"Penalty Challenge"

It is my opinion that over the last two years, bad officiating has been more pronounced than ever in my years of watching football. I think this has a lot to do with the new rules which have been implemented to protect "defenseless" quarterbacks and receivers but also "judgement" calls such as pass interference.

Now, I personally do not agree with the new protection rules (nor the pass interference rules for that matter), but my (nearly as big) complaint does not have to do with the rules themselves; it has to do with their implementation. These calls are simply not called consistently from game to game and often not consistent within the same game (for instance Bal-Pit game where both Ray Lewis and Ryan Clark are fined for hits against defenseless receivers but only Ryan was flagged during the game).

The addition of the new protection rules combined with the fact that such calls have a major impact on any given drive (15yds + 1st down is a lot....not to mention PI calls which can net far more yards) means that officiating has greater potential than ever to impact the outcome of a game. This is why I was think it would be nice if they gave coaches a "Penalty Challenge."

In short, a Penalty Challenge would allow coaches to challenge a penalty that has been called. This would afford the officials the opportunity to consult instant replay to determine if there was indeed a foul committed. Perhaps allow teams just one of these challenges per game.

Would this slow the game down? Probably. Would it solve the issue of bad no-calls? No. But I think it would help to limit the gross blunders that officials sometimes make (which is understandable--they're human and it's a difficult job).

It is my opinion that officiating needs to be carefully monitored and (additional) safeguards must be taken to ensure consistent/fair rule implementation. The fact that protection and pass interference rules carry such heavy penalties combined the amount of parity that exists in the today's NFL only underscores the need for new procedures to protect the integrity of the game.

/shrug

 

i think it could work but doubt it will ever be implemented

 

You'd think the NFL would be all for something that slows the game down. More commercial breaks=$

 

I don't see it working as well as it could. How many refs are going to want to pick their flag back up?

 

None of this matters, folks. The fact that the smashmouth Ravens can make it through an entire game without a single penalty called against them tells me one thing and one thing only. There is something sinister going on in the NFL that has gone from subtle things to outright blatant game influence. A Harbaugh v. Harbaugh Super Bowl is the sexy choice (sorry, Tebow - your story finishes second) and the league is making sure this outcome becomes more and more likely each week. It started in the regular season - and here we are - both Harbaughs in the championship game of their conference. I would not be surprised to see some real shenanigans next week, especially if the Cheatriots or Giants get leads in those games. This league is getting phonier than a 3-dollar bill.

 

I am not big into conspiracy theories BUT...not one call against the Ravens? Then, in the Giants game, several that were laughable....

 

I wasn't into conspiracy theories either - I joked about it, but never really believed them. However, after seeing the outcomes this weekend - and then Goodell's words that he wants to make only 10 officials full-time have pushed me to the side of those that think this league is becoming more and more influenced by the powers that be. Personally, I don't think it happens from day one. I think that much of the season is as competitive as we've come to expect, but as things start to shake down and the stronger teams start to become known, I think that Goodell & Co. look for the "sexy" pick - and then work to make it that way. This season, I think it started in the first Ratbirds/49ers matchup. Perhaps it was then that Goodell saw the story unfold and began to make it so.

 

After watching some of the roughing calls against us the last 2 seasons I thought it was just the Steelers but watching the Pack and Giants play it was obvious, certain QBs are just not allowed to be touched and Rodgers in one of them. Sure, he gets sacked but it is usually a jumble of plays and he goes down but not hard but as soon as he takes a good one the flags go flying and it is laughable but it needs to be stopped. I think there should be penalty reviews on defenseless reciever calls, helmet to helmet calls, and roughing the passer calls as these are "judgement calls" and every official is different.

 

I won't go quite that far with the conspiracy theory, but I was noticing helmet to helmet hits on receivers that were not called that I am sure would have been called if it was Harrison doing the hitting. On one such helmet to helmet hit on a receiver, the announcers said "now that is the way it should be done." I know that if James did the same thing, even if it was not fined, a lot of people would still be callling it "dirty."

I do believe that these things are not called consistently or fairly. It depends upon who is doing the hitting and who is getting hit.

 

Rodgers gets tackled in the Giants game. No helmet to helmet, not late, not hard, not low, not high, no hands to the face, just tackled, and they throw a flag. Ben gets his face ripped into, his nose re-arranged and leaves the field in a pool of blood; nothing. Not even a fine afterwards. Huge disparity in penalty calling, whether intentional or not. I blame Goodell.
:godell:

 

Ha! I've been arguing this since it happened! How do you NOT throw a flag for a blow to the head when the QB is walking off the field, his nose crooked and blood gushing? How?

 

He was just being dramatic! Probably had a packet of ketchup hidden in his helmet

:godell:

 

Remember the roughing the passer call that Harrison took in Denver? One of the few plays I watched in the GB game last night I saw Eli deliver the throw and then get hammered from the backside by Matthews and another Packer well after the ball was out. No flag.

 

Yep, saw it. Apparently that particular Manning doesn't meet the "Brady Rule" regarding late hits.

 

Are you insane? I'll bet you three quarters of the country either can't name the BAL or SF coaches or don't know anything much about them if they can. Rex Ryan is a bigger ass, and coaches in NY, wouldn't he be the sexier choice?
Burghers are for some reason riled up about Harbaugh. Sexy choice? it is to laugh.

And if you think the league is phonier than a 3-dollar bill, call your bookie, bet heavy on BAL or SF before the rest of the world catchs on.

 

I wish I HAD called a bookie back when San Fran played Baltimore the first time. I would LOVE to be able to say I was wrong after this weekend's games. And - no - I'm not insane. In fact, I find most of the conspiracy theories to be amusing. I'm just looking at the patterns over the past 2 months and seeing that things set up really nicely for a "Harbowl" and the way things go this weekend makes me think I may be able to say "I told you so..."

 

I remember seeing that!!! At the moment, I`m not sure which game it was... It could be the one where the league came out with a clarification this week, that it was a "legal" hit, because the receiver took a step, and made a "football move"... therefore, he was considered a "runner", and those rules didn`t apply!
At the same time as I was thinking (possibly yelling at the tv), WHAT?!?! That wasn`t helmet to helmet?!?!... the announcer was saying "That`s how it should be done"...
What a JOKE!!!
First off... We shouldn`t have all these new bs rules to begin with!!!
SEcond off, why is it ok to hit one player helmet to helmet, but not another?!?!?!
OR, to "chop-block" a defender, as long as you are initially lined up more than one position from him, not immediately beside him?! Shouldn`t it ALWAYS be illegal?!?!
GOOD GRIEF!!!
Anyhow,
To the initial point of the thread, although I am sure it will never happen, I definitely believe the coaches should have the right to challenge at LEAST two, penalties, or NON-penalties.
There are so many logistical problems, that it would probably never be practical, but it sure seems like it should be an option.
I have no idea how it could be made practical in a wide variety of circumstances, where the play would be ruled dead by the original penalty, or allowed to continue when it shouldn`t have, because of a missed penalty, etc., etc.,
But, some of these missed calls or missed non-calls certainly SCREAM for correction, as you watch the game at home! :o