Pass Interference needs to be reviewed - New England Patriots Forums

Crazy Patriot Guy · 01-26-2007, 07:08 PM

First, I've thought this long before the Ellis Hobbs play. Whether the rumors of the NFL admitting a mistake turn out true or not, I couldn't care less. The NFL really needs to look at PI and decide whether to:

A: Make it a 15 yard penalty like college and high school
B: Allow the call to be reviewed.
C: Both

I am 100% serious when I say that I don't even like getting PI calls that go the Patriots way anymore. I hate how field position can change so dramatically.

I'm sorry but to me something is wrong with the following: A player could take his helmet off after a play and hit someone with it and it would only be a 15 yard penalty (and an ejection obviously but in terms of field position, it only changes 15 yards)

However, a WR and DB could both be playing the ball, their feet tangle, an official thinks he sees pass interference and now the offense is 50 yards up the field, or at the 1 yard line with an almost guaranteed six points.

To me that is ridiculous. Troy Aikman has mentioned several times during games with questionable calls that PI should be reviewable.

Of course, like every type of reviewed play, there would be times that teams don't like what the ref decides. There would be times that refs review a questionable call and would still think they see enough for there to be a flag. I can very easily live with that if it means picking up flags when there definately shouldn't be one, like when an official has a bad angle 20 yards away but he thinks he sees something.

I really hope the NFL does something. It's just too big a penalty to not be able to make sure you're right.

BradyManny · 01-26-2007, 07:19 PM

PI has played a role in the outcome of our seasons the last two years, so obviously we're all a little bias, but I agree with you.

When you call PI in the endzone or anywhere in the red zone, you are basically handing the team points. There isn't a call in the sport that has a bigger outcome on the game then PI, so why is it one of the few things you cannot review? B/c it's "subjective"? So what?

I'd rather have the ref have a minute to apply his subjective opinion to the call then .5 seconds, considering the call may change the outcome of the drive/game/season.

PatsMyBoyz! · 01-26-2007, 07:32 PM

[QUOTE=Crazy Patriot Guy;320619]First, I've thought this long before the Ellis Hobbs play. Whether the rumors of the NFL admitting a mistake turn out true or not, I couldn't care less. The NFL really needs to look at PI and decide whether to:

A: Make it a 15 yard penalty like college and high school
B: Allow the call to be reviewed.
C: Both

I am 100% serious when I say that I don't even like getting PI calls that go the Patriots way anymore. I hate how field position can change so dramatically.

I'm sorry but to me something is wrong with the following: A player could take his helmet off after a play and hit someone with it and it would only be a 15 yard penalty (and an ejection obviously but in terms of field position, it only changes 15 yards)

However, a WR and DB could both be playing the ball, their feet tangle, an official thinks he sees pass interference and now the offense is 50 yards up the field, or at the 1 yard line with an almost guaranteed six points.

To me that is ridiculous. Troy Aikman has mentioned several times during games with questionable calls that PI should be reviewable.

Of course, like every type of reviewed play, there would be times that teams don't like what the ref decides. There would be times that refs review a questionable call and would still think they see enough for there to be a flag. I can very easily live with that if it means picking up flags when there definately shouldn't be one, like when an official has a bad angle 20 yards away but he thinks he sees something.

I really hope the NFL does something. It's just too big a penalty to not be able to make sure you're right.[/QUOTE]

Agreed,it's a big penalty to get no matter who it's on,and therefore should be subject to review. Why isn't it?

***MoLewisrocks*** · 01-26-2007, 07:44 PM

It's not going to change for a couple of reasons. First the refs believe they will be undercut by allowing a subjective call to be reviewed. Although they once believed that about replay in general, and it didn't materialize. Although they would favor a change that allows for blatent and incidental penalties according to Periera. Changing it to a flat 15 years is unworkable because it will just result in defenders taking the penalty over the alternative. But given the replay technology that exists today not reviewing any play is just short sighted. They get more grief for being wrong on mistakes that can't be corrected than they lose control over bad calls that are in fact overturned.

However as long as a guy like Polian who perceives DPI as an offensive weapon in his QB's arsenal is allowed to hold court on the competition committee, an organization that needs to adopt a policy of rotating terms and not service at will, it will never change. There was fairly widespread support for change last year until Polian pronounced it a non issue from the committee's standpoint.

Crazy Patriot Guy · 01-26-2007, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradyManny2344

PI has played a role in the outcome of our seasons the last two years, so obviously we're all a little bias, but I agree with you.

