Tag: NFL Officiating

Ron Torbert’s officiating crew is out of control in Falcons-Jets game

Referee Ron Torbert seems to think it’s all about him and his crew in a messy game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Jets.

Perhaps veteran referee Ron Torbert was inspired by Clete Blakeman’s need for face time in Thursday’s game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks. Perhaps he was bored by his assignment — a game between the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Jets. We would understand the second motivation. But this stretch of penalties in that game was… a bit extreme.

We’re not going to make you sit through every one of Torbert’s calls, but let’s just say that they were highly suspect.

Perhaps the NFL should start penalizing officials if they call more than a certain number of penalties, because this is getting utterly out of hand. The game ain’t about you, stripes…

Seahawks miss field goal after Clete Blakeman’s crew forgets to re-set the play clock

The Seahawks lost an easy field goal try against the Cowboys when Clete Blakeman’s crew forgot to reset the play clock.

Section 2, Article 2 of the NFL Rule Book states that “In the event of certain administrative stoppages or other delays, a team will have 25 seconds, beginning with the Referee’s whistle, to put the ball in play next by a snap or a kick.”

That didn’t happen for the Seattle Seahawks with Clete Blakeman’s officiating crew with 1:01 left in the first quarter of their Thursday night game against the Dallas Cowboys. Seattle kicker Jason Myers was set to try a 37-yard field goal, but the Seahawks were pushed back five yards for a delay of game penalty. Myers subsequently missed the 42-yard attempt wide right.

There were two issues with Blakeman’s call. First, in re-setting the ball for the field goal try, the officials didn’t give Seattle enough time to kick, because they didn’t reset the play clock.

Then, there’s the matter of Pete Carroll screaming for a time out before the play clock hit zero, to no avail.

We’re more than used to NFL officials making mistakes this season, but when an experienced referee like Blakeman can’t even get the simple procedural stuff right, it does make one wonder.

The NFL’s Worst of the Week: Bad officiating, Steelers’ offense, Dion Dawkins’ flop, Quentin Johnston’s drop

More bad officiating! The Steelers’ broken offense! Dion Dawkins’ flop! Quentin Johnston’s drop! It’s time for the NFL’s Worst of the Week!

Football is a wonderful, thrilling, inspiring game that can lift us to new heights in our lives.

But football is also a weird, inexplicable, at times downright stupid game that may force you to perform Keith Moon-level furniture destruction in your own living room.

So, as much as we at Touchdown Wire endeavor to write about what makes the game great, there are also times when it’s important to point out the dumb plays, boneheaded decisions, and officiating errors that make football all too human.

Folks, it’s time for the Worst of the Week for Week 11 of the 2023 NFL season.

Ron Torbert’s officiating crew misses clear helmet hit from Broncos’ Kareem Jackson

Broncos safety Kareem Jackson is a repeat offender when it comes to leading with his helmet. But Ron Torbert’s crew missed a clear example.

If there’s one guy in the NFL whose tendency to launch himself at opposing  players should be easily caught by referees, it’s Demver Broncos safety Kareem Jackson. This season, Jackson had been ejected from two different games, fined four different times, and suspended for two games due to his unnecessary roughness penalties.

Jackson was back for Sunday night’s game against the Minnesota Vikings, and per our friends at Broncos Wire, he vowed to change his style of play.

“I probably have to adjust it a little bit,” Jackson said in a recent interview with KMGH-TV’s Troy Renck. “As far as the tackling — lowering the target — I’ll try my best to do that.

“Definitely don’t want to be in this situation again. As far as going forward, I’m sure I’ll be in situations — these bang-bang plays — so for me, it’s all about staying on the field and not having to go through this again.”

Well, on the Vikings’ third play from scrimmage, tight end T.J. Hockenson took a direct snap and handed the ball to quarterback Josh Dobbs in what became a Dobbs fumble. How did that happen? Well, Jackson launched himself, leading with his helmet.

Not only was this targeting, but Jackson appeared to go right for Dobbs’ throwing shoulder. Dobbs was okay, but this could have been a lot worse.

NBC rules expert and former NFL referee Terry McAulay seemed to see it pretty clearly.

Why Ron Torbert’s officiating crew didn’t call a penalty here is beyond us, except that it’s Reason No. 349.108 that officiating in the NFL has become inexcusably bad this season.

The Broncos were allowed to keep the ball, and kicked a field goal on their subsequent drive.

