The questionable officiating is not anything knew as many NFL fans can attest. For far too many seasons now, the league has sent mixed messages in regards to flags, play reviews and fines. This weekend, it finally came down to an official determining the outcome of a game in Dallas versus the Lions. Many are saying that the pass interference flag that was overturned by the referees only cements the fact that Roger Godell & Company have a hand in the outcome of the games, ala the WWE.
For those that didn't see it or have been under a rock for the past 24-48 hours, the Lions had a 3rd in 7 late in the game and looked to convert a first down when the flag was thrown on pass interference by the Cowboys. The officials picked up the flag, waving it off without any clear-cut explanation as to why. It all happened in The House That Jerry Built, deep in the heart of Texas.
Referees are supposed to be rewarded for their excellence of execution during the regular season by working the postseason. If these refs are the best the NFL has to offer, then that speaks volumes to the porous performances of the remaining referees around the league. For several seasons now, the teams, players and fans have been subjected to controversial, contradictory calls. It is not unusual for a player to be fined for a play that was not flagged the week before. Just as it's a regular occurrence for the questionable interpretations of offensive holding, helmet-to-helmet and roughing the passer penalties.
How can the players and coaches effectively do their jobs when the league and their officials are constantly undermining them? How about fining the refs when they blow a call, same as fining players when they play outside the rules? Perhaps that will lessen the increasingly bad officiating that continues to plague the league.
And while we're at it, I realize player safety is at an all-time high in the league. However, it is likely to get to the point where the defense is eliminated from the game completely. They'll just have 2 offenses competing to score the most points in a game, with no defense on the other side of the ball. If you think Godell does this strictly for the good of the players, you're smoking something. The way Rog sees it, the higher the point total, the bigger the profit margin. Let's not go there. If the NFL continues to regulate the defense out of the game, then the NFL will be one-dimensional. Imagine an NFL without greats such as Ray Nitschke, Dick Butkus, Merlin Olsen, Alex Karras, and Deacon Jones. Not to mention "Mean" Joe Greene, Mel Blount, Jack Lambert, Lawrence Taylor and Brian Urlacher. There would be no "No-Name Defense", no "Purple People Eaters" , no "Orange Crush" and no "Steel Curtain".
Don't allow Roger Godell and his minions to take the football out of the National Football League. Let them play. And call it consistently. My name is Mrs. Black-N-Gold and I paid for this announcement. Thank you.
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