NFL wants on-field officials to focus more on “illegal contact” fouls

[Mizak]

NFL wants refs to focus on illegal contact fouls

The NFL has asked its on-field officials to pay particular attention to illegal contact fouls during the 2022 season, a league spokesperson confirmed Monday.

www.espn.com

Officials flagged illegal contact an average of 97 times per season between 2002 and 2020, but that number dropped to 36 last season. The decrease prompted the NFL's competition committee to include illegal contact among its "points of clarification," formerly known as "points of emphasis," for the 2022 season

Concerning cuz it might screw Seahawks over and NFL darlings aka Cowboys, Packers, Rams will take advantage over it.

 

[Boohman14]

Just call an even game is all I ask. These key penalties at key moments ruin so many games during a season. That last Superbowl was tainted by the officials changing the way they were calling the game for the first 45 minuets. I can think of another Superbowl where the entire game was a farce of bad calls to the point of turning off many fans across the NFL. These "Points of Clarification" usually wane by the 5th game or so. It's a stupid way to change the game. Fans don't want a cascade of flags.

 

[WmHBonney]

I agree with Boohman. Why do "points of clarification" even exist? Just call the damn games consistently.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

NFL wants refs to focus on illegal contact fouls

The NFL has asked its on-field officials to pay particular attention to illegal contact fouls during the 2022 season, a league spokesperson confirmed Monday.

www.espn.com

Officials flagged illegal contact an average of 97 times per season between 2002 and 2020, but that number dropped to 36 last season. The decrease prompted the NFL's competition committee to include illegal contact among its "points of clarification," formerly known as "points of emphasis," for the 2022 season

Concerning cuz it might screw Seahawks over and NFL darlings aka Cowboys, Packers, Rams will take advantage over it.

Good lord you people are so tiresome. Everything is somehow an affront to Seattle.

 

[WmHBonney]

I'm saying as a whole. League wide. I watch many games besides Seattle and there were many games where the officiating was just horrible. The league just needs to let these refs do their job and forget about certain things being stressed.

 

[jammerhawk]

Good lord you people are so tiresome. Everything is somehow an affront to Seattle.

Seattle fans with longer memories will never forget the Hawks being screwed over by atrociously poor refereeing in Super Bowl XL. Justifiably the fans of the Seahawks have had a good bit to complain about.

I always worry when I see another rule "focus" that has the ability to change the outcome of games.

I agree completely with WmHBonney.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Good lord you people are so tiresome. Everything is somehow an affront to Seattle.

It’s not so much against Seattle as it is FOR the legacy teams. This is exactly the opposite of what the NFL should be doing as the games are already over officiated as is. We need LESS flags not more.

This is simply a way for the NFL to control the outcome of games more.

 

[MyrtleHawk]

I feel like this going to be a disaster. "Illegal contact" flags are already iffy enough as it is, and now they want more of them? Yeah, I don't see this ruining the game.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

It’s not so much against Seattle as it is FOR the legacy teams. This is exactly the opposite of what the NFL should be doing as the games are already over officiated as is. We need LESS flags not more.

This is simply a way for the NFL to control the outcome of games more.

The first effect spoken about was how it affected Seattle. Then the legacy teams. So I disagree with your first sentence. It's already a rule and it was called at 1/3 the rate it used to be. It's not changing anything and illegal contact is something that should be called. I know most on here would be screeching over any illegal contact not called in a game and then relating it directly to the giant conspiracy against South Alaska.

Also, as Stannis Baratheon would say, "fewer".

 

[Sports Hernia]

The first effect spoken about was how it affected Seattle. Then the legacy teams. So I disagree with your first sentence. It's already a rule and it was called at 1/3 the rate it used to be. It's not changing anything and illegal contact is something that should be called. I know most on here would be screeching over any illegal contact not called in a game and then relating it directly to the giant conspiracy against South Alaska.

Also, as Stannis Baratheon would say, "fewer".

I guess we will agree to disagree then.

Flagfests are killing the game. Of course you call obvious infractions, it’s the ticky tack “I think I might have saw something” calls that are killing the game.

In my opinion the rulebook needs to be streamlined and shrunk down, not added to.

 

[Lagartixa]

It's already a rule and it was called at 1/3 the rate it used to be.

