"All-star" officiating crew for Rams-Chiefs game

[Eleazar]

NFL ups intensity with all-star officials for Rams-Chiefs game

Kevin Seifert
ESPN.com NFL Nation



The NFL took the unusual step this week of assigning an "all-star" officiating crew to the most highly anticipated game of the season, adding to the playofflike frenzy for Monday night's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams.

Referee Clete Blakeman will work the game with only two members of his regular crew, umpire Ramon George and down judge Dana McKenzie. The other five officials -- including Jim Lapetina, who will handle replay -- were plucked from four other crews.

The approach is similar to how the NFL assigns officials to playoff games, a process that is based on performance and seniority rather than crew. But it is rarely, if ever, employed before the postseason. Officials typically work on the same eight-person crews throughout the regular season to maximize continuity and familiarity among members.

Individual crew members are occasionally juggled for health or scheduling reasons. But a series of actions this season have indicated the league is moving away from the consistent crew concept, in favor of a more aggressive administration of officiating. Earlier this season, the league bounced down judge Hugo Cruz among four crews before ultimately making him its first-ever official to be fired for performance during the season.

NFL spokesman Michael Signora confirmed Sunday that "there is a rotation amongst the crews throughout the season." Signora did not provide details on the decision to overhaul Blakeman's crew for Monday night's game.

An officiating source said Sunday that the five officials added to Monday night's crew are all highly respected and have performed well this season.

The Chiefs-Rams game, originally scheduled to be played in Mexico City before it was relocated to Los Angeles, is a rare matchup. Since 1970, there have been only four other games pitting teams with one or fewer losses this late in the season. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the latest matchup ever between two teams averaging at least 33 points per game.

The following is the full crew for Monday night's game, as listed on the official flip card published by the NFL, with the officials' permanent referee in parentheses:


Referee: Clete Blakeman

Umpire: Ramon George (Blakeman)

Down judge: Dana McKenzie (Blakeman)

Line judge: Rusty Baynes (John Hussey)

Field judge: Dale Shaw (Jerome Boger)

Side judge: Brad Freeman (Clay Martin)

Back judge: Tony Steratore (Boger)

Replay: Jim Lapetina (Brad Allen)



http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...ff-rams-chiefs

[Mecca]

The Chiefs still had a chance to win but for anyone to tell me there isn't a problem with the NFL officials is just turning a blind eye.

For me to believe that they aren't intentionally ****ing with games you want me to believe that they are so bad at their jobs they should all be fired.

But hey defend the refs, more power to you.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Eleazar

The conspiracy loons always point out the fact that we get called for a lot more penalties than our opponents, never considering the fact the we might actually commit more. By their logic if the penalties aren't even, then that's hard evidence of bias against us. Never considered is the simplest explanation, that we just happen to commit a lot of penalties.

We're way above the league average in almost every category of penalty, and many of these are pre-snap penalties, or other penalties like hands to the face that are not subjective.

The refs are not making our guys false start. They aren't making people jump offside. They don't force people's hands up into facemasks or get people to grab handfuls of receivers' jerseys.

If there's some massive bias here, show it. Show us all these penalties that are BS against us or getting ignored for our opponents. Rarely do you see that, mostly you just hear that it's impossible that a very disciplined team like the Patriots could have a game where they commit few penalties. No evidence, just the claim that they couldn't have done it. But since this is a massive conspiracy in every game, there should be a ton of specific examples of clearly false flags being thrown.

Of course, some things are missed in every game, whether the Chiefs are playing in that game or not. Some things like holding and PI are somewhat subjective. But we largely do not have an argument against the flags we are getting. Every time they show the replay it seems like the DB has an arm around a guy as he's coming out of his break or he's got a handful of jersey or he's in contact before the ball arrives and isn't playing the ball.

We've got a mediocre offensive line that's holding and getting a lot of false starts because they are undisciplined and not very good. We have a secondary that's getting a lot of holding and DPI because they are undisciplined and not very good. This really isn't hard to figure out.

I am not a conspiracy theorist and really the only game that I have a major problem with was the Pats game. There is no way in hell you can go through an entire NFL game, one where holding happens on every play, and not get a single penalty.

I just want consistency and fairness, either it call it for both teams or don't call it all.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

Some teams get the benefit of the doubt because of star players. It doesn't mean it's a conspiracy to change games.