NFL fines Emmanuel Forbes for hit that resulted in his disqualification in Week 10

As if the bogus ejection wasn’t enough.

It’s that time of the week. You know, the time when NFL players learn of the fines they’ve received from the week before. Sometimes, players are surprisingly fined for something that didn’t even draw a penalty flag in the previous game.

In last week’s last-second loss to the Seattle Seahawks, rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes drew a flag for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Seahawks wideout Tyler Lockett. The flag was legitimate, but what happened afterward was not.

Officials convened after the flag and kicked Forbes out of the game. It’s rare a player is removed from the game for a helmet-to-helmet hit unless he is a repeat offender. It was Forbes’ first such penalty.

On Saturday, per John Keim of ESPN, we learned that Forbes was indeed penalized for $15,563.

That’s not a surprise. Players are fined each week for similar penalties from the week before.

What made matters worse was Forbes was removed from the game by officials at the league office in New York – not by game officials. It’s something that upset Commanders defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio.

“The penalty I understood,” Del Rio said. It was deserving of a penalty. But the ejection, for a first-time offense, on play six or whatever it was of the game, that was shocking.”

The ejection drew criticism from all around the NFL.

More from Del Rio.

“The fact that he wasn’t ejected by the officials on the field, he was ejected by somebody sitting in an air-conditioned room in New York, that’s troubling,” Del Rio said. “I think that’s troubling for the league.”

He’s right. Those in the NFL offices have the benefit of slow motion, multiple replays and different views on every play. It shouldn’t have taken long for anyone to realize that Forbes’ hit wasn’t egregious.

For the 2nd staight week, ex-NFL director of officiating says officials got it wrong with the Commanders

The officials got it wrong with the Commanders — again.

The Washington Commanders were involved in one of the most controversial officiating calls of Week 9. Rookie defensive end K.J. Henry sacked New England QB Mac Jones, but the sack was overturned, and Henry was flagged for a 15-yard penalty.

It was a horrendous call that gave the Patriots a free three points. Fortunately, it didn’t cost the Commanders the game.

Afterward, FOX Sports rules analyst and former NFL director of officiating Dean Blandino weighed in and said the officials got it wrong. It should not have been called a penalty.

One week later, the Commanders were again on the wrong end of a bad officiating decision.

Rookie cornerback Emmanuel Forbes hit Seattle wide receiver Tyler Lockett in the first quarter. It was quickly flagged. Replays show that while the hit wasn’t dirty, Forbes did lead with his head. That was the correct call.

However, the officials went a step further; after convening, they ejected the 170-pound Forbes from the game. It was a terrible decision.

On Monday, Blandino weighed in. He again agreed the officials got it wrong. While Blandino agreed that Forbes should have been flagged for the hit, he should not have been disqualified from the game.

“There’s no question this was a foul,” Blandino said via The 33rd Team. He then went on to explain the rule and how Lockett was a defenseless receiver.

But, Blandino believes the officials erred in removing Forbes from the game.

Blandino explained that when he worked for the NFL, ejections usually came when players fought, and punches were thrown, etc. Officials tried to stay away from punishing players for something that happened during a football play unless it was flagrant or egregious.

Blandino believes that players shouldn’t be disqualified if it’s a bang-bang play and they don’t have time to react or they are making a play on the ball. That was certainly the case with Forbes on Sunday.

Now, on Forbes, Blandino explains why it was the wrong call.

“To me, I didn’t think this was a disqualification,” Blandino stated. “Forbes was covering Kenneth Walker, and then as Lockett comes across the formation, he had to quickly shift his focus as the ball was in the air. I thought it was a bang-bang play. Lockett dropped the ball, so it’s tough to say whether he was trying to dislodge the ball, but both feet were on the ground, there was no launch, and Lockett’s level did change. So, to me, it’s not a disqualification.”

There you have it. Another terrible decision by NFL officiating. And to make matters worse, Forbes will still likely be fined, even after he was wrongly removed from the game.

 

4-Down Territory: Stroud vs. Young, Ravens at the top, coaches on the edge, Worst of the Week

Stroud vs. Young? Are the Ravens the NFL’s best? Which coach needs to go? What’s the Worst of the Week? It’s all in 4-Down Territory!

With nine weeks of actual football in the books for the 2023 NFL season, it’s time for Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire, and Kyle Madson of Niners Wire, to come to the table with their own unique brand of analysis in “4-Down Territory.”