So how do you know the more-recent rate isn't more correct than the old rate, or that players haven't adapted to the penalty having been called a lot previously, so both the old rate and the more-recent rate are correct for their respective time periods? Why do you assume the recent lower rate is because refs were not calling illegal contact in a lot of cases when they should have?

 

[John63]

It's simple it's about what fans like most about scoring. So they give every benefit to the offense, especially passing, this included.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

So how do you know the more-recent rate isn't more correct than the old rate, or that players haven't adapted to the penalty having been called a lot previously, so both the old rate and the more-recent rate are correct for their respective time periods? Why do you assume the recent lower rate is because refs were not calling illegal contact in a lot of cases when they should have?

The more recent rate (37) is for 2021, the higher rates (97) was for 2002-202. Now, I'm no statistics major but I can certainly see which one of the last 20 years is the outlier.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

It's simple it's about what fans like most about scoring. So they give every benefit to the offense, especially passing, this included.

And when they make an emphasis, not even a new rule, the first comment is how this is part of the conspiracy against the Seahawks.

 

[jammerhawk]

Not so my friend, but without a doubt the league has screwed the Seahawks over more than once with rules changes so that those changes are almost always viewed with extreme suspicion by many fans of the team.

It's OK if you believe what you you are messaging. It's just that there are quite a few of us who find the league somewhat less than transparent at times equitable with rules enforcement. Just sayin'.

 

[hawkfan68]

I'm not concerned about more calls. Calls are not the problem. It's the inconsistency from call to call or game to game that is the problem. Until that is corrected, nothing will change. Prime example is the last SB where they let things go until the last couple minutes of the game and then started making calls. That type of officiating is what ruining the game.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

Not so my friend, but without a doubt the league has screwed the Seahawks over more than once with rules changes so that those changes are almost always viewed with extreme suspicion by many fans of the team.

It's OK if you believe what you you are messaging. It's just that there are quite a few of us who find the league somewhat less than transparent at times equitable with rules enforcement. Just sayin'.

Not sure what your "not so" is about, but if it's about the first comment being how it affects Seattle, then you're clearly wrong.

There's a very silly "NFL HATES US" feeling by Hawk fans, on this board and elsewhere. It's absurd to think that the league is making rules that are designed to screw a handful of teams, which somehow almost always includes the Seahawks. Peyton Manning complains about NE BBs all over his WRs so the NFL cracks down on contact and on Hawks boards it was anarchy about the league hating South Alaska! When you complain about almost everything being against you, then nobody is going to take you seriously on anything. It's an amazing phenomenon how the NFL doesn't care about and/or ignores us yet also designs the majority of it's rule changes and emphases so that they go against us.

 

[TwistedHusky]

Well we literally watched a SB where a BS defensive penalty ended up giving the Rams an extra set of downs they needed for that TD. So not really surprised.
This makes it much easier to steer games. Which is likely the point.
Now the NFL can put certain teams in winning positions, to drive more money for those teams and for NFL merch/revenue streams.

But look the Rams 'are' SB Champions even if that drive was handed to them.

It isn't about 'screwing' a handful of teams. It is about driving success for a handful of teams so that certain revenue streams from certain media markets are maximized. It also allows the NFL to create new stars by granting them increased success.

You can create dynasties or collapse them just by how you enforce subjective penalties that significantly impact the success of the teams on the field.

 

[jammerhawk]

For sure there is a small group of fans who think the league conspires against the team but then again there is a small group here that perpetually thinks the sky is falling like Eeyore. Seattle has however some evidence that they have been the subject of some pretty shoddy refereeing decisions that have cost the team post season play or real success in important games. All in all though I don't think the very first comment is the league is trying to "get the Seahawks" with rules changes. some go there and as you point out this is misplaced silly thinking, still though I know the team was screwed over in SBXL and phantom calls were made by a referee who has since apologized.

This latest 'rules emphasis' won't help the team's young CBs, but may help the team's offence. To me though it is right to look at it with suspicion.

 

[Seahawks Guy]

Illegal contact is stupid. They couldn't even name the foul after something that sounds significantly impeding to the other team, like holding, roughing, pass interference, etc.

Contact that is illegal. Oh no, the defender made contact! Can't have that in football!

I'd prefer fewer automatic-first-down penalties in the game. Even if it's called fairly, it feels like if we are just getting bailed out on offense, and then on defense (especially a third down stop), it's devestating.