NFL Referee Problem

Well the refs cost the Lions the game last night. Every game I watch there seems to be bad calls sometimes in a “rolling” effect where multiple flags are strung together. What can be done? It’s a terrible look for the game

The NFL has some serious issues with the Refs, it's to the point where former players are questioning the integrity of the league.

They’ve cost a lot of games, NFL referees the last couple of years have been horrendous. When you have Tom Brady and Barry Sanders complaining while watching as fans, then there’s a problem.

Yeah this year it's getting unwatchable. Getting full time referees was supposed to help but these guys are absolutes flaggators...
I don't think they're trying to rig games or anything, but they're throwing flags on so many plays where there's just nothing.

2 of the very first things they teach you as a ref are:

1) See everything you flag but don't flag everything you see

2) Be sure you've seen the whole sequence before throwing your flag

These guys are flagging every single thing they see and sometimes they obviously didn't see the whole sequence... I mean that's referring 101, are they getting paid per flag thrown or what ?

There's always been bad calls, but it's definitely getting worse. I've never heard so many of the analysts just calling out the refs during the game like they are now. They need to be held accountable...plays like last night should cost them money...then they'd be a little more cautious when throwing that flag.

Anyone notice how they tend to come in bunches? It’s weird...a couple games ago we were backed up against the end zone and we had like 3-4 in a row...one on rookie Wes which was horseshit. Also there is sometimes a bunch and then some which tend to be make up calls. Like 2 against one team and then 1 against the other for an evening out affect.

It’s just too much and makes it unwatchable. I thought the Miami game was actually tamed and best called game I’ve seen for us this year. But I think that might be crew related...which is bad if variation is that rampant among crews.

The end of the Dallas -Jet game was a joke.

Seems like every game now there's a couple calls which have no basis in reality. We got a holding penalty a couple games ago, I think against Flowers, where he was controlling the guy with his hands on his chest in pads position. And the calls last night were terrible.

Idk what the answer is but we bitch about it every season, and the NFL doesn't seem to get the message.

I will take the dissenting opinion and side with the referees. It isn't an easy job. They are on field level, not watching a TV on a couch. There are 7 guys watching 22 men, who often are obstructing their view and moving quickly. Almost every call is subjective, what is holding, what is illegal use of hands, what is pass interference?

As soon as the NFL decided in the mid 70's to make the game more friendly to the offense calling games was no longer cut and dry. Believe it or not holding used to be easy to call, so was pass interference. The rules and their interpretations are constantly changing now. Anyone notice the new onside kick rules? The chances of a successful onside kick recovery is close to nil.Try to put yourselves in the refs shoes. Every year they have to relearn their job top to bottom. That can't be easy. I blame the NFL for the poor officiating, not the zebras.

Seems like every game now there's a couple calls which have no basis in reality. We got a holding penalty a couple games ago, I think against Flowers, where he was controlling the guy with his hands on his chest in pads position. And the calls last night were terrible.

Idk what the answer is but we bitch about it every season, and the NFL doesn't seem to get the message.

They got the message from Sean Payton after last year's worst no call ever...and after last nights debacle, this morning you have all the ESPN shows, Dan Patrick, and even GMF on the NFL channel all complaining about the calls, along with Barry Sanders on Twitter. You saw the holding calls slow down after Brady bitched about it...so they're hearing it...we'll see if it changes anything going forward.