Pass Interference Is Ruining The Nfl.

[bclaff]

I'm sick of it. Defensive pass interference. Offensive pass interference.

It has turned the long passing game more into "who will get the penalty?" rather than "who will catch the ball?".

The "penalty is at the spot of the foul" is the most overdone rule in the NFL.

The offensive pass interference for touching or bumping the defender is even stupider.

They should make it like fouls in the NBA. The first and maybe second PI call is just a 10-15 penalty. If you keep doing it to avoid TDs and just take the penalty, then anything after the second PI is at the spot of the foul.

 

[The Gr8est]

I checked through all games played this season and was surprised that PI has only been called 11 times, 6 times on defensive plays and 5 on offensive ones.
The defensive ones have been equally split - 3 against the Pats and 3 against the opposition. The offensive side is more unbalanced with 4 against the Pats (3 against Moss) and only 1 against the opponent (Dallas). Most games with PI called are fairly balanced (ie equal or one more than the other side), other than the infamous Colts game which had 3 calls against the Pats (2 defensive and 1 offensive) against zero for the saintly 53.

Point taken, but remember that all PIs are not equal. The Pats had two bad PI calls against the Colts on throws that were not going to be caught, the Colts were flagged for PI against Moss on a play where he had already made the catch.

 

[Buchanty]

You're right Gr8test - PI on balls that are uncatchable is a harder penalty by far. Certainly the Colts benefit hugely from those calls, as they did all through that game.... in fact they didnt get flagged at all, the Moss catch was flagged against the Patriots for Offensive PI. I will check to see how many PI calls the Colts have had this season just for amusement's sake.

 

[bradmahn]

You're right Gr8test - PI on balls that are uncatchable is a harder penalty by far. Certainly the Colts benefit hugely from those calls, as they did all through that game.... in fact they didnt get flagged at all, the Moss catch was flagged against the Patriots for Offensive PI. I will check to see how many PI calls the Colts have had this season just for amusement's sake.

There was a penalty for PI against the Colts that was declined because Moss made the catch for the TD.

 

[Smoke Eater]

There should be a cap of 15 yards on the call assuming that there really is a call. But how would Indy ever beat us if this were to happen.

The NHL has "diving" penalties for faking and trying to influence the ref. Perhaps the NFL should consider this too.

 

[Buchanty]

There was a penalty for PI against the Colts that was declined because Moss made the catch for the TD.

Sorry I missed that - I was using the NFL play-by-play data on each match. The only time they show a declined penalty is when two occur on one play. That being said the PI the Colts got flagged for didn't affect the game or the score unlike the three penalties on the Patriots.

Just for comparison I checked the Colts PI calls and what a surprise they have an advantage on calls with only 2 calls against them all season (both defensive PI). On the other hand their opponents were called for 5 DPIs and a single OPI - with half of them in the one game against the Pats.

Will now check the other strong offenses - Dallas, GB and Pittsburgh

 

[OtisCampbell]

This is my biggest gripe with the NFL. This is a multi-BILLION dollar league that uses part time officials. These guys are like the National Guard in a way. There's just so much you can expect from a part time anything (and I'm not dissing the National Guard here at all). These officials all have real jobs as lawyers, accountants, engineers, etc. You want Professionally called games, get Professional officials, guys who work at it all year, studying game film, mistaken calls etc. You Get What You Get is a subset of It Is What It Is. You don't ask the National Guard to spearhead an invasion when you have the Marine Corps available. Likewise, don't expect a part time referee to be anything other than what they are in the NFL...mediocre.

I agree 100%. The NFL has made virtually no improvement in game administration in the last 40 years. With the questionable officiating deciding the outcome of way too many games, it's a miracle the league is as strong and popular as it is.

 

[He Ban Me]

I'm sick of it. Defensive pass interference. Offensive pass interference.

It has turned the long passing game more into "who will get the penalty?" rather than "who will catch the ball?".

The "penalty is at the spot of the foul" is the most overdone rule in the NFL.

The offensive pass interference for touching or bumping the defender is even stupider.

Good post. IMO, a tougher call the the blcok/charge in basketball. I do not envy their position of having to judge those plays.

 

[Dragda]

We need the PI rules, but a spot foul on a fifty yard pass? That's akin to a turnover. If it's a borderline call, it really stings. Some suggestions to make it less game changing:

. Make it reviewable.
. Instead of making it a fifteen yard penalty like it used to be, keep it at a spot foul OR half the distance to the goal --whichever is less. Even on a fifty yard bomb it should be half the distance. A spot foul is a killer on those long plays.
. De-emphasize the practice of making this call in big games. Unless its as blatant as Dallas Clark tackling Rodney Harrison in the end zone to prevent an interception, it shouldn't be called.

 

[Snarf]

Packers just f*cked over by a bogus PI call.

F this ****.

 

[Snarf]

p.s. throwing a PI flag 2 minutes after the play because the crowd is booing is the biggest piece of bogus crap.

I dont even care that much for the Packers, but this BS is killing the game.

 

[ChoWZa]

Yup. PI is killing the NFL... I totally agree.
Whats worse is its killing the Patriots.

Referees are uneducated folk. Weak and helpless and clueless on the field. They need the help of players like Miles Austin(Cowboys game) who get up and complain. Throw in some boo'ing and the refs minds are made.

Thats why the Moss situation is a shame. Moss can't complain because he'll have people like Jim Donaldson of the projo writing "Old moss is back! Moss complaining again!"

Such bull****.

 

[Snarf]

Yup. PI is killing the NFL... I totally agree.
Whats worse is its killing the Patriots.

Referees are uneducated folk. Weak and helpless and clueless on the field. They need the help of players like Miles Austin(Cowboys game) who get up and complain. Throw in some boo'ing and the refs minds are made.

