PHILADELPHIA —Officially, the Steelers didn’t have any problems with the replacement referees.
Others in the NFL felt differently.
As might be expected, there were missed calls, incorrect mechanics, curiously worded penalty descriptions and other miscues as the first full weekend of exhibition games began without the locked-out NFL officials.
During the Redskins-Bills game Thursday, a punt that traveled to the 4-yard line was ruled a touchback. It took a coach’s challenge to reverse the call. And another referee kept referring to Atlanta as “Arizona.”
Patriots* coach Bill Belichick deferred comment to former NFL officiating chief Mike Pereira, who has been highly critical of the fill-in officials. Pereira, who works as a rules analyst for Fox, is close to some of the absent officials.
“I don’t know who knows more about NFL officiating than Mike Pereira,” Belichick said.
The locked-out officials want more money and upgraded benefits, and the sides are not believed to be close to a settlement.
There were no easily recognizable major gaffes during the Steelers’ 24-23 loss to the Eagles on Thursday, and multiple players said they couldn’t tell much difference in the quality of the officiating.
Read more...
_________________
"Either you're playing dumb, or it's not an act". -Judge Judy
