Two-Minute Drill: When are the Replacement Officials Coming Back? - jmik58's Blog

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Two-Minute Drill: When are the Replacement Officials Coming Back? Stuck

Posted on November 23, 2012 at 12:13 PM.

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College football randawesomeness packed into 120 seconds or less (reading levels not checked); getting you up to speed on the weekend ahead and dropping you off on a gravel road three miles outside of town.

KNEE AND ELBOW DOWN? TOUCHDOWN!

I usually try to stay away from the NFL when it comes to the TMD, but yesterday's officiating debacle in the Texans and Lions game is begging for a hero to save the day.

Houston running back Justin Forsett, who was clearly tackled to the ground, was allowed to get up and scamper for an 81-yard touchdown. The play was deemed non-reviewable because Lions coach Jim Scwartz threw a challenge flag which constitutes an unsportsmanlike penalty for challenging a play he couldn't challenge -- the play was going to be automatically reviewed as are all scoring plays.

The officials then ruled that because of Schwartz's penalty, the play was not reviewable. Since then, Schwartz has apologized for his bonehead move and the internet has lit up regarding this idiotic rule.

One problem though -- the ruling by the officials may have actually been wrong. As in, the play should have still been reviewed.

If you go to last line at the bottom of page 97 of the NFL Rulebook [click for .pdf link] you will clearly see the following: "[the Replay Official] cannot initiate a review of any ruling against a team that commits a foul that delays the next snap."

The rule essentially keeps a team from stalling so that a coach or the replay official might have more time to make a decision on whether to challenge a play or not, preventing the offense from quickly running the next play. In this case, the play was going to automatically be reviewed anyway so the penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct didn't delay the next snap at all.

In a Twitter conversation I had with former NFL supervisor of officials Jim Daopoulos it looks very possible that the NFL screwed up on this one in their wording of the rule. The league, however, is standing behind the interpretation made by the in-game officials.

AND THEN THERE WAS ONE

The year-long countdown has finally left us with a single undefeated team. Only one problem: we're not finished with the regular season yet. Oops!

That means nothing but good things for the SEC as they shove their way to the front of the line of the BCS, pointing at each other as justification for why they should be next in line for a shot at the national title. Meanwhile, Notre Dame just needs to beat USC on the road to take their place in the title game. If not, we could see a repeat of last year's all-SEC national championship game.

ROAD WARRIORS

So the entire home-field advantage thing really panned out well last week, expect it didn't. Out of my picks, only UCLA was able to hold home-court. Naturally, the next overreaction requires a flip in illogical thinking. It's time to revert to shallow analysis.

This week I'm taking Ohio State over #20 Michigan, #1 Notre Dame over USC, #14 Oklahoma over #22 Oklahoma State, #12 Clemson over #13 South Carolina, and #10 Florida State over #6 Florida.

SUPERMAN-ZIEL

In my observations of what the Heisman has become I've taken a little fire over my clipping of Johnny Manziel's campaign for the trophy. In the spirit of the season, I dedicate this week's Meme of the Week to all the Aggies homers and fire-ready-aim readers out there.

TMD's Meme of the Week: [CLICK FOR IMAGE].

LONG SNAPPER SPOTLIGHT

Last but not least, welcome again to the caboose of TMD's football train. Whether for good or bad, long snappers need lovin' too.

Here we go again with the injury news. San Diego Chargers long snapper Mike Windt is out against the Baltimore Ravens (and probably longer) with a broken wrist. In his place steps a man who has never snapped a single time in an NFL game -- Kyle Nelson.

Instead of heading to the kitchen for another round of Thanksgiving leftovers during punts and field goals, stay glued to the couch as an adventure may uncoil for the Chargers this week.

TMD's BOLD PREDICTION OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame will beat USC by double-digits.

(Share your Bold Prediction of the Week in the comments section below)

Justin Mikels is a staff writer for Operation Sports. Follow him on Twitter: @long_snapper

Comments

# 1 Bull_Dozer @ Nov 23

That blown call on the touchdown was sickening. Stuff like that makes me stop watching, as there is zero integrity in the NFL when calls like that are allowed to stand.

# 2 bccards13 @ Nov 23

Forsett was clearly down on the play, both in real time and replay. I'm a Texans fan so I'm not going to argue against the call but the play was clearly a stop.

# 3 Raw Energy @ Nov 23

Yup cost my Team the win shifted Momentum big time.

# 4 cusefan74 @ Nov 23

I agree that Forsett was down, but in the last few weeks there has been several reviews that should have been overturned and they weren't. So would it have even made a difference? Was it the same game that when Detroit punted and it bounced off the Texans blocker and was recovered by the Lions, and they gave the ball to Houston, and after review the play stood, even they it clearly went off the blocker? So you never know which way the review is gonna go anymore.

# 5 Jimbo614 @ Nov 24

I have a theory; Over the years there have been many notable Officiating mishaps. What's unusual is the high incidence on specifically Thanksgiving Day. My theory is that only the lowest rated or least experienced Refs work on Thanksgiving Day. Especially the Detroit game since it's earliest in the day. The veteran refs all know this should be a day off. They want to be home with their families. So they don't volunteer to work the holiday. Just like most places of employment.
So we get what amounts to the third shift team working these games. It might be the only week that 17th crew gets to work a game together. Well, there's probably a reason why it's the 17th crew, witness the debacle in Detroit.

# 6 scottyo60 @ Nov 24

Or Jimbo614 it's fixed