If you love watching NFL Football games get their plays reviewed, I’ve got some bad news for you, however, it may be good news if you like plays and penalties being called correctly. Starting this upcoming season, NFL Replay Assist will expand its coverage to review intentional grounding, roughing the passer, and late hit out-of-bounds penalties.
The referees will only be allowed to have a play review if a penalty is called on the play. Like a college targeting penalty, the play can be reviewed and overturned if deemed not against the rules. If that happens, the play will be treated as if a penalty was never called.
Benefits of the Rule Change
First and foremost, there will be less debate about whether a penalty should or should not have been called. Far too often, penalties are called, and after a replay review (on TV by fans), it seems obvious that a penalty shouldn’t have been called. Other times, a penalty isn’t thrown, and fans complain particularly when comparing two plays in the same game where one was called and the second not. With the new rule of roughing the passer being reviewed, refs may be more inclined just to throw the flag because it will be reviewed and corrected if deemed not a penalty.
Another benefit of this change will be for fans to learn the rules of the game better and what exactly is being examined. Often, during a replay review, rules experts are brought on to explain the details and the specific things they are examining.
The Downside of the New Rule Change
The biggest and most obvious downside of this new rule change is the potential change in the game’s pace. The goal of the replay assist is to speed up the review process and get the game going, but especially in critical moments of the game, the change will slow down the game and cause more delays. It could also potentially lead to more commercial breaks, further lengthening the game. In the past, unfortunately, when a rule changes that extends the game, rules normally follow to speed up the game, resulting in fewer plays and actual action in the game.
Another downside is the flip side of the benefit. Because calls can be reversed, more flags could be thrown. Like other rules, unless there is undisputable evidence to overturn a call, many will stand as called. While refs won’t be told to throw more flags, naturally, having the backup to correct them will lead to more thrown.
Finally, something must be said about the beauty of human error. Sure, it’s never fun when it happens against your favorite team, but for a common fan of the game, there is something to be said about the drama and reaction a bad call can make. With these new changes, we step one step closer to having AI or some other kind of robotic gameplay style that doesn’t have human error.