How are the refs so awful

[Chiefer]

Refs in the first two chiefs games havent been that bad

[FrantikRam]

19 hours ago, Raves said:

That's sort of where I'm at.  I'm more pissed off with all the people trying to troll us Saints fans than the actual calls right now, though the 3 consecutive games of major blown calls is disturbing to say the least, regardless of how they affected the outcome.  I mean there are missed calls every game, but massive blown calls that are as egregious as these are shouldn't happen period, whether it's against my team or not, but for any team, especially mine, to have 3 games in a row where they happen... it almost makes me want to wear a tin foil hat and start looking for Aliens doing illegal sports betting and taking over/influencing officiating lol.

Hopefully the NFL will start fining/suspending these refs that make horrible calls and holding them accountable until we can get to a point of full-time referees.

 

I don't want to even try to minimize what being a Saints fan must feel like right now - the only comfort is that the blown calls in these first two games of the year (most likely) did not decide those games. It hurts the NFL that most of the country was watching all three of those games. I bring this up because I promise the Browns have had it worse. I don't like or dislike the Browns, but over the years refs have just taken turns clobbering them - here's a truly awful one from several years ago that I never forgot about:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1881019-patriots-pull-off-controversial-comeback-against-the-browns

 

Then this from last season - same thing that happened to the Saints, but with much, much, much bigger stakes:

https://www.sbnation.com/2018/12/30/18161955/browns-ravens-fumble-drop-jabrill-peppers-jarvis-landry

Lots of other examples I'm sure that Browns fans can point to. If the refs don't botch that call, the Browns most likely win that game and the Steelers win the AFC North and get a home playoff game while the Ravens don't make the playoffs. Of course, it's the Browns - so none of these games have playoff implications for them - but that doesn't excuse how incredibly bad the officiating has been - for YEARS.

Again, not trying to minimize what Saints fans have gone through for the past three games - but at the same time, there's not much that has gone against them in recent years outside of these games - I think it's just bad luck and it will turn around.

[Raves]

50 minutes ago, FrantikRam said:

 

I don't want to even try to minimize what being a Saints fan must feel like right now - the only comfort is that the blown calls in these first two games of the year (most likely) did not decide those games. It hurts the NFL that most of the country was watching all three of those games. I bring this up because I promise the Browns have had it worse. I don't like or dislike the Browns, but over the years refs have just taken turns clobbering them - here's a truly awful one from several years ago that I never forgot about:

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1881019-patriots-pull-off-controversial-comeback-against-the-browns

 

Then this from last season - same thing that happened to the Saints, but with much, much, much bigger stakes:

https://www.sbnation.com/2018/12/30/18161955/browns-ravens-fumble-drop-jabrill-peppers-jarvis-landry

Lots of other examples I'm sure that Browns fans can point to. If the refs don't botch that call, the Browns most likely win that game and the Steelers win the AFC North and get a home playoff game while the Ravens don't make the playoffs. Of course, it's the Browns - so none of these games have playoff implications for them - but that doesn't excuse how incredibly bad the officiating has been - for YEARS.

Again, not trying to minimize what Saints fans have gone through for the past three games - but at the same time, there's not much that has gone against them in recent years outside of these games - I think it's just bad luck and it will turn around.

This thread isn't meant for just the Saints, so bringing this up is perfectly fine.  The issue is when people try to diminish the calls of a team due to their own hatred of that team or just want to troll.  The Browns obviously have had some bad calls as displayed here, and these are examples of what need brought up.  Obvious plays that should've been called but the refs seem to screw up.  The Saints have unfortunately been on the receiving end of 3 major blunders in primetime their past 3 games so they are the biggest example anyone can see and point to which is why we will be brought up the most.  Simply, the Refs need to do better on these calls that we can make from our couches half/completely drunk.

[Nozizaki]

I'll give a little bit of the benefit of the doubt to the refs: it is difficult to make accurate calls in real time and then be judged by fans who have the opportunity to review in slow motion.

That said, refs definitely favor home teams with calls (this is the majority of "home-field advantage") and also favor coaches that whine and complain about calls.

[Raves]

8 minutes ago, Nozizaki said:

I'll give a little bit of the benefit of the doubt to the refs: it is difficult to make accurate calls in real time and then be judged by fans who have the opportunity to review in slow motion.

That said, refs definitely favor home teams with calls (this is the majority of "home-field advantage") and also favor coaches that whine and complain about calls.

I think in some of these calls the late whistles are also a problem.  I would've been less upset if right after Jordan had picked up the ball they had called it dead, since he picked it up almost immediately after it hit the ground which would've meant it was an incomplete pass, than for them to wait 3 seconds and 30-40 yards for them to call it.  At that point you just swallow the whistle and watch the replay.

