NFL Games Will Be Longer

[IndyJayman]

NFL games are about to get longer and more replay-filled

By MJD

Hey, here's something I hate. An increased number of booth reviews in the 2011 season is going to lead to longer games, says the NFL's former vice president of officiating.

A new rule goes into effect this year stating that every scoring play that happens in the course of an NFL game will be automatically reviewed by the replay official. Here's an explanation of that process from Mike Pereira at FOXSports.com:

If an official rules a score (touchdown, field goal, safety or extra point) during a game, the replay official will automatically review the play. If there is any question as to whether the ruling is correct, they will buzz down to the referee and ask him to come to the monitor to review the play. If the replay official confirms the ruling is correct, they will buzz the referee indicating he is clear to let the scoring team attempt the extra point, or kick off if the scoring play was a field goal, safety or extra-point attempt. A coach will not be allowed to challenge the ruling of a score. The intent is to save the coach from having to challenge the ruling of a score and, thus, increase his chances of not running out of challenges or timeouts.

Overkill.

It's not necessarily that I'm anti-replay; if the right call can be made, then it should be. But in the quest to "get it right," it seems like the flow of the game is often completely discarded, and I'd argue that that's way more important to the NFL's viewing experience. And now we're building more stoppages into the game, right after its most exciting plays?

Unnecessary stoppages brutalize a game's watchability. It's like these "reality" shows, where they pound in unending pauses in an effort to manufacture artificial drama, but end up just being irritating as all (edit). I don't know how anyone can stand that.

We should be looking at ways to shorten games, not make them longer. If a 1 p.m. game isn't going to end until 5, I want it to be because it went into overtime and gave us free football. It seems like we're getting to the point now that a game won't end on time (before the 4/4:15 games start) unless it happens to be contested by two teams that favor a ball-control offense.

And think about this, too: You know that super-annoying thing that networks do when, after a score, there's a commercial break, they come back for the kickoff, and then have another commercial break, and it seems like there's about a half hour between plays from scrimmage?

Throw a replay break into that, too. You'll see the same Coors Light commercial six times before anyone takes another snap.

*Reference: Yahoo Sports

[MTC]

I do not like this, at all.

[Andy]

I'm not a big fan of this. Why don't we just give each coach 5 more challenges while we're at it. It's a stupid rule, and they should leave it as is, no need to review every play. I find it's also a little complicated.

[21isSuperman]

Seems like doing a lot of extra work and maybe slow the game down (they might do it during commercial break, not affecting home viewers as much) just to fix a handful of plays each year

[ColtsLegacy]

Seems like doing a lot of extra work and maybe slow the game down (they might do it during commercial break, not affecting home viewers as much) just to fix a handful of plays each year

They won't do it during commercial break, it will be instantly after the play. If the call is right then we won't even notice a difference, if it's close then they call the referee in for a normal booth review.

They already do this in college for every single play, not just touchdowns. It's no big deal, it just means we should have less close calls to complain about next year.

[bayone]

They won't do it during commercial break, it will be instantly after the play. If the call is right then we won't even notice a difference, if it's close then they call the referee in for a normal booth review.

They already do this in college for every single play, not just touchdowns. It's no big deal, it just means we should have less close calls to complain about next year.

I agree with u wont be as bad as most assume, only on plays that are really close will things maybe be slowed, this was announced way back, think before the lockout

[bethany653]

I don't see any issue with this, sounds good to me!

[PonyUp]

Just do away with excessive celebration penalties and no one will even notice the new replay rules.

[21isSuperman]

Just do away with excessive celebration penalties and no one will even notice the new replay rules.

Pulling out a $1 bill? Let's fine you for $20 000. Trying to entertain the fans and make them laugh? Let's fine you $15 000. Just another of Goodell's poor decisions.

[Matt105]

This seems stupid. It's basically giving teams that are out of challenges extra challenges for free. Say there's a crazy coach who thinks he is always right. A ref makes correct calls all game and the crazy coach uses all of his challenges because he thinks the ref is stupid. At the wire of the game the opposing team scores a touchdown, but the ref made a bad call and it shouldn't be ruled a touchdown. No problem for the crazy coach, because even though he used all of his challenges because of his craziness, they review the play and find that it was indeed a bad call. The team of the crazy coach wins due to this and he thinks he is the greatest coach in history, when in fact he is a *. :flame:

[ruksak]

Take all day if ya want....just get the darn call right.

[indy_nick]

dang I can't imagine how long the games are going to go when both teams score in the 40s....ugh the 2 challenge system and having everything reviewed under 2 minutes was fine with me.

[Zebra3]

Just do away with excessive celebration penalties and no one will even notice the new replay rules.

QFT

Only problem is that the No Fun League can't possibly do that because that might mean that some fans in the stadium would laugh and cheer about the personal antics of a player instead of the awesomeness of 'The Game' and 'The League'...

Now, why am I getting flashes of James Cann in roller skates?

[Andy]

that they may take our celebrations, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM!

[everybodysgotone]

Take all day if ya want....just get the darn call right.

Exactly.

