Super Bowl Discussion

[killer_of_giants]

NFL has had an officiating problem for years and they refuse to fix it and pay for a real full time set up for that, which is a joke considering how much they pull in.

it's not incompetence.
rams do not get that penalty and they have one play to score, or the game is over, without a touchdown since the first play of the second half. but, you give them that penalty, they're almost guaranteed to score, getting that "4th quarter game winning drive" for stafford, AND you give burrow the chance to have his own shot at a game winning drive, or even better, they get in field goal range, tie the game, overtime and more commercials.
can't fix that.

[Kurt G.O.A.T.]

How about that Higgins facemask though? Refs are consistent... consistently bad

Yeah, it was a missed call in the blind spot of the ref, but the one at the end can't be called. All credibility lost for me. Didn't do anything to impede the route, had good position, he really wasn't holding him, just had a hand on him for feel, and that happens all the time. It was a brutal call to the way it had been called to that point. I couldn't believe it, but not surprised. NFL has had an officiating problem for years and they refuse to fix it and pay for a real full time set up for that, which is a joke considering how much they pull in.

but he did hold him. when they showed the replay at the back you can clearly see he tugged his jersey and pulled kupp around more than he wanted to go. ticky tack sure but that missed call on higgins totally changed the momentum in the game. it could easily have been an interception because ramsey had tight coverage and was looking at the ball coming his way.

[FantasyFreak]

How about that Higgins facemask though? Refs are consistent... consistently bad

Yeah, it was a missed call in the blind spot of the ref, but the one at the end can't be called. All credibility lost for me. Didn't do anything to impede the route, had good position, he really wasn't holding him, just had a hand on him for feel, and that happens all the time. It was a brutal call to the way it had been called to that point. I couldn't believe it, but not surprised. NFL has had an officiating problem for years and they refuse to fix it and pay for a real full time set up for that, which is a joke considering how much they pull in.

but he did hold him. when they showed the replay at the back you can clearly see he tugged his jersey and pulled kupp around more than he wanted to go. ticky tack sure but that missed call on higgins totally changed the momentum in the game. it could easily have been an interception because ramsey had tight coverage and was looking at the ball coming his way.

I disagree that should have been called. He gave a small push to the chest, and the hand on the back wasn't doing much of anything. I've watched it a bunch of times. Based on how the game was called, that should not have been, not going to change my mind on it. People can disagree, but I feel it was a really bad call that changed the outcome of the game. Bad game made worse.

[FantasyFreak]

NFL has had an officiating problem for years and they refuse to fix it and pay for a real full time set up for that, which is a joke considering how much they pull in.

it's not incompetence.
rams do not get that penalty and they have one play to score, or the game is over, without a touchdown since the first play of the second half. but, you give them that penalty, they're almost guaranteed to score, getting that "4th quarter game winning drive" for stafford, AND you give burrow the chance to have his own shot at a game winning drive, or even better, they get in field goal range, tie the game, overtime and more commercials.
can't fix that.

I mean, if that's the case, the NFL isn't worth watching. If any proof of this type of thing ever came out, I'd be more inclined to believe it, and you might be right, I hope you're wrong, but in theory, I see the rationale for suggesting this was the case, because the bottom line is always the bottom line for the NFL.

[abloom]

Can't believe the refs got their dirty mitts on that game right at the end. Terrible. Just terrible. Such a ticky tacky call, totally inconsistent with how the game had been called all night. These guys are supposed to be the best of the best, and got it wrong in a crucial point in the game. Consistency is one of the biggest things in officiating, and doing it well. Brutal Defensive holding call when the Bengals were looking to seal the game. Not a very good game, and that just left a sour taste in my mouth.

Yeah it was almost as bad as the obvious OPI to start the second half.

Though I'll note that your proposal to have full time refs I don't think will really solve anything. Baseball umps make bad calls routinely.

The reality is that the game is fast and inorder to not impede the players the refs can't be right ontop of the play. Unless you want to dramatically slow down everything and allow refs to review penalties or call them down from an additional official the human factor will always be involved.

[FantasyFreak]

Can't believe the refs got their dirty mitts on that game right at the end. Terrible. Just terrible. Such a ticky tacky call, totally inconsistent with how the game had been called all night. These guys are supposed to be the best of the best, and got it wrong in a crucial point in the game. Consistency is one of the biggest things in officiating, and doing it well. Brutal Defensive holding call when the Bengals were looking to seal the game. Not a very good game, and that just left a sour taste in my mouth.

Yeah it was almost as bad as the obvious OPI to start the second half.

Though I'll note that your proposal to have full time refs I don't think will really solve anything. Baseball umps make bad calls routinely.