The Houston situation there was no excuse for messing up outside of lack of knowledge.

I can agree though with us being too hard on refs for things that could be missed in real time/angles, certain facemask/holding penalties, judgment call PIs etc.  But they are missing some very blatant calls that shouldn't happen.

[Spartacus]

The only time I hate the refs is when they call penalties that on review weren't penalties. Obviously they did not see the penalty in these instances and instead are just guessing. I would rather they just let the players play unless they are absolutely sure of a penalty taking place. 

[Dome]

22 minutes ago, Spartacus said:

The only time I hate the refs is when they call penalties that on review weren't penalties. Obviously they did not see the penalty in these instances and instead are just guessing. I would rather they just let the players play unless they are absolutely sure of a penalty taking place. 

Then you'd have people asking why refs aren't enforcing the rules and would want everything flagged just to keep it consistent.

I understand both sides of the argument but lean more towards the "let them play" side myself.

Edited September 17, 2019 by Dome

[Spartacus]

1 minute ago, Dome said:

Then you'd have people asking why refs aren't enforcing the rules and would want everything flagged just to keep it consistent.

I understand both sides of the argument but lean more towards the "let them play" side myself.

I would much rather have a few missed penalties than way too many. As long as its called consistent for both teams I don't even want to see the refs. 

[TENINCH]

I blame the Saints for all of this!

[Dingo18287]

Are Refs really worse than 10, 20, 30 years ago? Or is it because of social media, better cameras, more cameras, the ability to slow down each play and analyze it, etc that makes it seem like they're doing a crap job? Some Refs are better than others, and sure...some big calls have been screwed up, but I don't know that it is getting extremely worse.

[JonMcC2018]

Just lower your expectations. Every game Quarterbacks throw bad passes, wide receivers make bad drops, offensive lineman give away bad penalties. Why do you expect referees to not make bad calls?

Edited September 17, 2019 by JonMcC2018

[FrantikRam]

I'm fine with wanting the refs to be better - but NFL teams consistently try to game the system. When a team KNOWS they didn't actually catch the pass, why isn't the expectation that the WR gets up and says "ref, I dropped it"? Also players intentionally hold at times and they're hoping they don't get caught - why aren't they putting their hands up and saying "I held"?

[Soggust]

1 hour ago, Raves said:

I think in some of these calls the late whistles are also a problem.  I would've been less upset if right after Jordan had picked up the ball they had called it dead, since he picked it up almost immediately after it hit the ground which would've meant it was an incomplete pass, than for them to wait 3 seconds and 30-40 yards for them to call it.  At that point you just swallow the whistle and watch the replay.

The Houston situation there was no excuse for messing up outside of lack of knowledge.

I can agree though with us being too hard on refs for things that could be missed in real time/angles, certain facemask/holding penalties, judgment call PIs etc.  But they are missing some very blatant calls that shouldn't happen.

It was like 15 yards. He picks up the ball on the 12 yard line and the whistle blows when hes at like the 27.

I think it was a unfortunate call, no doubt, but obviously we have seen far worse and it clearly didn't lose the game for the Saints. Just feels like human error to me.

[Raves]

6 minutes ago, Dingo18287 said:

Are Refs really worse than 10, 20, 30 years ago? Or is it because of social media, better cameras, more cameras, the ability to slow down each play and analyze it, etc that makes it seem like they're doing a crap job? Some Refs are better than others, and sure...some big calls have been screwed up, but I don't know that it is getting extremely worse.

100% the Refs are worse today than they were back then, at least in the 20-30+ years ago period, though it's less on them and more with the changing dynamic of the game.  When the rules were simpler there were less things for the refs to get wrong.  Sure they probably missed/messed up more fumbles and calls like that which have replay to alleviate some of those mistakes, but overall less things to mess up.

That though is the case to be made for full-time refs.  The game isn't as simple that a quick refresher and some reading will let you understand them so if you decide you want to ref a weekend you can.  We need full-time refs with the added complexities of the rules, people who can sit in on the rules committee and discuss the proposed changes and how they should be officiated from both points of view.  Also we probably need to add 1+ refs to the game as well, probably from a booth perspective that can help with some of the more egregious misses that happen.

[Dome]

3 minutes ago, FrantikRam said:

I'm fine with wanting the refs to be better - but NFL teams consistently try to game the system. When a team KNOWS they didn't actually catch the pass, why isn't the expectation that the WR gets up and says "ref, I dropped it"? Also players intentionally hold at times and they're hoping they don't get caught - why aren't they putting their hands up and saying "I held"?

It's not the expectation because it would be unrealistic and destined for failure if you put any faith into NFL players buying into a system like.

Edited September 17, 2019 by Dome