[Matt105]

I do think the celebration penalties are excessive. I'm not gonna lie, I laughed when Ochocinco put on a sombrero and poncho after a touchdown, and it was amazing when Steve Johnson pulled up his shirt after a touchdown to reveal the words "Why so serious," in reference to T.O. and Ocho being nicknamed Batman and Robin. Most of the greatest TD celebrations tend to involve Ocho and say what you want, the guy can rake in some TV ratings.

[Yehoodi]

I like the idea of a review after each score, there is enough of a break in time between the score and the next play, be it a extra point after a TD, or a kickoff after a FG that the booth can review. It would not surpirse me to see most of the scores reviewed rather quickly that it will likley be done in time before the next play. The fans, TV audiences and teams will unlikely notice a difference . . . of coarse on the close plays it make take a few moments but there aren't really more than one close play per game . . .

FGs are pretty much straigth forward except for the rare ones that go over the uprights . . ., so for the most part the reveiw of FGs should not even be noticed . . . and as for the few TDs that need to be reviewed we are only really talking about 1 maybe 2 (at most) per game, and for the most part presently, those are already being reviewed at the request of the coach via the coaches' challenges, so we really aren't adding any more time to the games. . . for the most part the review will happen in the dead time between plays, and the other reviews that might take some time are the ones that are already being challenged . .

i think it is a good move, no need to see the coaches waste their challenges on scoring opportunities, or perhaps the unfortunate situation where the coach had to wasted his two challenges on bad calls then only see the opponent score in the 4th on a questionable call and not be able to challenge it . . . this rule prevent any such occurances were a key score (that may be been bouched by the NFL) will not go uncorrected . . .

[IndyJayman]

Most of the greatest TD celebrations tend to involve Ocho and say what you want, the guy can rake in some TV ratings.

I always liked Ocho. He is starving for attention, but...deep down he seems like a good dude. From what I can observe from the tv anyway...

[shecolt]

This seems stupid. It's basically giving teams that are out of challenges extra challenges for free. Say there's a crazy coach who thinks he is always right. A ref makes correct calls all game and the crazy coach uses all of his challenges because he thinks the ref is stupid. At the wire of the game the opposing team scores a touchdown, but the ref made a bad call and it shouldn't be ruled a touchdown. No problem for the crazy coach, because even though he used all of his challenges because of his craziness, they review the play and find that it was indeed a bad call. The team of the crazy coach wins due to this and he thinks he is the greatest coach in history, when in fact he is a *. :flame:

I rarely reply in the football forums because I lack the football IQ that is needed to give even a halfway intelligent reply. So even now, I hesitate in responding to your post; but isn't the reverse scenario also sometimes true?

Say there is a coach who is out of challenges because the crazy refs kept getting things wrong. He won all three challenges, but now his hands are tied and he cannot challenge what may very well be the game winning score and a bad call by the refs.

I'm with ruksak. I don't care how long it takes, I just want the game called as fairly as possible.

[-JJ-]

I rarely reply in the football forums because I lack the football IQ that is needed to give even a halfway intelligent reply. So even now, I hesitate in responding to your post; but isn't the reverse scenario also sometimes true?

Say there is a coach who is out of challenges because the crazy refs kept getting things wrong. He won all three challenges, but now his hands are tied and he cannot challenge what may very well be the game winning score and a bad call by the refs.

I'm with ruksak. I don't care how long it takes, I just want the game called as fairly as possible.

Don't sell yourself short;) I for one don't like the delays in the game because it hampers the flow of the rythmn of an offense, such as a PM:)

I'd rather see some calls wrong, like a catch or not. If its that close...well throw it so it won't be close:)

If you ever go to a game you will really notice the slowness just during regualar commercials as the players just stand around waiting.

However this rule since it's only on scoring won't hamper the rythmn of an offense.

[PonyUp]

I just don't see this as such a big deal. After a field goal they're taking a TV timeout. After a touchdown, unless it's a score that deservedly calls for review, it's going to be done before the extra point unit is even in place. Then we're taking a TV timeout followed by a kick-off and another TV timeout.

[Yehoodi]

This seems stupid. It's basically giving teams that are out of challenges extra challenges for free. Say there's a crazy coach who thinks he is always right. A ref makes correct calls all game and the crazy coach uses all of his challenges because he thinks the ref is stupid. At the wire of the game the opposing team scores a touchdown, but the ref made a bad call and it shouldn't be ruled a touchdown. No problem for the crazy coach, because even though he used all of his challenges because of his craziness, they review the play and find that it was indeed a bad call. The team of the crazy coach wins due to this and he thinks he is the greatest coach in history, when in fact he is a *. :flame:

Matt105, as I stated in my above post, #17, I like the idea of the auto reply on the scoring opportunities, we cant let a team win or loss on a bad call that results in a score, and those really should be auto covered . . . I really can not agree with your philophsy altho i see where you are coming from . . . as with all things there is a flip side to the good and to the bad . . . you indicated the bad portion in that it will benefit the crazy coach, but the good portion it will now free up the "smart" coach as no longer will the "smart" coaches have to "save" their last challenge for the odd chance that they will need to challenge a miscalled score.