The reality is that the game is fast and inorder to not impede the players the refs can't be right ontop of the play. Unless you want to dramatically slow down everything and allow refs to review penalties or call them down from an additional official the human factor will always be involved.

Perhaps. I still think the NFL should attempt it, it's not like it could hurt. I agree the OPI was missed, it was in the blind spot of the side line judge, unfortunately. The one at the end really bothered me because the game had been called the complete opposite of that to that point, it's just a bad way to ref a game. Really tainted the little enjoyment I got from that game, which was a really anticlimactic end to the NFL season.

[dynastyninja]

NFL has had an officiating problem for years and they refuse to fix it and pay for a real full time set up for that, which is a joke considering how much they pull in.

it's not incompetence.
rams do not get that penalty and they have one play to score, or the game is over, without a touchdown since the first play of the second half. but, you give them that penalty, they're almost guaranteed to score, getting that "4th quarter game winning drive" for stafford, AND you give burrow the chance to have his own shot at a game winning drive, or even better, they get in field goal range, tie the game, overtime and more commercials.
can't fix that.

I mean, if that's the case, the NFL isn't worth watching. If any proof of this type of thing ever came out, I'd be more inclined to believe it, and you might be right, I hope you're wrong, but in theory, I see the rationale for suggesting this was the case, because the bottom line is always the bottom line for the NFL.

Take a breath now, the NFL isn't rigged.

[FantasyFreak]

it's not incompetence.
rams do not get that penalty and they have one play to score, or the game is over, without a touchdown since the first play of the second half. but, you give them that penalty, they're almost guaranteed to score, getting that "4th quarter game winning drive" for stafford, AND you give burrow the chance to have his own shot at a game winning drive, or even better, they get in field goal range, tie the game, overtime and more commercials.
can't fix that.

I mean, if that's the case, the NFL isn't worth watching. If any proof of this type of thing ever came out, I'd be more inclined to believe it, and you might be right, I hope you're wrong, but in theory, I see the rationale for suggesting this was the case, because the bottom line is always the bottom line for the NFL.

Take a breath now, the NFL isn't rigged.

I don't think there's a top down narrative like suggested. I think there's probably been points shaved, etc. at some point. Refs, players, etc. It has happened in the NBA, major soccer leagues, etc. Where and when, I have no idea, but I think it's naive to think there hasn't been someone who has been corrupted for a quick pay day at some point. As for an agenda by the league itself to have refs call games to get the game to go to OT, or down to the wire etc., I'd need to see it to believe it. Way too much to lose to make that worthwhile. The league would fold and everybody involved would go to jail. I don't think it's a very plausible scenario, don't worry.

[dondickenson]

Just a shame that the Super Bowl was decided by a bad call at the end of the game keeping the Rams alive. It is questionable as to whether this was done purposefully by the NFL/Vegas. Every action in this world is dictated by incentives, and in this case they are not hard to understand. Just a shitty situation in general.

[Cameron Giles]

Referees are bad in every major sport. The human element is extremely difficult to conquer. Everything is happening at full speed, you have to be in the right position, and there are a million things happening in one play simultaneously.

This Super Bowl is going to be the poster child for bad teams wasting good QBs. Stafford wasted most of his career in Detroit and goes to a great situation and just sealed his HOF ticket. It's why good, but not great QBs still have a ton of value in this league. Being great could just be the difference between going to a better organization, with better protection and weapons.

I'm sure QBs like Cousins and Carr were thinking something similar watching this.

[Ice]

Refs are bad in general due to the speed of the game but that game was decided by A. Donald. He blew up the Bengals on 3rd and 4th down by himself.

The NFL doesn't really mind bad call publicity here and there. They keep fans talking. Last I checked the NFL doesn't have full time refs and coaches can't challenge penalties.

I would like to see coaches get at least 1 challenge to claim a penalty. That play by Higgens was as bad as gets. Most are not as obvious.

[cazzie33]

Which was more over hyped / letdown ... The game or the halftime show ?

[dynastyninja]

Which was more over hyped / letdown ... The game or the halftime show ?

I thoroughly enjoyed both.

[Pac_Eddy]

The NFL doesn't really mind bad call publicity here and there. They keep fans talking. Last I checked the NFL doesn't have full time refs and coaches can't challenge penalties.

Are we sure that full time referees are a significant improvement? I'm not.

[YouMightDieTryin]

The NFL doesn't really mind bad call publicity here and there. They keep fans talking. Last I checked the NFL doesn't have full time refs and coaches can't challenge penalties.

Are we sure that full time referees are a significant improvement? I'm not.

I know plenty of full-time employees that are still terrible at their jobs. They just suck more consistently.