When you call PI in the endzone or anywhere in the red zone, you are basically handing the team points. There isn't a call in the sport that has a bigger outcome on the game then PI, so why is it one of the few things you cannot review? B/c it's "subjective"? So what?

I'd rather have the ref have a minute to apply his subjective opinion to the call then .5 seconds, considering the call may change the outcome of the drive/game/season.

That's the thing, it's not because of a bias. Like I mentioned, I don't like seeing us get 50 free yards on PI calls sometimes. I've noticed before I'll almost be trying to convince myself that it was a good call when it goes our way, saying "I guess that's what the ref saw." It's to the point that I feel guilty that we got the call. That's messed up. Something has to change.

Crazy Patriot Guy · 01-26-2007, 07:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MoLewisrocks

It's not going to change for a couple of reasons. First the refs believe they will be undercut by allowing a subjective call to be reviewed. Although they once believed that about replay in general, and it didn't materialize. Although they would favor a change that allows for blatent and incidental penalties according to Periera. Changing it to a flat 15 years is unworkable because it will just result in defenders taking the penalty over the alternative. But given the replay technology that exists today not reviewing any play is just short sighted. They get more grief for being wrong on mistakes that can't be corrected than they lose control over bad calls that are in fact overturned.

However as long as a guy like Polian who perceives DPI as an offensive weapon in his QB's arsenal is allowed to hold court on the competition committee, an organization that needs to adopt a policy of rotating terms and not service at will, it will never change. There was fairly widespread support for change last year until Polian pronounced it a non issue from the committee's standpoint.

I haven't noticed it become a problem in the college ranks with consistent, blantent pass interference just to prevent big plays. While that would need to be looked at, I really don't think it would be a big issue.

Like you say, there is constant complaining and tapes sent to the NFL by teams who thought terrible calls were made. How often do teams turn in tapes on plays that were or weren't overturned after replay? Unless it just isn't reported, (doubtful) not very often. So yeah, it would only benefit the officials. As much complaining as there is sometimes about instant replay, no one can deny that it has been VERY important and VERY useful at making calls correct that have played major outcomes in games.

DW Toys · 01-26-2007, 08:03 PM

I believe there was an admittance to the Hobbs call as incorrect by the league. Perhaps the even bigger sin was the mugging that Caldwell got in the endzone with about 3 minutes left to go. Without question Harrison and Wayne get the call because of Pollians' influence. Does anyone out there disagree with me? We get it on the one yard line and score 7 instead of a field goal. The game is changed. Now manning has less options and has to get 7. Lets face it. The league wants Dungy and Manning to win it this year.
DW Toys

PatsMyBoyz! · 01-26-2007, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crazy Patriot Guy

That's the thing, it's not because of a bias. Like I mentioned, I don't like seeing us get 50 free yards on PI calls sometimes. I've noticed before I'll almost be trying to convince myself that it was a good call when it goes our way, saying "I guess that's what the ref saw." It's to the point that I feel guilty that we got the call. That's messed up. Something has to change.

Exactly. Even being the beneficiary of it doesn't lessen the impact-there's a part of me that feels their pain when I see it called on anybody.
The penalty needs to be less considering how subjective it is,or the play should be reviewable. Should that be enacted,it will hurt us someday too but at least it would be correct.

PatsMyBoyz! · 01-26-2007, 08:12 PM

[QUOTE=MoLewisrocks;320641]It's not going to change for a couple of reasons. First the refs believe they will be undercut by allowing a subjective call to be reviewed. Although they once believed that about replay in general, and it didn't materialize. Although they would favor a change that allows for blatent and incidental penalties according to Periera. Changing it to a flat 15 years is unworkable because it will just result in defenders taking the penalty over the alternative. But given the replay technology that exists today not reviewing any play is just short sighted. They get more grief for being wrong on mistakes that can't be corrected than they lose control over bad calls that are in fact overturned.

However as long as a guy like Polian who perceives DPI as an offensive weapon in his QB's arsenal is allowed to hold court on the competition committee, an organization that needs to adopt a policy of rotating terms and not service at will, it will never change. There was fairly widespread support for change last year until Polian pronounced it a non issue from the committee's standpoint.[/QUOTE]

Shock and Awe right there

Gunnails · 01-26-2007, 08:21 PM

The current NFL rules can be frustrating, especialy with difference in how strictly or sometimes not at all, that they are enforced from week to week and depending on the officiating crew.
I think the reason behind the PI rules is that the defense in the NFL particulary the pass defense is so far ahead of the offense and the total avg. points a game were dropping, and in the interest of trying to make the game more entertaing the league has given advantages to the WRs.