The NFL will never be without many problematic things that will taint the outcome of games, but there is one that they could probably deal with if it really wanted to: inconsistency with some of the officiating calls. Due to the human element inconsistencies will always exist, but if the rules actually made a little more sense many of them could disappear.
For example, during the early games Sunday two players were ejected after making incidental contact with an official. They were ejected. Another started a fight and just got a flag.
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| @CorkGaines/Twitter |
In the image above you can see that Carolina Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly could not tell who was grabbing him from behind when he shrugged him off. Since his forearm came in contact with the ref he was flagged and ejected.
Indianapolis Colts defensive lineman Erik Walden's case was a little different in that the ref stepped in between him and one of the Bengals, but the end result was the same. Walden shrugged off the ref's arm as the official pushed him back. He was flagged and ejected.
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| @SBNationGIF/Twitter |
Here we have Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith attacking a defender that is on the ground after the play. He had to be seperated from the defender by a ref, but since he did not contact the ref himself he was flagged for fighting (unsportsmanlike conduct).
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| @SBNationGIF/Twitter |
This is ridiculous. Protecting the officials is a good thing. These guys are not equipped to handle taking much of a blow from a player. So it is necessary to make players hitting refs a penalty. It is even reasonable to make any contact with officials a penalty in order to get the point across.
But to eject a guy when he had no idea who was grabbing him? Or for brushing a refs hand off of him?
And not for fighting?
That's just plain stupid.
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