From Pro Football Talk: Zimmer bites his tongue . . .

[dadevike]

Getty Images

On Thanksgiving, the Vikings beat not only the 11 players in Honolulu blue and silver but also the folks in black and white stripes.
At least three horrible calls from referee Tony Corrente’s crew helped open the door for a potential Detroit Lions comeback. From a catch by receiver Kenny Golladay that set up a touchdown that cut the score at the half from 20-3 to 20-10 (the ball hit the ground and moved, and it was much more clear and obvious that the Zach Miller reversal from earlier in the season) to a horrific pass interference non-call when receiver Stefon Diggs was mugged as the ball was landing on what would have helped the Vikings stretch the lead to 30-13 or 34-13 to a goofy taunting call on quarterback Case Keenum for flipping the ball in the direction of Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah, it almost seemed as if the officials were trying to give the game to the home team.
After the game, Vikings coach Mike Zimmer stopped short, somehow, of getting himself in trouble with the league office.
“We almost lost our composure a couple times,” Zimmer said. “We study each crew going into the game. I told them it could be like this today. They’ve got to play clean, smart football and (long, awkward pause] . . . I shouldn’t say anything else.”
I’ll say it for him. It was bad enough to trigger two thoughts. One, pass interference must be reviewable. Even though it’s inherently a judgment call, sometimes it’s clear and obvious that the judgment was applied completely incorrectly. Second, while I’m a firm believer that the fix is never in, moments like this make me wonder whether the ratings dip has resulted in an unspoken message to give calls to a team that is on the verge of getting blown out, in order to help avoid it. And if I’m wondering, other people are, too.
Several years ago, the Commissioner admitted that he always roots for the team that is trailing. At the time he said it, the league continued to be in unchecked growth mode. Now that the pie is shrinking, maybe it makes sense to find a not-so-subtle way to keep games closer.
That said, I still don’t believe it’s happening. Incompetence in these matters is always a more reasonable explanation than design. But with mistakes that are so obvious and with limited procedures for fixing them, it’s not crazy to at least wonder whether human error is being steered a certain way. To avoid that kind of thinking, the league needs to be committed to correcting all correctable errors.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Why let the officials off without a comment?  Leadership is the essence of Zimmer's job. Don't leave it to others to stand up for your team. That's his job. Do it. You will get fined. Pay the fine. And then do it again.

[Guest]

The league has a process,  it needs to be improved.  If players get fined for actions detrimental to the league,  these officials need to be fined for botching obvious calls.   I agree with who ever said that the owners need to be the one to demand to the other owners that the league get better officiating.  Nobody will ever call a perfect game,  but sometimes they need to try.

[Guest]

I'm not complaining about an imperfect game. There is a huge gap between "competent but imperfect" on the one hand and "incompetent and/or biased" on the other.  I'm talking about the latter. 

Zimmer should accept an honest mistake; he should not accept a blatant screwing. And, yes, PI should be reviewable using the same standard as any reviewable call. That it is a judgment call is irrelevant. All calls are judgment calls.

[Guest]

I would like to see several of the replay stations around the field and an official should be given a 20 second opportunity to review a play that he thinks he might have missed.  now if it gets carried away then we need to look at replacing the official,  but in that instance yesterday it should have been called or at the very least the ref should have been saying he would like to take a quick second look.

also as far as the fix being in.. why does fox sometimes show all angles on a play but then not on others?  that replay at the goal line.. why didnt they show the reverse goal line camera angle?  we saw the same 2 angles over and over and the had to have at least 4-5 more angles on that sucker.  are the networks in cahoots with the league in determining outcomes?

[Guest]

Just do it like the NCAA for christ sakes, the officiating in college is a step above the NFL.  EVERY play is reviewed, it sounds cumbersome but in reality it's less disruptive than the crap the NFL does.  Do OT the same way too, it's like they can't do something once the NCAA does it to save face.  If it works do it.

[Guest]

The refs are held accountable...  they are graded each week on the calls they make (or don't make) during the course of the game.  This has been in place for a few years now.  It was a good move by the NFL because it ensures that these refs can't get too comfortable and some have been let go for repeated mistakes.  The grading system also determines which refs/crews will be able to ref the playoff games and Super Bowls.  I don't see any value in Zimmer publicly calling them out...  I'm sure he gave them an earful during the game.

[Guest]

i don't know that an earful during the game does anything. if he gave them an earful yesterday then it fell on deaf ears. Nobody likes being called out publicly. Maybe it won't work. But saying nothing definitely is not working. At least PFT is saying something. I suspect we will get one of those letters from the league saying "oops we missed one or two or three calls there. So sorry."  Zim should tell the league he does not want an apology letter. The league can keep their letter. Just make sure the refs call a fair game.

[Guest]

@Wetlander said:
The refs are held accountable...  they are graded each week on the calls they make (or don't make) during the course of the game.  This has been in place for a few years now.  It was a good move by the NFL because it ensures that these refs can't get too comfortable and some have been let go for repeated mistakes.  The grading system also determines which refs/crews will be able to ref the playoff games and Super Bowls.  I don't see any value in Zimmer publicly calling them out...  I'm sure he gave them an earful during the game.

That's all fine and good but yesterday screamed of "we need to keep this game close". That is what people are getting sick of watching and makes the NFL look like WWE.

[Guest]

@kmillard said:

@Wetlander said:
The refs are held accountable...  they are graded each week on the calls they make (or don't make) during the course of the game.  This has been in place for a few years now.  It was a good move by the NFL because it ensures that these refs can't get too comfortable and some have been let go for repeated mistakes.  The grading system also determines which refs/crews will be able to ref the playoff games and Super Bowls.  I don't see any value in Zimmer publicly calling them out...  I'm sure he gave them an earful during the game.

That's all fine and good but yesterday screamed of "we need to keep this game close". That is what people are getting sick of watching and makes the NFL look like WWE.

That was my exact thought.  National game to start off a big day, need to keep the fans in the game.

[Guest]

The "catch" they refer to was a huge play as well.  And the blocked FG where they came over the longsnapper was an easy call.