katmandu
01-07-2016, 05:54 PM
http://pit.247sports.com/Bolt/Steelers-Bengals-will-have-same-officials-from-Week-14-matchup-42625213
Steelers, Bengals will have same officials from Week 14 matchup
Saying that the NFL made a questionable choice with it's officiating decision for Saturday's Wild Card game between the Steelers and Bengals would be a vast understatement.
John Parry's officiating crew, the same crew that failed to police the extra curricular activities that took place the last time these two teams played back in Week 14, will be presiding over Saturday night's rubber match between the Steelers and Bengals.
So, just to make sure everyone understands, the officiating crew that finished fourth in the NFL in fewest called "behavior" penalties will get the call in a playoff game between arguably the two biggest rivals in the NFL.
Common sense is on Line 1, Commissioner Goodell.
If you remember that Week 14 game, one of more chippy games of the regular season, Parry's crew called just 11 penalties in that game, well below the league average for all games, according to ESPN (http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/195060/scouting-the-referees-for-wild-card-weekend).
While little flags were thrown, the league office sent out several fines in the days following the game, one to the Steelers receiver Antonio Brown (http://247sports.com/Player/Antonio-Brown-75967)(unnecessary roughness), another to Pittsburgh guard David DeCastro (http://247sports.com/Player/David-DeCastro-24369) (face mask), and three fines to Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict (http://247sports.com/Player/Vontaze-Burfict-23492) for three different plays that included his low hit on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (http://247sports.com/Player/Ben-Roethlisberger-75953), a hit that was not issued a penalty by Parry's crew.
The NFL is doing a disservice to both Bengals and Steelers fans. Instead of solely focusing on the actions, will fans now have to constantly be worried about late hits, cheap shots and missed calls on every single play?
While its unrealistic to expect the league to organize its officiating assignments based on the history of each matchup, the NFL should have chosen a crew with a stronger track record with regard to discipline rather than the crew that was near the bottom in that category during the regulars season.
Hopefully, Parry's crew will use last month's game between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati as a learning experience while knowing what to expect for the rubber match between these two teams.
The first two games between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were two of the roughest games of the season, and on Saturday, with both teams' seasons on the line, there's no reason to believe that this game won't follow suit.
Here's hoping Parry's crew does a better job policing the action on Saturday, so that the players don't have to.
Steelers, Bengals will have same officials from Week 14 matchup
Saying that the NFL made a questionable choice with it's officiating decision for Saturday's Wild Card game between the Steelers and Bengals would be a vast understatement.
John Parry's officiating crew, the same crew that failed to police the extra curricular activities that took place the last time these two teams played back in Week 14, will be presiding over Saturday night's rubber match between the Steelers and Bengals.
So, just to make sure everyone understands, the officiating crew that finished fourth in the NFL in fewest called "behavior" penalties will get the call in a playoff game between arguably the two biggest rivals in the NFL.
Common sense is on Line 1, Commissioner Goodell.
If you remember that Week 14 game, one of more chippy games of the regular season, Parry's crew called just 11 penalties in that game, well below the league average for all games, according to ESPN (http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/195060/scouting-the-referees-for-wild-card-weekend).
While little flags were thrown, the league office sent out several fines in the days following the game, one to the Steelers receiver Antonio Brown (http://247sports.com/Player/Antonio-Brown-75967)(unnecessary roughness), another to Pittsburgh guard David DeCastro (http://247sports.com/Player/David-DeCastro-24369) (face mask), and three fines to Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict (http://247sports.com/Player/Vontaze-Burfict-23492) for three different plays that included his low hit on Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (http://247sports.com/Player/Ben-Roethlisberger-75953), a hit that was not issued a penalty by Parry's crew.
The NFL is doing a disservice to both Bengals and Steelers fans. Instead of solely focusing on the actions, will fans now have to constantly be worried about late hits, cheap shots and missed calls on every single play?
While its unrealistic to expect the league to organize its officiating assignments based on the history of each matchup, the NFL should have chosen a crew with a stronger track record with regard to discipline rather than the crew that was near the bottom in that category during the regulars season.
Hopefully, Parry's crew will use last month's game between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati as a learning experience while knowing what to expect for the rubber match between these two teams.
The first two games between Pittsburgh and Cincinnati were two of the roughest games of the season, and on Saturday, with both teams' seasons on the line, there's no reason to believe that this game won't follow suit.
Here's hoping Parry's crew does a better job policing the action on Saturday, so that the players don't have to.