Before we get started, yes, this is going to be a bit of a rant about the replacement referees in the NFL. If you're looking to talk about something different, there's a little red "X" button in the top right corner of your screen. If not, enjoy my personal take on the month that was September in America's most popular game.
Let's put aside the missed calls over the last three weeks of the regular season (and four preseason games), and the countless tweets, press conference remarks, and disturbing silence coming from the Office of the Commissioner of the NFL. The fact of the matter is that while the first month of the NFL season have been exciting as all hell, they have not been enjoyable to watch. Every whistle comes with misinterpretation of the rule book, the wrong signal, and a collective eye-roll from the entire country.
After last night's debacle of a finish in Seattle, only the Boondock Saints' Murphy MacManus could so astutely portray our combined expression, I could only stand aghast as everything we've all been waiting for was finally here: The Big One.
It was a terribly blatant missed call that was rightly upheld by video review (you can't review possession), yet that wasn't what upset me the most. The two officials couldn't even decide on the call to make! The Back Judge signaled interception while the Line Judge called it a touchdown. When two officials, who LOOK AT EACH OTHER, still can't agree on a call, that's when you know something is wrong.
While that was the biggest atrocity, look at the hits we have seen so far. Whether its a lineman on a quarterback, or a corner on a wide out, defensive players are feeling much more embolden. They know these officials are scared to make one of those big calls that put the ball 15+ yards down field and that is why you see so many Illegal Contact and Holding calls on defense rather than pass interference; new first down but not as much yardage. And good for those defensive players recognizing that and taking advantage of these officials, as well as the coaches and players criticizing the refs. Force the league to take action either by fining everyone associated with the organization (including the broadcasters who are spot-on with their words) or to bring back the zebras we use to love to yell at.
However, now that "The Big One" has happened I hope two things transpire out of it.
A) The regular officials need to come back. The issue with that is I'm still not sure who to be upset at because no one is talking about what either side wants/won't give. But that is a moot point considering where the integrity of "The Shield", as Roger Goodell calls it, currently sits.
B) When the regular refs do return, I want us all to remember how much we criticized these terribly under qualified officials who were asked to learn a rule book in two months that many a former referee has said takes at least five years to be comfortable with. Appreciate what guys like Ed Hochuli do and when a call by them is blatantly missed, have the same disdain but remember it could be worse.
I guess the saying is true, you never know what you have until it's gone. Now we know.
