Poll: Is the NFL steering games

[DangerousDoug]

Horribly called game. Some really bad calls against the Hawks.

 

[seahawksteve]

Biggest problem is consistency in the calls. Few examples from last night:
Bland INT, that was illegal contact on Lockett. Wagner PI on Pollard, similar play late in 4th by Dallas DB is no flag.

I'd also mention the 2nd half penalty differential was heavily in Dallas favor. 6 to 1.

 

[seabowl]

So you are saying the no PI call in the Rams Saints playoff game, the call that introduced PI challenges, was just a mistake? If you can't see something that obvious right in front of your face, then no amount of proof will convince you

So I say again, while also asking, do you think there is this huge conspiracy to steer games although not one person, even on their deathbed, has come out to admit it? Do you think the NFL would really risk the credibility of the league and possible collapse of the league with this along with people who are in the know going to jail?

Come on. SMH

 

[xray]

And besides that ; the Dallas fans were too loud .

 

[cymatica]

So I say again, while also asking, do you think there is this huge conspiracy to steer games although not one person, even on their deathbed, has come out to admit it? Do you think the NFL would really risk the credibility of the league and possible collapse of the league with this along with people who are in the know going to jail?

Come on. SMH

I gave you an example of a penalty that was literally impossible to get wrong on accident, and instead of looking at the real world example you ignore it and go off about why you think steering in general is not possible, almost like you don't want to admit it. Are you able to look me straight in the screen and say that PI that literally happened at least a full second before the catch was by accident?

Your point about the NFL risking their credibility is a joke. Assuming it was all just mistakes(even though I gave an example that 100% was not), they refuse to hire full time refs when they have all the money in the world to do so. So yeah, they would risk their credibility because that is exactly what they have done. Go ahead and delude yourself though

Cmon SMH

 

[fenderbender123]

I'm not going to say the NFL is steering games until I see more evidence that it isn't just poor decision making by the refs. It seems like most teams, over time, get the same amount of shit calls against them, when you look at them over the years.

Also, it would be too many people to keep quiet. If the officials were in on it, then somebody would have "blown the whistle" on the league decades ago (no pun intended).

 

[cymatica]

I'm not going to say the NFL is steering games until I see more evidence that it isn't just poor decision making by the refs. It seems like most teams, over time, get the same amount of shit calls against them, when you look at them over the years.

Also, it would be too many people to keep quiet. If the officials were in on it, then somebody would have "blown the whistle" on the league decades ago (no pun intended).

Rams Saints playoff game missed PI. Maybe the ref went rogue and the league wasn't in on it, but that was missed on purpose. Please explain how there's even a slight possibility that call was missed on accident.

 

[fenderbender123]

Rams Saints playoff game missed PI. Maybe the ref went rogue and the league wasn't in on it, but that was missed on purpose. Please explain how there's even a slight possibility that call was missed on accident.

A missed defensive holding? Isn't holding one of the most commonly missed calls?

On that play, the hold occurred on the inside shoulder/arm, and the ref was standing on the other side.

 

[cymatica]

A missed defensive holding? Isn't holding one of the most commonly missed calls?

On that play, the hold occurred on the inside shoulder/arm, and the ref was standing on the other side.

No, this was not holding or even close to what you described

 

[fenderbender123]

No, this was not holding or even close to what you described

Oh that play. I had googled Rams Sainta missed PI and went with the first video listed.

Yeah, on that play the defender only got there a split second before the ball. When you aren't standing parallel to the players, it's difficult to judge. This also explains why the refs threw the flag on Wagner even though he didn't get there early.

 

[kidhawk]

I don’t believe the NFL necessarily steers games to get a certain team to win (although with gambling out there any individual official may try to do this at any given time) but I do believe the NFL likes games to be competitive. Some games are too lopsided to steer so there are some blowouts.

For those who believe that games aren’t steered in any way, I’d like you to explain how a defensive player can pull a face mask and have a flag thrown (so it was obviously seen) only to have them decide not to call it? Face mask is not an judgement call. Even if no other official saw it, we saw it on replay and one official had to have seen it to throw the flag. Picking up that flag was egregiously poor officiating. That type of thing happens a lot yet you never hear about officials having any real repercussions.

 

[fenderbender123]

It could be steering, but steering isn't the only way to explain poor calls. People **** up at their jobs, especially if it's a hard job and especially if they don't get enough training for it.

I don't want to accuse people of steering games unless I see solid evidence. Missed calls or bad calls are not evidence of that. Thats like saying "why did that guy's wife go missing if he didn't kill her?"

 

[kidhawk]

It could be steering, but steering isn't the only way to explain poor calls. People **** up at their jobs, especially if it's a hard job and especially if they don't get enough training for it.

I don't want to accuse people of steering games unless I see solid evidence. Missed calls or bad calls are not evidence of that. Thats like saying "why did that guy's wife go missing if he didn't kill her?"

I understand your point. I’ve made it many times myself but it’s not a mistake or missed call to reverse a call that isn’t a judgement call such as face mask penalties. Once seen it has to be called.

 

[fenderbender123]

I understand your point. I’ve made it many times myself but it’s not a mistake or missed call to reverse a call that isn’t a judgement call such as face mask penalties. Once seen it has to be called.

Ref who throws flag: "I saw a facemask"

Another ref comes in: "I had a good look at it, And I don't think it was a face mask."

Ref who throws flag: "I'll defer to your judgment. Let's pick up the flag"

 

[kidhawk]

Ref who throws flag: "I saw a facemask"

Another ref comes in: "I had a good look at it, And I don't think it was a face mask."

Ref who throws flag: "I'll defer to your judgment. Let's pick up the flag"

Then you are saying ref two lied. If he had a good look at what was an actual face mask he couldn’t say it wasn’t. In your scenario ref two is lying to ref 1 and is steering the game for some reason. Either he didn’t see it well and he lied about that to get the call reversed or he saw the face mask and lied about that.

 

[fire_marshall_bill]

I think it's similar to the NBA, especially 90s NBA. There's no edict, but it's an unspoken rule (or it's spoken in private). Favor offenses (touch a quarterback .2 of second late and it's a 15 yard penalty and a two game suspension), try to keep games close for ratings, and favor certain players and teams.

 

[cymatica]

Oh that play. I had googled Rams Sainta missed PI and went with the first video listed.

Yeah, on that play the defender only got there a split second before the ball. When you aren't standing parallel to the players, it's difficult to judge. This also explains why the refs threw the flag on Wagner even though he didn't get there early.

Lol ok dude, keep deluding yourself. The entire stadium, everyone watching, and even the defender knew it was obvious in real time, it was not close.

 

[CouchLogic]

Yep, it's why I stopped watching games and switching to high lights. It's reality tv at this point, complete with story lines and drama.

 

[hox]

That PI on Bobby was a killer. Wasn't even a catchable ball. They would have been off the field right there and it's a totally different ball game.

Ref incompetence or corruption by a select few? I don't know, but it's a money-driven league.

 

[Seahawkfan80]

I wonder what the over and under were so the refs could make it more fun. Oh Wait...... Dallas is a nine-point favorite in the latest Cowboys vs. Seahawks odds while the over/under for total points scored is 47.5. So they beat the over/under and lost to the spread. Betting anyone?