This week, the guys have some serious questions to answer we pass the halfway point for a league that no longer has a halfway point:

  1. Should the Carolina Panthers have drafted C.J. Stroud instead of Bryce Young?
  2. Are the Baltimore Ravens the NFL’s best team?
  3. Which coach or coordinator might deserve an early exit from his current position?
  4. What was your Worst of the Week?

You can watch this week’s episode of “4-Down Territory” right here:

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You can also listen and subscribe to the “4-Down Territory” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Former head of NFL officiating: Commanders DE K.J. Henry’s ‘sack’ should not have been a penalty

Ex–director of NFL officiating: K.J. Henry’s sack was not a penalty.

Washington Commanders rookie defensive end K.J. Henry experienced the first action of his NFL career in Sunday’s 20-17 win over the New England Patriots.

After last week’s trades of starting DEs Montez Sweat and Chase Young, Henry was active for the first time this season and played nine snaps in the game.

During the third quarter, Henry took advantage of that playing time, sacking Mac Jones while also forcing the fumble, which defensive end Efe Obada recovered. Washington football around midfield.

Wait a minute, there’s a flag.

Unbelievably, the officials called Henry for roughing the passer. Not only did it negate his first career sack, but also took a turnover off the board and put the Patriots in field-goal range. The Patriots would kick the field goal a few plays later, and it would be their last points of the day.

Head coach Ron Rivera didn’t want to discuss it after the game, and Henry took a lighthearted approach to the penalty.

On Monday, former head of NFL officiating and now a rules analyst for FOX Sports and a contributor to The 33rd Team, Dean Blandino, weighed in and agreed: It should not have been a penalty.

Here’s the video:

The biggest takeaway from Blandino, in his own words:

“This is not a foul,” he said. “What K.J. Henry does is just tackle the quarterback. Because defenders, it’s really hard to get off to the side. To me, this is just a sack. I think we’ve gone too far, and I really hope the competition committee looks at these calls in the offseason and gives the officiating department and the officials some new direction.”

There you have it, folks. It was not a sack. Surprise: The NFL got it wrong. Fortunately for the Commanders, while it did cost them points, it did not cost them the game.

NFL officials offer explanation for terrible roughing the passer penalty on Commanders DE K.J. Henry

The NFL attempts to explain K.J. Henry’s terrible roughing the passer penalty.

It seems like each week around the NFL, officiating does something that makes you think it’s reached a new low.

In Sunday’s game between the Washington Commanders and New England Patriots, we have a new contender for the “worst call of the year.”

On New England’s first possession of the third quarter, facing a third-and-10, Commanders rookie defensive end K.J. Henry beats the left tackle around the edge to sack quarterback Mac Jones. In the process, Jones fumbled and defensive end Efe Obada recovered. The Commanders would have excellent starting field position.

Wait, there’s a flag.

Unbelievably, officials flagged Henry for roughing the passer, negating the rookie’s first career sack and a Washington turnover, and immediately putting the Patriots into field-goal range.

Here’s the play.

It was a horrible call and could’ve cost Washington the game. Afterward, referee Adrian Hill attempted to explain the NFL’s latest mistake.

“I was the calling official, and the call was roughing the passer due to full body weight,” Hill said via Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post. “The ruling on the field was that the defender came down with forceable contact, chest to chest. He didn’t perform one of those acts to remove most of that body weight — a gator roll or a clear to the side when he was coming in. He came down directly with that force on the player, so the category was full body weight.”

Does that explanation satisfy you?

Hill then explains the gator roll.

I mean, this is football.

Henry did nothing wrong and should be celebrating his first NFL sack, which would have also forced a turnover.

Studs and duds from Commanders’ 20-17 win over Patriots

Who shined in Washington’s win over the New England? Who struggled? Studs and duds are here.

The Washington Commanders played their first game without Montez Sweat and Chase Young both out of the lineup together for the first time since 2021 on Sunday. Sweat and Young were traded ahead of last week’s NFL trade deadline, taking 11.5 sacks of production with them.

Washington responded with a 20-17 road win over the New England Patriots to improve to 5-2 on the season. Quarterback Sam Howell completed 29 of 45 passes for 325 yards with one touchdown and one interception in leading Washington to the win.

The Commanders finished with 432 yards of total offense against Bill Belichick’s defense.

Here is the latest version of studs and duds after Washington’s Week 9 win.