In season of Lamar and Russell, officiating overshadows
By Barry Wilner
No matter how many spectacular plays Lamar Jackson and Russell Wilson made, officiating overshadowed the NFL this season.
Regardless of the record stream of receptions by Michael Thomas, the sacks by Chandler Jones and long field goals by nearly every kicker, the headlines regularly were about referees, linesmen and field judges.
Oh yes, and about coaches challenges for pass interference calls.
Pro football had all sorts of newsworthy topics in 2019. Mobile quarterbacks running dynamic offenses should have been the lead item. Or maybe the fact that teams don’t tank, as Miami winning four games displays; forget Cincinnati, the Bengals just are that bad.
A strong rookie crop on both sides of the ball. The re-emergence of Green Bay and San Francisco as championship contenders. Spectacular finishes, many involving the Niners. The flops by the Bears and both Los Angeles teams.
More career records for Drew Brees and Tom Brady. Strong TV ratings.
NFL initiatives in its 100th season that ranged from volunteerism to fundraising to salutes to the military to the innovative My Cleats My Cause campaign.
Even some other negative issues could have pushed the criticism of officiating aside. Such as the plethora of injuries, with 384 players on injured reserve with a week remaining, which is 26 higher than last season. The mediocre (to worse) level of early-season play because of the wasteland the preseason has become. Myles Garrett’s helmet swinging, the deepest wound in another Cleveland Browns meltdown year. Nope. In 2019, officiating was on the front burner. A white-hot burner, too. The problems are many: —The speed of the game that many on-field officials can’t keep up with. The league prefers experienced officials, meaning some have all the knowledge they need, but not the physical ability to be where they need to be.
—Far too many rules. Take the phone books for all NFL cities and combine them and it might approach the size of the league’s rule book.
Those rules are filled with tangents and offshoots that create something of a maze. Even some coaches aren’t up on everything; think Sean Payton on a fake punt play by the Saints that did not draw an interference call because the rules don’t allow for one in that situation.
—Video technology has far exceeded the officiating formula in all sports, with football hit perhaps the hardest.
—A monumental blown call, in the NFC championship game last January, led to a rules adjustment that has caused more consternation than contentment. Indeed, of 40 coaches challenges on defensive pass interference not called on the field and now allowed in a one-year trial, eight calls were reversed. Of 15 coaches challenges for offensive pass interference, one has been reversed.
Overall, there have been 98 replay reviews of pass interference and 21 reversals.
As Raiders coach Jon Gruden joked (we think): “We are challenging things that we think are plays that are going to be overturned, and we are going to trust the process. But so far, I’ve been given the Heisman. I’ve been stiff-armed. I’m 0 for 27, I think.”
All of which has caused confusion everywhere: on the field, the sideline, the stands, in the broadcast booths and anywhere people watch the NFL.