OK, let’s get this straight. We can review whether it’s a catch or not. Whether it’s a fumble, touchdown or the like but when you have absolutely game deciding plays that are blatantly incorrect you need to go with the referee because it was a discretionary call. How stupid can you get. Yesterday both games were arguably decided by calls made, or not made, by referees that were not reviewable because they involved the referee’s non reviewable decision.
Let’s start with the most flagrant one. With less than two minutes left in a tie game the referees miss a blatant pass interference call against the Rams on the 5 yard line. Not only was it undoubtedly interference but it was also a helmet to helmet contact which should have been a 15 yard penalty and automatic first down at the Rams 5. Game over at that point. Saints run clock out and kick easy field goal. Instead the refs miss both blatant penalties even though both were in perfect position. In spite of the indisputable evidence of the penalties, they are not reviewable because they involved the referee’s discretion. How stupid can you get.
Similar incident in Patriots/Chiefs game where a phantom roughing the passer call gives Patriots a first down on the way to the score to take the lead late. Again, replay clearly showed that no contact was made with Brady’s helmet yet it wasn’t reviewable.
People complain about replay all the time. They complain it delays the games. It takes too long. There is no consistency. I have a solution: Allow coaches two challenges per game. They are allowed to challenge ANYTHING. That’s it though. No automatic challenges on TDS, Interceptions, or the like. No booth reviews in the last two minutes. Each coach gets two and that’s it. You want to challenge a holding penalty in the first quarter, go ahead. You now have one left. Put the onus on the coaches to decide what is a good time to challenge and what is not. With only two available the game will speed up dramatically. With the ability to challenge ANYTHING you can avoid the incidents that occurred yesterday, provided the coaches didn’t waste them earlier. These coaches are making millions of dollars. Make them earn it. Referees will make mistakes. Replay should be able to rectify them. Two years ago a CFL championship game outcome was decided because a blatant pass interference call was reversed via replay. Replay got the call right and the team that deserved to win actually won. It’s pretty simple. We have the technology to rectify bad calls. Let the coaches use that technology as they see fit.