NFL Might Modify Replay Procedure
Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, said during a televised interview today that the league might modify its procedures for the use of instant replay to try to prevent a recurrence of the error that cost the Pittsburgh Steelers a touchdown on the final play of their 11-10 triumph Sunday over the San Diego Chargers.
Pereira said the referee on the field should be allowed to consult with the replay booth a second time if necessary. Currently, that's not permitted. Pereira said that could have prevented Sunday's mistake.
The officials, even after a replay review, disallowed a touchdown by Steelers safety Troy Polamalu after he picked up a loose ball on an attempted lateral by the Chargers. The officials called an illegal forward pass on the play and erroneously ruled the ball dead. Referee Scott Green acknowledged the mistake after the game in comments made to a pool reporter, and Pereira reiterated during an interview with ESPN today that an error was made.
"Once you leave the sideline monitor, you can't go back," Pereira said. "The replay assistant can't buzz you back. I think that is the way we can look forward to try to implement a system to where it doesn't happen again because, you know, we were still in the administration of this review."
Pereira said the matter will be taken up with the NFL's rule-making competition committee. A change possibly could be enacted before the playoffs, he said.
"So the competition committee will be talked to, and I think we have to do it as early as before the playoffs so we can tweak the system a bit that allows the replay assistant to buzz down a second time if we administratively use either the wrong spot of the forward pass or put the ball on the wrong yard line," Pereira said. "To me, that's a way to ensure that hopefully this does not happen again."
It's rare for the NFL to make a rule change during a season. League officials said this is possible because it simply would be an administrative change.
The call didn't affect the outcome of the game but it received national attention in part because it kept the Steelers from covering the five-point betting spread on the game. According to one online estimate, by RJ Bell of Pregame.com, approximately $66 million had been wagered worldwide on the Steelers, compared to about $34 million on the Chargers.
Pereira said that wasn't a consideration to the league.
"I don't think we have a response about that," Pereira during the ESPN interview. "That's nothing that we certainly focus on here in the officiating department whatsoever. I mean, we focus on trying to get the call right or trying to... figure out the mechanism to make sure that we do get it right if we do use replay. So, you know, to us--yes, we made an error. And it's now important for us to figure out how not to make that same error again."
By
Mark Maske
|
November 17, 2008; 2:00 PM ET
| Category:
Chargers
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League
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Officiating
,
Steelers
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Posted by: albert | November 18, 2008 3:02 PM
Watch-out for the main/head referee of the steelers/chargers for any of the games he refs!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | November 18, 2008 2:59 PM
what a bunch of PC/company-line crap - this should have never happened in the first place and it is insane that it did this once (100% insane or 100% CROOKED - you tell me) - there is NO excuse - I've seen a number of funny (strange) things in my life BUT there is NO possible explanation for what happened here except a FIX related to the point spread - NONE - I do not bet on football and have not bet on sports for over 20 years - I have no allegiance to either team involved - THE ONLY REASON I SAW THE PLAY LIVE WAS I WAS LOOKING FOR ANOTHER GAME AND FOUND THIS ONE NEAR THE END - THIS IS AS CROOKED AS IT GETS - PERIOD - THIS IS AN OUTRAGE - what is so very crazy is about 10 things or more! -- but just think about these five; 1) even if the lateral was illegal (which is in serious, serious doubt but it doesn't matter), the ball never touched the ground, so the ball is still in play
2) no flag was thrown during the play
3) the replay official DID get the call right - 100% right - he confirmed the touchdown as called on the field - TOUCHDOWN CONFIRMED - SIX POINTS - NO DOUBT - NO CONTROVERSY - T.D. ; PLAIN SIMPLE OBVIOUS AND CONFIRMED (look at the replay on YOUTUBE)
4) the referees were literally allowed to overrule the replay official - explain that!
5) these REFS if you can call them that who were allowed to overrule the replay official are the same ones who called THIRTEEN penalties on Pittsburgh and ONLY 1 on San Diego (13-1!!!!!good thing mark cuban didn't own the steelers or he would have died of a stroke even before the INEXCUSABLE call which disallowed the touchdown) .......
