sport) would really stand to disillusion a vast amount of fans.

What hasn't been mentioned in the media, not once, not a whisper, is that if we all truly have issue with what happened Monday night, and the league confirmed the call as 'by the letter of rule', then something is wrong with the rule. Am I right?

I'll start with the sentiment that Pass Interference isn't something to be called in a jump-ball situation. This is where the problem starts, that this is obviously something the refs operate with an understanding of.

q) Why is this so?

a) It is more exciting for the fans.

My response; How exciting was it for the wrong team to win? Outside of one teams fan-base, I dare say not very.

So I suggest that the NFL revisit their approach to officiating jump-balls under the same purview as with any other play.

Second;

Simultaneous possession. What constitutes such? The language falls miserably short of clarity. Written with all the cryptic verbiage of law-speak, there is too much room for interpretation. The language needs clarified.

Third;

What is reviewable? Pass interference is not reviewable. I submit that not only should it be, it MUST be. The NFL is well into a new era, a "passing league" as they say. Yet we're operating with antiquated rules and convoluted verbiage regarding PI.

Pass Interference is by far the most profoundly impactful officiating call in regard to game outcome. We all watch replays of missed/botched PI calls and, even without training or a keen understanding of every subtlety of the rules, we can usually determine (as fans) whether or not there was a PI infraction.

I see no reason why a highly trained professional official cannot conclude on a PI replay just the same as they conclude upon other infractions.

So.....we have our referees back but the problem apparently still remains, unless we're all pretending that the MNF debacle was as serious a matter as it was.

The NFL backed the call, so in what way would the real refs affect this mistake? Because we all know that they can and will make mistakes.

To prevent what happened Monday night; Real refs do not ensure that this potential mess couldn't occur again, and the media, everyone, seems distracted from what really made Monday night so dastardly. What the real problem was is as follows;

1) PI must be enforced the same with jump balls as with any other play.

2) The language regarding simultaneous possession is in err. It needs clarified/cleaned up.

3) PI must fall under eligibility of official review.

Until all three of these points are addressed, I'm afraid that the potential for this to happen again remains unchanged. They had an excuse for it this time. Poor officials. Next time they won't have this ready-made excuse at the ready. If they think the integrity of the league was in question this weak, wait until a similar issue occurs on a much bigger stage, with far higher stakes.

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LOL thats hilarious CRHUGHES!

When I first seen the replay on ESPN I figured he thought the receiver had went out of bounds, but clearly in this shot he didnt do that.... I guess he was simply trying to extend the game either that or he had the Bucs D in his fantasy league.

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1) PI must be enforced the same with jump balls as with any other play.

3) PI must fall under eligibility of official review.

Just for discussion sake, if PI is enforced on every jump ball, how would there not be defensive PI on every Hail Mary pass into the end zone. When you have 5 defensive players surrounding 1 receiver, and everyone jumps for the ball, arms are in the face of the receiver, defenders going over the back of the receiver, both of which normally result in a PI call during normal game play, how can there not be PI in that situation? That means that every Hail Mary would result with the ball on the one yard line, and the offence having a minimum of one chance to punch it in.

I do agree with number 3

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Just for discussion sake, if PI is enforced on every jump ball, how would there not be defensive PI on every Hail Mary pass into the end zone. When you have 5 defensive players surrounding 1 receiver, and everyone jumps for the ball, arms are in the face of the receiver, defenders going over the back of the receiver, both of which normally result in a PI call during normal game play, how can there not be PI in that situation?

I'm fine with them letting there be contact, fighting for position etc. But there seems to be an acceptance of unacceptable PI, as we saw Monday night. We can't just allow players to shove each other to the ground.

Again, it's in the language they convey. If we want to say PI shouldn't be called, to what end? Bear hugs, tripping, maybe design an offensive play for jump ball situations that sends one receiver down field to make the jump catch while also sending 2-3 offensive players ahead with him to tackle and clear out defenders? You see what I mean? The language isn't right in just saying "PI shouldn't be called".

Though it creates an exciting play for the fans, I feel it also creates an unfair dynamic. As in, the last team to have the ball is afforded an opportunity to score under an entirely different set of rules.

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