The replacement officials did effect this game: still photos from Cardinals game

[JMC00]

on 3rd down in the 4th quarter

another one

Remember the call against the Pats for a blow to the head?

Not seeing it. Although the penalty didn't matter because there was also a personal foul at the end of the play against the Pats. But my point is consistency.

And here is a sack on Brady, where Acho clearly grabs Brady's helmet

I'm fine with them calling the hold on Gronk but just would like consistency.

 

[JJDChE]

The regular officials have an effect on the outcome of most games, too.

 

[IllegalContact]

yep........so what?

the owners could fix this if they wanted to

 

[ThatllMoveTheChains!!!]

Not the first, and it won't be the last game affected by refs replacements or not. My primary concern is if they're letting players/coaches browbeat them into making bad calls as the game goes on.

 

[PatsFan2]

yep........so what?

the owners could fix this if they wanted to

Well that Fitzgerald play was a mistery.

 

[upstater1]

Well that Fitzgerald play was a mistery.

It looked to me like Fitzgerald dropped it. Ball was moving as he trapped it on the ground. That being said, I wouldn't have complained if they called it complete.

It was a stupid decision to challenge the play anyway since it would have been 4th down in their territory.

 

[Nunchucks]

Was it the replacement refs that turned the Patriots OL into swiss cheese for much of the first half?

 

[tatepatsfan]

I think they effected the game, but not the outcome. There were bad or missed calls against both teams. The hold on Gronk is arguable at the end there. I don't think AZ would have complained if they didn't call it, but it wasn't exactly egregious either.

The biggest issue I am seeing (not limited to yesterday's game, but in all the games I've watched NFL-wide this year) is the lenghty delays anytime a decision has to be made. It totally kills the flow of the game.

 

[Ivan]

I thought there were some questionable calls but the Patriots cost themselves that game, not the officials, and as someone already said the regular officials always play a role in the outcome of games as well.

 

[DarrylS]

The biggest impact that they have, aside from the bogus Gronk holding call, is that they effect the rhythm of the game.. because of their incompetence, they slow it down and that is not good for us.

 

[JMC00]

Where did I say the Pats played a perfect game? They way the offense played they deserved to lose but the way the defense played they deserved that one, the D really gave up 13 points.

I just think he regular refs would have been a little bit more consistent. Can anyone 100 percent honestly say if a regular crew reffed this game that they would have called the hold on Gronk but not called the holds that Gronk drew?

 

[yukon cornelius]

Across the league, the replacement refs cannot deal with the speed of the game. They are making calls based on what they think they are seeing, or what they think they should be seeing.....they are guessing at times simply because they cannot keep up with the action.

This is also leading to confusion - I have seen more contradictory calls out of crews in the 10 games I have watched than I've seen in entire seasons. These guys simply are not good enough.

At this point the integrity of the game IS suffering. I haven't seen many illegal contact calls on DB's. Just in the Pats game Lloyd had a jersey clearly grabbed on one deep ball, Gronk was getting mauled. The outside receivers are getting ridden hard. These guys aren't used to calling it, and they seem afraid to.

The Jet game - they cost the Jets a challenge on a horrible spot, the PI call on the Steelers at one point was just ludicrous. They are guessing on the blows to the head all over the place.

Yes, there is human element and judgement calls with the regular officials. Those guys are also immeasurable better than the crews out there not. We, the players, the league deserve better. Enough is enough.

 

[BradyManny]

The biggest problem to me is the general sloppiness. The learning curve is steep for these guys, and it's made for a much less smooth viewing experience. The actual calls haven't been as bad as I feared, to be honest.

The Gronk holding call was bush-league. That was, at best, a borderline call that wouldn't be called most of the game, and absolutely shouldn't have been called in that situation. Had it not been flagged, I guarantee no Arizona fans even think twice about it (or notice it) and instead are calling for Ryan Williams' head today.

 

[Armchair Quarterback]

On top of all the blown/missed/made up calls, Gostkowski got leveled on the missed field goal and there should have been another play. It was right out in the open for everyone to see.

 

[UK_Pat37]

I'll tell you what effected this game....a tipped and intercepted pass, numerous stalls on offence resulting in five field goal attempts, a blocked punt setting the cardinals offence on the two yard line, a couple of drops and a missed game winning FG set further back by a false start...

THOSE DAMN REFS. SACK EVERY ONE OF THEM. THE INSANITY OF IT ALL.

 

[WhiZa]

If i have to get tape from 2007 on how many blown calls there were I will. (Just watching Moss drawing a PI call last week made me cringe. I don't think he got 1 PI call playing here) But it's the nature of the beast and if you can't handle it then don't watch. It took me years to get over the inconsistency of the refs, but I accept it happens to all teams and the best teams rise above it.

 

[RoughingthePasser]

These refs aren't on the same level (experience,players,matchups etc...blah) as the regular penquins...all it takes is ONE bad call at the wrong time and your done. That and the damn commercials are as annoying as watching the game around people.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

who cares? it's monday. The game is over. Move on people

 

[ALP]

The biggest problem to me is the general sloppiness. The learning curve is steep for these guys, and it's made for a much less smooth viewing experience. The actual calls haven't been as bad as I feared, to be honest.

The Gronk holding call was bush-league. That was, at best, a borderline call that wouldn't be called most of the game, and absolutely shouldn't have been called in that situation. Had it not been flagged, I guarantee no Arizona fans even think twice about it (or notice it) and instead are calling for Ryan Williams' head today.

i hate to have calls be different during the game than towards the end, but in this case you are correct....the block that Gronk put was also arguably not going to affect the gain much

 

[ausbacker]

The performance of the replacement officials is no longer acceptable. That is not isolated to Patriots games but league wide contests. Their performances are now attacking the integrity of the game.

I wanted to support the notion that the replacements could get the job done. Now I realize they cannot.