I believe NFL instant replay has been worse the last two years. The league shifted their review policy to saying there must be irrefutable proof to turn over a call. That approach I am ok with. The problem is what is irrefutable? It seems like plays that are close, and in my opinion pretty clear, are not being overturned. The subjectivity has shifted in favor of not overturning field officials.

The purpose has always been to keep from changing the officials call. I haven’t seen anything today that seems different.

If you start off with the reviewer determining the correct call and then comparing it to the field call, I wonder if more calls would be overturned. But, when you start off with the review rules being a change has to be irrefutable, I am not confident the objective of getting the call right is consistently met.

The powers-that-be don’t really want replay to be used all that often; in part because of criticism regarding the slowing down of the game. Hence the irrefutable evidence standard.

I can't believe they are allowed to challenge pass interference now.

I can't believe they are allowed to challenge pass interference now.

 

Yeah I don't see that lasting past this season.

I can't believe they are allowed to challenge pass interference now.

 

This is what happens when you let the lynch mobs run the show. I know New Orleans got robbed, and I hate to accept the mantra "oh, that's just the human element at play," but when you are adjudicating judgement calls, the NFL is going down a slippery slope.

 

With the replays, I still say the best course of action is to set a one minute clock. Once it expires, the call on the field stands, absent "irrefutable evidence." This was the original idea with replay, but that went out the window early.

I think the more the NFL tries to do with replay, the more issues they run into.

 

Like was mentioned in the game thread, I thought it was pretty bad on the NFL's part that they bring in the expert, the expert is definitive about what should happen, and that does NOT in fact happen.

 

A little off topic but I was listening to a Reds game recently and they were saying the technology to call balls and strikes was going to take a big leap forward next year.

 

I wonder how much longer it is going to be before we let "the computer" call most everything in pro games.

 

Any way we cut it, it is normal early season we don't know what we are doing from the NFL when it comes to replay. In other words, nothing to see here.

My big knock on the current "irrefutable evidence" standard is what the NFL is requiring as "irrefutable evidence".

 

The last play in the Bengals game yesterday is just the latest example. There is zero doubt Dalton's arm was moving forward when the ball left his hand. That is why the NFL expert strongly stated it was an incomplete pass, not a fumble. The only way they can justify calling that a fumble is say they couldn't 100% tell that Dalton had a firm grip on the ball as his arm was moving forward. To which I reply show me anywhere in the replay where you can 100% see the ball loose from his hand before his arm is moving forward. That is the "irrefutable evidence" they needed to call that a fumble. I want to hear the NFL explain that call, their reasoning and show me video of the ball coming loose from Dalton's hand before his arm is moving forward.

 

There have been a lot of similar questionable decisions by the NFL in other games over the past couple years.

My big knock on the current "irrefutable evidence" standard is what the NFL is requiring as "irrefutable evidence".

 

The last play in the Bengals game yesterday is just the latest example. There is zero doubt Dalton's arm was moving forward when the ball left his hand. That is why the NFL expert strongly stated it was an incomplete pass, not a fumble. The only way they can justify calling that a fumble is say they couldn't 100% tell that Dalton had a firm grip on the ball as his arm was moving forward. To which I reply show me anywhere in the replay where you can 100% see the ball loose from his hand before his arm is moving forward. That is the "irrefutable evidence" they needed to call that a fumble. I want to hear the NFL explain that call, their reasoning and show me video of the ball coming loose from Dalton's hand before his arm is moving forward.

There have been a lot of similar questionable decisions by the NFL in other games over the past couple years.

 

This is the crux of my beef. Everything takes place hundreds, if not thousands of miles away, by unseen people. Screw that. Put three people in a box at every stadium. 2 out of the 3 have to agree in order to make the call. And after each game, one of those three is put behind a mic next to a video screen and has to answer what exactly the "issues" were and what video evidence they relied on to make that call.

This is the crux of my beef. Everything takes place hundreds, if not thousands of miles away, by unseen people. Screw that. Put three people in a box at every stadium. 2 out of the 3 have to agree in order to make the call. And after each game, one of those three is put behind a mic next to a video screen and has to answer what exactly the "issues" were and what video evidence they relied on to make that call.

 

I don't know if this is still the case this year, but last year there was a replay official in the stadium.

 

I found this link that shows the review process:

 

NFL Instant Replay Process | NFL Football Operations

 

In that link it says there is a replay official at the stadium and the NFL office works with them on screening camera angles for the best view. Final decision appears to be made by a head official in NFL New York offices.

My beef too.

 

The NFL owes everyone an explanation and if they were wrong they were wrong but leaving it open-ended only adds to the confusion and I would speculate lack of interest in the NFL.