Offline
Follow along with the video below to see how to install our site as a web app on your home screen.
Note: this_feature_currently_requires_accessing_site_using_safari
Even if you review them, how many PI calls can you think of where there was zero contact? Even if the contact didn't effect the WR? Even on that ridiculous PI against Vacarro, you had people arguing he didn't turn his head in time, that he made contact, etc. They wouldn't of overturned it.
It's like challenging a spot. Refs are gonna do everything they can to not admit they were wrong.
The only way to really fix this is to change the rule and what constitutes PI. No more pointless "get your head around rule." No more underthrown balls being PI. Tighten up the "catchable pass" definition. Allow more contact as long as the WR isn't seriously effected.
All good points, and I really think it should be a 15 yard penalty.
I thought the "get your head around" rule was already history and that faceguarding is allowed? Did I imagine this?Even if you review them, how many PI calls can you think of where there was zero contact? Even if the contact didn't effect the WR? Even on that ridiculous PI against Vacarro, you had people arguing he didn't turn his head in time, that he made contact, etc. They wouldn't of overturned it.
It's like challenging a spot. Refs are gonna do everything they can to not admit they were wrong.
The only way to really fix this is to change the rule and what constitutes PI. No more pointless "get your head around rule." No more underthrown balls being PI. Tighten up the "catchable pass" definition. Allow more contact as long as the WR isn't seriously effected.
Too many teams over the years have secured victories they probably didn't deserve simply because of a 40-50 yard penalty at the end of the game. That wouldn't necessarily have be true had the penalty been 15 yards instead of this spot foul garbage.
Even if you review them, how many PI calls can you think of where there was zero contact? Even if the contact didn't effect the WR? Even on that ridiculous PI against Vacarro, you had people arguing he didn't turn his head in time, that he made contact, etc. They wouldn't of overturned it.
It's like challenging a spot. Refs are gonna do everything they can to not admit they were wrong.
The only way to really fix this is to change the rule and what constitutes PI. No more pointless "get your head around rule." No more underthrown balls being PI. Tighten up the "catchable pass" definition. Allow more contact as long as the WR isn't seriously effected.
This.
I don't think the call itself can be fixed/changed/adjusted to something that everyone will agree on. It's simply too subjective of a call.
Having said that, the penalty for it DEFINITELY needs to be changed. The fear has always been that reducing the penalty will create too much of an advantage for the defensive player, even allowing them to deliberately interfere with the WR to prevent a catch because the penalty doesn't sting enough.
Unfortunately, what we have now is the exact opposite by favoring the offense. Little time left in the half/game. A country mile to go for a FG/TD. Throw it up for grabs and wait for the 50 yard penalty that allows them to steal the ballgame.
I'm not suggesting that every PI is bogus. We all saw Sherman interfere with Jones at the end of last week's Seahawks-Falcons game. No question that should've been a PI call. But a 15 yard penalty only keeps the drive alive. It doesn't give the Falcons the victory like the current penalty would have done.
Too many teams over the years have secured victories they probably didn't deserve simply because of a 40-50 yard penalty at the end of the game. That wouldn't necessarily have be true had the penalty been 15 yards instead of this spot foul garbage.
Example: 20 seconds left in the 4th.....a team is down by 3 or less........that team is on their own 22 yard line.......QB takes a shot for his WR, who is around the opponent's 40 yard line. Defender sees what's likely about to happen and blatantly interferes. Without a spot-foul penalty, now that team only gets to move to their own 37 yard line. And oh btw, about 8 seconds went off the clock, so not only are they still 13 yards short of even being at mid-field, but they're also working with only about 12 seconds.
Today, the offense can just take a few shots down the field and hope for a PI call. If they get just one, it's basically game over - they win. Simple as that.
Now let's say the penalty is 15 yards instead of a spot foul. For starters, offenses will be much less inclined to simply chuck it downfield and would need to rely more on their own offensive production instead (the way it should be). But even if they did take some legitimate shots down the field and a DB blatantly interferes, the defense is still giving up not only sizeable chunks of yards but also temporary clock stoppages as well, which may be just as critical as the yards themselves.
I'm perfectly ok with a defense getting hit with 45 yards worth of PI penalties in the span of 3 plays at the end of a game because the DBs blatantly mugged the WR. I'm NOT ok with a defense getting hit with 45 yards worth of PI penalties in one play because both the DB and WR were going for the ball.