I also think some refs would rather eat a flag here and there rather than get yelled at an hour by someone like Belichick. That's one of my problems with Andy. Andy rarely loses his cool. Andy should have freaked out about the false starts, but he doesn't. If the tv shows Andy turning all shades of purple arguing about a call, it somewhat forces the announcers to talk about it and make it an issue. Tomlin will occasionally take one for the team and risk a fine , but Andy never will. If your head coach isn't going take a bullet then **** it don't expect anything to change.

Coaches and markets..like I don't for a second believe Reid coaches any different than he did in Philly and I'm pretty sure his team being disciplined and not getting penalties was always a talking point every week there.

[dirk digler]

Though I really shouldn't be surprised it is like this in other sports, especially in the NBA where the home teams gets all the calls.

It is what is I guess, just need to make sure we got HFA.

[gold_and_red]

I don't believe refs deliberately steer games towards a planned outcome. It is too easy to spill the beans (after retirement) and bring down the NFL. The real issues are
- Game play is just too fast even for a trained eye to catch every detail, no way I am trusting a group of humans to make split second decisions with any consistency
- Rules are highly subject to interpretation
- Defensive penalties resulting in spot fouls or automatic first downs making it too easy to sustain scoring drives, all it takes is one untimely flag
- Timing of the flag for e.g. start of 3rd quarter vs last two minutes
- Plain incompetence aka Jeff Triplette

[Pasta Little Brioni]

They sure saw that hold on Fisher in the playoffs against Pitt, but " didn't see" the blatant Squeeler hold on their game clinching pass to run out the clock.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Add Tyreek’s BS taunting and Peters taking off his helmet on the field yet no call.

That’s 9 examples that these butt****ing morons are ignoring because we got 1 or 2 calls ourselves.

Sounds fair.

And you're missing the most blatant one that wasn't called. Suh's personal foul against Mahomes.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by The Pest

And you're missing the most blatant one that wasn't called. Suh's personal foul against Mahomes.

Yup, can’t believe I forgot about that. Ford barely grazing Rosen’s helmet was a penalty but that wasn’t?

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Originally Posted by The Pest

And you're missing the most blatant one that wasn't called. Suh's personal foul against Mahomes.

Cost us four points. Could have scored 70 on them with the calls LA got...officiating matters

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Add Tyreek’s BS taunting and Peters taking off his helmet on the field yet no call.

That’s 9 examples that these butt****ing morons are ignoring because we got 1 or 2 calls ourselves.

Sounds fair.

Hill's taunting penalty was the correct call, he directly looked at the guy chasing him and taunted him. I don't like it but it was the correct call.

Agree about Peters taking off his helmet and not getting it called. Like I said they need to call the game consistently, which they don't.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

Hill's taunting penalty was the correct call, he directly looked at the guy chasing him and taunted him. I don't like it but it was the correct call.

Agree about Peters taking off his helmet and not getting it called. Like I said they need to call the game consistently, which they don't.

Then Peters should have been called for taunting. He pushed his player off of Mahomes and then climbed on top of him....and then had to be pulled off. Whether he was shit talking or not.....that's a ****ing penalty every day of the week. Not called.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by The Pest

Then Peters should have been called for taunting. He pushed his player off of Mahomes and then climbed on top of him....and then had to be pulled off. Whether he was shit talking or not.....that's a ****ing penalty every day of the week. Not called.

Exactly. Like Mecca said it’s about consistency.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by The Pest

Then Peters should have been called for taunting. He pushed his player off of Mahomes and then climbed on top of him....and then had to be pulled off. Whether he was shit talking or not.....that's a ****ing penalty every day of the week. Not called.

Agreed just like Suh hitting Mahomes in the helmet.

Once again, no consistency

[The Franchise]

In 3 penalties.....that's 45 yards (including a new set of downs for us) that were blatantly not ****ing called by the refs.

Peters lays on Brady? Easy penalty.
Suh rips Brady back like that on a slide? Easy penalty and a fine.
Peters takes his helmet off against the Patriots? Called 100% of the time.

[Mecca]

Originally Posted by gold_and_red

I don't believe refs deliberately steer games towards a planned outcome. It is too easy to spill the beans (after retirement) and bring down the NFL. The real issues are
- Game play is just too fast even for a trained eye to catch every detail, no way I am trusting a group of humans to make split second decisions with any consistency
- Rules are highly subject to interpretation
- Defensive penalties resulting in spot fouls or automatic first downs making it too easy to sustain scoring drives, all it takes is one untimely flag
- Timing of the flag for e.g. start of 3rd quarter vs last two minutes
- Plain incompetence aka Jeff Triplette

The NFL treats this shit like the mafia man...these guys are indoctrinated to not say shit, announcers won't even do it.