Thats why the Moss situation is a shame. Moss can't complain because he'll have people like Jim Donaldson of the projo writing "Old moss is back! Moss complaining again!"

Such bull****.

How they can't allow review of a 70 yard penalty is staggeringly stupid.

 

[PatriotWarrior]

the new age pass interference ever since they changed the rules after 2003 season that it would benefit the colts more then any team which it did. the polian influence on trying to change the rules to me is cheating the colts will forever be sore losers after the 2003 AFCCG.

if a colts receiver makes a little contact with the opponents DB's then it will go unnoticed. ever since the Patriots got Randy Moss the media is doing their best to change the rules so only Randy Moss will be under the radar for any pass interference penalties thanks to Charley Casserly.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I was surprised to hear Bill change his tune on PI, but I think as the zebras continue to struggle with these calls he's just gotten sick of the status quo. He used to feel that the 15 yard cap would make it too easy for a defense to make the strategic decision to stop the potential TD so it would increase the the number of PI calls exponentially.

Oddly the Competition Committee has been the lone voice over the last couple of years saying there's no support for or interest in re-thinking the PI rule. Therein lies the problem. Having active coaches and GM's from 8 teams responsible for shaping rules that directly impact their livlihoods is akin to having the fox guard your chickens. Too much temptation to do what's best for themselves or even trade favors. The Competition Committee should be made up of Mike Perriera chairing a well compensated blue ribbon caliber group composed of retired elite zebras, head coaches and GM's plus a rotational representation from current teams.

They need to write rules that are clearly understandable and reasonably enforcable. They already allow for incidental contact as part of the PI rules, the problem is what constitutes incidental remains subjective and all to often results in inconsistent interpretation from zebra to zebra and even game to game or worst of all play to play. Last night that crew let a couple of things go that Ellis consistently gets called for. Ditto Randy on one call. They called a PI late that the talking heads are all saying was bogus when in fact it's the same call they made on Asante in the Colts game minus the reach and none of them had a problem with it being called then.

They need to have an incidental penalty and a flagrant penalty. And the flagrant call has to be reviewable. It won't happen until they can write rules that clearly differentiate the two so the subjective argument to review can be countered. Refs have survived several years of having their judgements questioned and overturned without anarchy erupting. If Mike Perriera can show us on tape why a call was legitimately made then there should be no problem with the crew chief making the same determination under the hood. If he has to fall back on tortured excuses for an interpretation that the tape does not substantiate, then clearly it should indicate a call should not have been made.

I think when the zebras huddle what replay or challenge potential does is make them think beyond the potential emotional pull of home crowd reaction or any subconscious bias created by pre game discussion or media spin. When you have two officials seeing two different circumstances, the crew chief should always suggest they consider picking up the flag unless they are confident it will be upheld on review. Last night on the PI call the official in front of the play saw it as tangled legs only. The one behind it THOUGHT SECONDS AFTER THE PLAY he possibly saw grabbing when in fact the replay showed there was incidental contact but no actual grab (not to mention a likely uncatchable ball). That's much like holding where they have now told them to stop assuming you see it particularly away from the play unless you actually do. Randy has been called for legitimately pushing off and he's also been called for it when he didn't, by a crew member standing behind the play and screened by the defender who couldn't possible have seen a pushoff even it it happened. That's something they have been told not to do - assume you saw something perhaps because it's been suggested to you it might happen. So perhaps all PI calls that occur in the EZ should also be subject to review just as posession, inbounds and breaking the plane are.

End of the day, if you can clearly define it by rule, you can uphold it or overturn it on review. If you can't, and further more if Mike Perriera can't explain it's interpretation without squirming and sweating, it should not be a rule.

 

[captain stone]

Bump.

Congrats to Mo for a very well-written post which, along with all the other excellent posts in this thread, demonstrate the grotesque absurdity behind the drive-changing, game-changing, season-changing, history-changing penalty that is not even reviewable. It's embarassing how badly the league is such a bee-atch of naPolian and the offense-lusting networks.

 

[PatsSteve1]

The offensive side is more unbalanced with 4 against the Pats (3 against Moss) and only 1 against the opponent (Dallas).

FWIW, ESPN or somebody did an All Flag thing for players who get flagged the most and Moss was 1 of the WR's. The problem I have is there's no consistent calling of PI. The play in the Boys/Pack game and the Moss O PI call are both plays your as likley to see NOT get called as get called. I have NFL Ticket and watch a lot of games and a person could never tell what is or isn't PI from watching games. And obviously the Refs can't tell from reading the rules and watching film which they do between games. How's a DB coach suppsed to teach his DB's how to play when there's no consistent calling of the penalty?

 

[Snarf]

Yet another game decided by stupid PI calls: Cowboys vs Panthers, Dec 22 07.

 

[flasox27]

Defensive PI is whatever Polian tells the ref's to call to benefit the Colts. Offensive PI only applies to Randy Moss. What is ironic is that there is illegal contact or interference with Randy on just about every play that is not callede, but is he intiates contact especially in the endzone, it is almost always called.

 

[SteveTHEyankee]

<< Pass interference is necessary for organized football. >>

Some form of it is, yes.

But allowing for 30 to 60 yard penalties on throws that likely would not have been caught anyway is absolutely ridiculous, yet we see these all of the time.

I think the rule is okay when used as intended when first introduced. "When the player has a reasonable expectation of catching the ball". When a ball is flying 10 to 20 yards down field from the Spot of the foul, there is NO chance that the player can catch the ball, and there should be no penalty expect for a 'illegal contact' 10 - 15 yard penalty.

The ones that REALLY frost me are the ones where the throw lands in the first row of bleachers and they are given the interference call!