Challenge Flags: Best Recent Idea in NFL

December 17, 2010

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Our sponsor, Captain Morgan, assigned LBS with a difficult question: what was the best sports idea we could think of recently? Well after watching the way the Chargers-49ers game changed last night because of one key coaching decision, it’s pretty clear to me that allowing NFL coaches the ability to challenge rulings on the field was the best recent idea in the NFL.

How many times have we seen games change because of bad calls? Remember this one? Or how about this one? Or how about Ed Hochuli’s awful call against the Chargers? Games in the NFL are played at such a fast speed it’s hard for referees to make all the calls accurately in real time. Though for the most part they do a good job, they can’t get everything right. Challenges allow the refs to take a closer look at plays to evaluate their decisions and it allows for an opportunity for justice.

In Thursday night’s game, Chargers coach Norv Turner challenged a ruling on the field of an Alex Smith touchdown run early in the game. After further review, the refs found that Smith’s knee was down before the ball broke the plane of the end zone. The 49ers were then stuffed on a 4th down running play and wound up with no points. They remained shut out until the 4th quarter while the Chargers routed them.

Who knows how much the game would have changed had the teams been tied? Football is all about momentum, and thanks to the challenge flag the right call was made and momentum shifted to San Diego, rightfully so.

The other aspect of the challenge rule I like is how “indisputable evidence” needs to be present to overturn a call on the field. This sets a high standard to overturn a call, as things should be. The only aspect of the challenge rule I would like to change is erasing the cap on how many challenges can be used in a given game. If a coach is successful on all his challenges, a limit should not be set on how many challenges he can make.

Challenge flags was an excellent rule change in the NFL because it allows for us to review the calls of referees. Though refs do a great job, they make mistakes like everybody else, and this helps us avoid critical errors that can determine the outcome in games. Now the only key is to make sure the people working the replay booth aren’t biased.