Cheesehead
Well-known member
- Mar 19, 2019
- 2,854
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Theologos from Athens, Greece
Everybody says that we still have pressing needs on our roster. Mike, in your opinion, how did we get to this point? We used to be contenders but not anymore.
Just look at how many players from the 2013-15 drafts got second contracts with the Packers. Three – Bakhtiari from ’13, Adams and Linsley from ’14, none from ’15. Contrast that with the three drafts from 2008-10, when there were 10 (Nelson, Finley, Sitton, Raji, Matthews, Lang, Bulaga, Neal, Burnett, Starks). The difference is monumental, and it will catch up with you at some point, requiring significant activity on the free-agent market to fill holes.
Eric from Greenville, WI
So a DB latches onto the WR's arm at waist level. The reason it was there for latching in the first place was the receiver reaching back to push off the DB like every single pass play that has happened in the NFL for the past 20 years. If I have position on the field, I have to get out of the way for the WR, or it's illegal contact. If a WR puts his hand back to hold me off, if I swat it, grab it, hook it, I'm still flagged. And now they're going to look at it in super slow-mo. Can't wait.
But now if that push off was the reason for separation in the first place, it’ll be seen and can be part of processing the correct call. The reviews aren’t going to focus solely on the defenders.
Eli from Yardley, PA
Difference between defensive holding (DH) and defensive pass interference (DPI) is whether or not the ball is in the air, correct? Can you challenge a called DH to upgrade to DPI? If reviewing for DPI that wasn't originally called, there is contact, but QB still has ball in hand, does that mean it's a no-call still? This rule is going to make my head hurt.
You could challenge for DPI when DH is called, but unless the pass is way downfield and the DPI obvious, I’m not sure you bother. You’re already getting five yards and an automatic first down for DH so your hypothetical strikes me as a rare case. Reviewing a no-call, the ball will have to be out of the QB’s hand for DPI to result. Anything before that is not subject to review based on how the rule is currently written.
Travis from Edgerton, WI
In regards to the new challenge system involving PI, if you throw the flag, can it be a blanket question on the play, or do you have to specify? If there is potential PI, and not sure if the catch is a catch, do you have to make the call on what to review, or will the refs sort the play out and call/fix if needed? Would stink if one happened, but not the other, and you asked for the wrong option.
With a challenge, you must specify. With a booth review, any reviewable aspect of the play can be scrutinized. Would the officials allow a coach to ask for both catch/no-catch and DPI to be looked at, counting as one challenge? Great question. I’m not sure. All this thinking led me to this rather extensive yet entirely plausible scenario. Incomplete pass, offense challenges pass was complete. Replay shows it was complete, but also reveals OPI, and defense subsequently challenges for OPI to get the reversal overturned and cost the offense 10 yards. So by initially challenging the play, the offense loses, like John Fox at Soldier Field two years ago when he thought his running back broke the plane, but he actually fumbled the ball into the pylon and the Packers got possession on a touchback. Did someone say their head hurt?
Brad from Gallatin, TN
What PI replays are the coaches watching? Stadium replays on a jumbotron seem to put the visiting team at a disadvantage. Television broadcast replays on tape delay seem to put both teams at a disadvantage.
The upstairs coaching booths have the live feed of the TV broadcast, so everything for them stays in real time, so to speak. At some stadiums we get that in the press box, but at others we get the delayed one you see at home. With the latter, we’re seeing a coach throw his red flag before we even see a TV replay, because the booth coaches already have seen the replay. I can bring Doc Brown’s flux capacitor into this and make your head hurt even more if you want.
Tom from Clemson, SC
With the new PI rules will we be seeing greater or lesser use of the "throw the flag" gesture by players who feel they have been interfered with?
They’ll just point to the video board instead.