The Detroit Lions lost a Monday Night Football game to the Seattle Seahawks after a blatant blunder by officials, and the NFL is looking to make sure that doesn’t happen again. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, one of the possible expansions of the instant replay system would be to allow the league’s officiating office to make changes on the field themselves to avoid more bad calls affecting games.
Late-game blunders pushing NFL to expand replay system
A bad call at the end of a Monday Night Football game between the Seahawks and Lions could result in rule changes for instant replay.
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Ian Rapoport of NFL Network first reported that “momentum” was building for replay expansion, which would open up more plays than ever to be reviewable by officials. La Canfora says that the league’s officiating office could make an impact too, though.
That could have made a difference already in one game, when an illegal batting penalty wasn't called against Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright at the end of a Monday Night Football game against the Lions. The no-call swapped possession from the Lions to the Seahawks and secured a victory for Seattle.
The incorrect call likely cost the Lions a win and caused a lot of chatter for the replay system to have more safeguards to avoid a similar game result. Via La Canfora:
The events of the last two weeks have caused embarrassment for the league and may have cost the Lions what would be their only victory of the season, raising consternation from clubs and team officials. And, in some shape or form, the process will be altered for next season.
The New England Patriots proposed making every play reviewable, but La Canfora says there is considerable opposition to the idea due to the delays it would cause. Other proposals regarding replay are expected to be submitted to the NFL's Competition Committee, though.
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