If the lost that might have been my last NFL game

[Hollywood Bags]

Tom Jackson, on ESPN yesterday, said in a somber tone, "This is a dark, dark day in the NFL" when this is what defense has come to - in reference to these penalties, etc.

As a defensive kind of guy, I have to agree. But people will keep watching and buying stuff, so the beat will go on.
Is there another sport where the championship game has become almost unwatchable, even when your team is in it?

 

[GMC]

The hands to the face calls are getting absurd. Wasn't the intent to prevent heads from getting yanked or pushed back by the facemask? How did that morph into a penalty anytime you touch the mask? Is it a penalty for a RB to use a stiff arm now? Someone needs to to tell the officials we don't pay to watch them.

 

[Hollywood Bags]

The hands to the face calls are getting absurd. Wasn't the intent to prevent heads from getting yanked or pushed back by the facemask? How did that morph into a penalty anytime you touch the mask? Is it a penalty for a RB to use a stiff arm now? Someone needs to to tell the officials we don't pay to watch them.

No, but we pay to watch this league, and this league tells the officials what they will and will not call.

 

[Southern Steeler]

Tom Jackson, on ESPN yesterday, said in a somber tone, "This is a dark, dark day in the NFL" when this is what defense has come to - in reference to these penalties, etc.

He's right. Jackson is usually the most astute analyst on that show

 

[Stryker]

Ah, yes. here you are again. Out after the big game, singing the praises of the offense. Where were you when this vaunted offense was scoring 10pts a game?

Where I always am Eeyore. You always seem to have a rain cloud hanging overhead on a sunny day.

Just able to type a day earlier since I couldn't make it to the game this week. Weddings do that unfortunately.

And I'm still spouting the exact same thing I've been saying through all of our terrible losses. This offense has the ability to be explosive and one of the best in the league. I said it when we only scored one TD vs the Jags, I said it after the loss to Cleveland, I said it when we were averaging 12 penalties a game, and now you get to see it for yourself.

Interesting to see your uptick in posts during ravens week, ya purple troll...

 

[Punxsutawney]

In apples-to-apples comparisons of NFL data for 2014 vs. 2013, through Week 6, it measures as such:

Defensive holding: 138 vs. 63.
Illegal contact: 63 vs. 16.
Illegal use of hands: 93 vs. 36.
Total penalties per game: 16.9 vs. 14.6.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport...ruining-games-with-absurd-penalties/17504559/

The league's intent is to not have this frequency of flags continue indefinitely, as they're aware of the negativity it's generating. Their hope is that it will eventually force DBs to change the way they play, gradually resulting in less flags as DBs become more passive.

 

[SteelerSask2]

And end up like Cortez Allen who was at minimum very serviceable under rules that have been played for as long as I've watched this. Now he is useless. When you start to cater rules to create an outcome for who you perceive as your most marketable players you ruin the sport.

 

[black and gold apex]

Just think what the score would have been if so many of the Colt drives weren't continued by the calls. Odd how the Steelers who ran how many pass plays did not get one defensive call on the Colts till less than six minutes in the game.

 

[SteelerSask2]

I just keep coming back to the concept of offensive holding. If you have been around football at all you know that it occurs on literally every play in some form. Refs had to come to use a level of judgement. If they didn't what would that look like? What has to happen is the refs need to use that same judgement here. Did that grab really effect the integrity of the play. No the QB hadn't even looked that way before he was sacked. No flag.

 

[SteelerSask2]

It can't be reduced. The DB ' S hands are his second set of eyes. He feels the distance to his opponent while he keeps his eyes up. Just the same way a basketball defender plays helpside defence. In contact with his check while still aware of what is going on around him. The standard needs to be really impeding his opponent. Not feeling for where he is.

 

[Hollywood Bags]

Where I always am Eeyore. You always seem to have a rain cloud hanging overhead on a sunny day.

Just able to type a day earlier since I couldn't make it to the game this week. Weddings do that unfortunately.

And I'm still spouting the exact same thing I've been saying through all of our terrible losses. This offense has the ability to be explosive and one of the best in the league. I said it when we only scored one TD vs the Jags, I said it after the loss to Cleveland, I said it when we were averaging 12 penalties a game, and now you get to see it for yourself.

Interesting to see your uptick in posts during ravens week, ya purple troll...

Just as interesting as seeing your uptick in posts after a big win, yes?

 

[SteelerSask2]

If ESPN wants to quasi journalistic. Here is an assignment. What was the genesis of this interpretation of the rules. Legitimate competition committee concerns about defense or the commissioners office. I find it hard to believe real football people would want to sign off on this without being strong armed.

 

[Stryker]

Just as interesting as seeing your uptick in posts after a big win, yes?

I've been posting here fairly consistently since 2005 (as much as I can considering running a business takes up a majority of my time). Who are you again?

 

[SteelerSask2]

Here was the problem. The Seahawks employed a defense last year that is the antidote for video game football. Aggressive press coverage behind heavy overload blitzes. If they could cover the first ten yards off of the line of scrimmage their rush got home more often than not. In having a discussion with one of their assistant coaches they were prepared to take a certain number of illegal contact penalties to accomplish that. This pissed of the NFL which is promoting fantasy football/ video game football. The Super Bowl was an optical nightmare. And there was some validity in that. Seattle was taking advantage of the grey area of the rules (which they should do). So in typical Goodell knee jerk reaction, they said no one could touch a receiver after five yards which is impossible because DBs are trained to use their hands like insect antenna to feel the opponent and still maintain visual contact with the play. The answer is in Canadian Touch Football (which I've refereed around 500-700 games in addition to another 100 -150 tackle). That is to change the term illegal contact or defensive holding to remote zone pass interference as the player has not been targeted with a throw yet. If someone genuinely grabs cloth or really impedes the progress simply assess remote zone pass interference with a punitive fifteen yard penalty. That will cleanup the true clutchers and grabbers and not have this **** show.

 

[SteelersHarley0120]

I miss smash mouth football of the 70s nowadays you get a flag just by looking at the quarterback the wrong way!

 

[Steeltime]

When the NFL first implemented the "Mel Blount rule," the first season, the contact was allowed within 10 yards of the LOS, and then dropped to 5 yards the next season. Defenders should be allowed more room to bump receivers. Make it 10 yards, and I think the game is much more balanced, and the defenders have a chance.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

I'm thinking of getting my tickets and the front sports page of The Newspaper Whose Name We Dare Not Speak framed.

 

[Fiji Mariner]

All calls will be made in the future due to what drives merchandise sales since they already have the huge TV contracts. As Steeler fans we already spend more than our share on merch. Goodell wants teams with less passionate fans to start gobbling up the merch too. Give those teams the calls and assist them towards the playoffs/SB to get them to buy in on the merch wagon. Teams like the Steelers will sell merch regardless of record. Therefor we will get no love from the refs, well that and the fact that multiple players from the Stillers have spoken poorly of Lord Goodell.