It’s Time For The NFL To Expand Replay

Rich McKay, the chairman of the NFL’s competition committee, told USA Today Tuesday that there continues to be a “pushback” across the league at the proposal to expand replay to include the review of penalties following a controversial call Monday night.

Perhaps the NFL should reconsider their stance in favor of a system that allows officials to correct their mistakes not only for turnovers and touchdown receptions, but also for penalties that, as seen Monday, can drastically impact the outcome of a game.

The committee determined in March that replay “was not intended to replace the subjective judgment of an on-field official with the subjective judgment of a replay official,” according to Will Brinson of CBS Sports.

In this statement, the committee is likely referring to judgement calls made regularly by the NFL’s officials like a pass interference call that could be argued both ways.

But when the Seattle Seahawks and Detroit Lions met Monday night, Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson fumbled the ball into the end zone and Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright illegally batted the ball out of the end zone. The officials blatantly missed the call:

Perhaps this incorrect non-call will spark more conversation around the league to allow for an even slightly expanded replay system. The NFL may want to consider revisions to their replay system that allows teams to challenge calls made in the final two minutes of a game.

It’s in the final two minutes of a close game that close calls are magnified and heavily scrutinized. If the NFL wanted to go a step further to avoid challenging “subjective calls,” they could elect to outline a strict list of penalties that would be eligible to challenge.

The NFL would likely be against allowing common penalties like holding and encroachment to be challenged. But clear cut penalties as seen Monday night should at least be eligible to be challenged in the final minutes.

ESPN’s John Clayton offered a similar stance in January: “coaches have two challenges a game, and that’s not going to increase. What’s there to lose by including everything under review?”

Penalties, much like a turnover, can swing the outcome of games. It’s time for the NFL to get this right.