The auto replay will free up the coaches to throw his final challenge knowing that he is covered for any bad call on a score, that is to say the coach would not have to be put in the delimna of deciding to thorw his last challenge or hold as security towards flipping a bad scoring ruling, if the later is removed from the equaltion with auto-review, it frees up the teams to challenge other plays, so to that extent there is a good side . . . surely the crazy coach back might be covered (but he is still with out challenges to challenge otehr plays - so he is not off scott free), but at the same time the "smart" coach can directed his challenges to more useful sitauations and not have hold on to the challenge and made be stuck with the unevieable positions of walking out of the stadium with the challange still in his pocket.

[Matt105]

Maybe I just enjoy human error. As much as I yell at the TV when an umpire makes a bad call that affects the Reds negatively, I cheer more when they make a bad call that affects the Cards negatively. Same with football in the case of Colts and Pats, or basketball in the case of Pacers and Celtics. In other words, it's not the scenario that was my real reason to be against the reviews; I used that just to justify it. My real reason is I like the teams I hate to get the raw end of the deal. Call me cheap, but nothing makes me happier than to see Tom Lady or Tony La Boossa with a sour look on their face, lol :whacky:

Btw, don't bash me for the nicknames. Just names I use to my friends who are Pat and Card fans. They always take the title road and I take the stat/spygate/2008 good season without Brady road. We have fun, but it's beyond me how they got an insult when we were 14-0 in 09, but they tried, hehe.

[GoPats]

Count me in with those who would prefer to see the correct calls made, even if it means that may slow the games down a bit at times. Longer games are a small price to pay for making sure that the guys in the striped shirts don't unintentionally decide the outcomes.

Just my $.02.

[mystrymaster]

They won't do it during commercial break, it will be instantly after the play. If the call is right then we won't even notice a difference, if it's close then they call the referee in for a normal booth review.

They already do this in college for every single play, not just touchdowns. It's no big deal, it just means we should have less close calls to complain about next year.

/\/\/\/\

This

I don't think this will not have any sort of negative impact on the games length this year.

[kandikalistar]

Take all day if ya want....just get the darn call right.

Exactly right!

[eaglejoe8]

Personally, I'd like them to do away with the commercial break inbetween kickoffs, and the start of a drive. I agree with those who want a call to be right.

[everybodysgotone]

Personally, I'd like them to do away with the commercial break inbetween kickoffs, and the start of a drive. I agree with those who want a call to be right.

Gotta pay those bills though....and at 1M/minute or whatever the rate is, those commercials ain't goin nowhere.

[Yehoodi]

Personally, I'd like them to do away with the commercial break inbetween kickoffs, and the start of a drive. I agree with those who want a call to be right.

just as everybodysgotone said . . . you gotta fit in the commercials . . . and depending on how the games plays there are only some many opportunities to go to commercial break; bascially, turnovers, normal change of possession, timeouts, and scores. if there are not many of teh first three, you are stuck with having to fit them in on the 4th, scores . . .

[everybodysgotone]

just as everybodysgotone said . . . you gotta fit in the commercials . . . and depending on how the games plays there are only some many opportunities to go to commercial break; bascially, turnovers, normal change of possession, timeouts, and scores. if there are not many of teh first three, you are stuck with having to fit them in on the 4th, scores . . .

Yep. Bummer ain't it.

It's big fish. Think about insurance carriers, etc. The caveman thing even evolved into it's own sitcom.

[eaglejoe8]

Gotta pay those bills though....and at 1M/minute or whatever the rate is, those commercials ain't goin nowhere.

just as everybodysgotone said . . . you gotta fit in the commercials . . . and depending on how the games plays there are only some many opportunities to go to commercial break; bascially, turnovers, normal change of possession, timeouts, and scores. if there are not many of teh first three, you are stuck with having to fit them in on the 4th, scores . . .

I understand all that. I'm just speaking from a viewer's prospective.

[Yehoodi]

I understand all that. I'm just speaking from a viewer's prospective.

i hear ya loud and clear, and yes it is frustrating when some games have long drives (and thus no opportunity for a commercial breaks), and there are like 2-3 right around the score, extra point, kick-off, and the beginning of the series . . .so yah its a bummer . . .

but i guess look at the alternative, commercials breaks during drives . . . image PM driving the colts down the field late in the 4th, your heart pumping & blood flowing, the crowd at LOS going crazy, then CBS cuts to commercial break, the fans and players at the LOS have to wait for 120 seconds whilst the viewers at home see the following commercials, a coors light commerical, a cialis commercial, a dump commercial prompting some CBS sit com, and a hoveraround commercial . . .

i know as a viewer we all want to watch football, and i think the "extra" disruption at the scores and insuing kickoffs are a better break than ones at other times . . .

sadly there is really no good spot for them . . .

[Yehoodi]

Yep. Bummer ain't it.

It's big fish. Think about insurance carriers, etc. The caveman thing even evolved into it's own sitcom.

yah its big $ with the commericials . . .