The NFL's competition committee reportedly will talk about the possibility of making flags reviewableGETTY IMAGES
Cowboys COO, Exec VP & Dir of Player Personnel Stephen Jones "didn’t sound overly enthusiastic about allowing penalties to be reviewed" following the controversial no-call during the NFC Championship, according to Drew Davison of the Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM. Jones is a member of the NFL's competition committee, and he indicated that the committee "meets more than any committee in the NFL in terms of work that goes into looking at the rules." However, he said of making penalties reviewable, “I don’t think, at the end of the day, it’s good for the game. ... Certainly you don’t want to officiate from replay” (Ft. Worth STAR-TELEGRAM, 1/23). Falcons Owner Arthur Blank said officiating is “an issue that the league will look at again," though he was "not sure” Sunday's game would be enough to bring a change. He said, "The officials do a great job for us throughout the year. You have 22 really big men moving really quickly and it's easy to miss some things." He added, "The owners take the game really seriously ... as integrity and transparency is critical to the NFL. We'll make sure that we do the right thing for all the right reasons going forward” ("CBS This Morning," 1/23). Patriots Owner Robert Kraft said the league has to be "diligent about trying to get (officiating mistakes) corrected." He added, "We have human errors sometimes, but we have to move on. It's unfortunate" ("GMA," ABC, 1/23).
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED? In Austin, Kirk Bohls writes he would support "allowing coaches to challenge any call they wish with their two challenges, pass interference included." Bohls asks, "Why not, when that play is just as significant as a spot or a completion?" (AUSTIN AMERICAN-STATESMAN, 1/23). In Oklahoma City, Berry Tramel writes the NFL "often makes decisions based on the emotionalism of one singular play," which means "absolutely something will change, now that a Super Bowl participant likely was determined by an officiating mistake." The "likely change: more plays will be subject to replay review," including the "judgment calls of pass interference" (OKLAHOMAN, 1/23).
THANK U, NEXT: USA TODAY's Nancy Armour writes there is "no doubt the NFL cringes at these types of embarrassments, especially when they involve officiating," but there is "no denying these controversies are part of what make the NFL the country’s favorite and most intoxicating soap opera." The league "always gives us something to argue and debate, a reason why, even if we wanted to, we cannot quit the game." The NFL has "yet to address the officiating errors or their impacts," but when it does, that "will dominate the news cycle for another day or so." Armour: "The appeal of the NFL remains undefeated" (USA TODAY, 1/23). SI.com's Andrew Brandt wrote the NFL "knows there is always a new news cycle to dissipate whatever 'crisis' may be in the news." And "lucky for the league, the discussion has already turned" to Super Bowl LIII. Despite that, the silence from Park Ave. is "not a good look for the league" (SI.com, 1/22).
NEW ORLEANS IS DEALING WELL: The New Orleans City Council "will file a formal resolution calling for tighter play-review and conflict-of-interest rules" in the NFL following the Rams-Saints game. City Council VP Helena Moreno in a statement said that she "plans to file a resolution urging NFL executives to 'ignite' a review of referee rules, replay technology and 'an evaluation of how the NFL assesses conflicts of interest within the Officiating Department.'" In New Orleans, Beau Evans notes it was "not immediately clear in the news release what is meant by 'conflicts of interest.'" All seven City Council members are "co-sponsoring the resolution" (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/23). Also in New Orleans, Christopher Dabe notes a local resident has "paid for up to two weeks worth of signage on billboards" throughout Atlanta so that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell "could see them" in the lead-up to Super Bowl LIII. Matt Bowers, who paid for the signs, said, “Something like that can’t happen and then there’s just silence” (New Orleans TIMES-PICAYUNE, 1/23). Bowers added, “I’m going to humiliate and harass and embarrass (the NFL) leading up to the Super Bowl” (WASHINGTON POST, 1/23).