PEOPLE WAKE UP - THIS IS WRONG - WAY WRONG - YOU CAN SAY "IT AINT SO" BUT IT IS - SOMEONE NEEDS TO GO TO JAIL FOR THIS KIND OF FRAUD .......
COPY PASTE AND FORWARD - THIS CRAP CANNOT BE CONDONED!!
Posted by: jothemedicaldoctor | November 17, 2008 7:06 PM
Interesting. I thought the goal of the spread was for bookmakers was to make it so that the value bets are the same for both teams. That way the losers pay the winners less the commission that the bookmaker take (and that's how the bookmakers make money). In this case the bookmakers are making $32 million in uncovered bets, I guess they "lucked out" and was on the positive side of this windfall...
Posted by: gns100 | November 17, 2008 6:10 PM
I would like a PB&J Sandwich as I surf the net!
Posted by: Clint Lagor | November 17, 2008 4:23 PM
I think it is funny how people complain and say that the Steelers are "favorites" and get "special treatment"... really? Hmmm... How many times has a player been fined for hitting Roethlisberger? But Woodley gets a fine for sacking "in an intimidating manner"... OMG, WTF YG2BFKM!
I'm surprised Kiesel didn't get a fine for his "intimidating" sack on Rivers last night. And Ward makes a completely legal block and is demonized, but people like Ray Lewis who are out to hurt people are praised for their toughness. If Ward was a CB instead of a WR, he would be legendary... instead he's "dirty".
But, oh yeah, I forgot, it doesn't matter because the Steelers get special treament.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 17, 2008 3:56 PM
I think they should serve the refs peanut butter and jelly sandwiches whiling viewing the instant replays. It's hard to make good calls on an empty stomach...
Posted by: Brandon Fredricksen | November 17, 2008 3:22 PM
@ anonymous | November 17, 2008 3:09 PM
I hear ya about that, or how about when it cost the Chargers the game vs the Broncos on week 2.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 17, 2008 3:17 PM
Im stunned that all you homers ever do is complain about what happend to your team, rather than what is actually right, or relavant to the topic...stop living in the past.
Posted by: stunned | November 17, 2008 3:16 PM
IMO penatilies should be replayable to, Certain ones such ass pass interference and personal fouls
Posted by: Jason | November 17, 2008 3:14 PM
NOTAPLAYA said "just get rid of instant replay period!!!!!"
Now that would just be an enormous step backwards. Instant replay is good because we are all humans, even referees. They make mistakes too. Instant replay allows mistakes to be taken back. Unfortunately no system is perfect. The right camera angle is not always there. Also, since this is competition, one side will always be upset with the outcome of the decision.
Posted by: JarJar | November 17, 2008 3:12 PM
its kinda of funny how when the steelers are denied a td the nfl wants to review the replay system. why wasn't this an issue in their super bowl win against seattle? there were alot of questionable calls against seattle,that probbly cost them the game.the steelers are already a favorite of the referees,don't give them any added advantages.
Posted by: anonymous | November 17, 2008 3:09 PM
I think penalties called that could affect the outcome of a game should be available for challenge as well. It was interesting that the Steelers had 13 penalties, the Chargers only 2.
Posted by: JimTurnage | November 17, 2008 3:08 PM
The betting pool isn't the point - it's the far-reaching effects on Fantast Football! No, the real importance, as far as the league is concerned, is that they set up playoff tiebreakers to include point differential. Wouldn't that be a kick in the teeth (or elsewhere) to the Steelers if they get passed over because of this?
Posted by: Woodpecker | November 17, 2008 3:05 PM
I think they watch porn on those replay monitors, rather than actual replays.
Posted by: Rod Rust | November 17, 2008 3:05 PM
just get rid of instant replay period!!!!!
Posted by: notaplaya | November 17, 2008 3:01 PM
The comments to this entry are closed.
Watch-out for the main/head referee of the steelers/chargers for the other games his involved!