It is not unusual for a former NFL referee to work in the media, and it is not unusual to support the former colleagues in controversial calls, but that does not happen on Sunday.
With the 22-21 lead and the important 4th & 1, Bills QB Josharen stopped before reaching the first downyard (or at least seemed to be stopped). The impact of not going down first cannot be exaggerated. He owned Chiefs, scored immediately, won the game, and punched a ticket to the Super Bowl.
The officials of the field reviewed and confirmed the play. Jim Nantz and Tony Romo regenerated and analyzed it on CBS broadcasting. In the discussion, the CBS rules analyst Gene Stellatore also measured the weight and took the staff to make the wrong call.
“I felt like I got it in about one -third of soccer, gym,” said Stellatore. “That was my view of my play. Tough and tough play.”
Certainly it was a hard play. But it didn't have to be so strict. Allen had a back to the officials who found the ball (not to say that he was drape into the chief defender), so he did not see the ball. Allen was facing a far -side official, who was likely to have a better visibility, but he first determined that Allen's progress was sufficient for the first down.
However, if you adopt the sensor technology already used by other sports leagues, the debate will be resolved and the appropriate call will be performed every time.
“Technology exists to do it correctly,” he said. I wrote on sunday. “The only problem is whether NFL will make a leap. The ball is exactly whether the player records touchdown or whether the first down has been obtained in relation to the AFC championship on Sunday night. You need to equip a digital component that can be measured.
Everyone guess why NFL does not accept the technology, but time has come.
