Touchdown Reviews

Don't know if this has already been covered but what do people think of the rule changes regarding reviews on scoring plays? Personally I preferred it the way it was, it was more entertaining with a coach challenging himself adding a wee bit more suspense to it. It takes some of the spontaneity out of the game too- TOUCHDOWN!! crowd goes nuts and then hold on a second, review coming, then the atmosphere is just taken out of it. During the Jets-Ravens game they spent two minutes reviewing a baltimore TD which clearly was legit. I don't know if its just me but does anyone else prefer how it was before?

I prefer it the old way too. I think there should only be reviews if a coach isn't happy with the decision or is switched on enough to think he noticed something that an official didn't: a toe being out of bounds for example.

Reviewing every scoring play almost makes refereeing redundant. They know it will be looked at from every angle on numerous replays, so there's no need to concentrate as much.

I said as soon as this was announced that I was against it and nothing will ever change my mind. The tactics of whether a coach challenges a touchdown and the opposition (if the play was ruled a touchdown) trying to get the kick away quickly etc added an extra dimension to the game in my opinion. It also affected other aspects as certain coaches would be more likely to challenge plays whereas others would save their challenges so they had them available for big moments if need be. That tactical element has been if not lost then at least watered down.

I hope they end up changing it back. You're right GB that interesting tactical dimension has been lost to the game. Even Al Michaels and Collinsworth sounded PO'd with the reviews on SNF. It robs the game of the atmosphere surrounding a TD plus the spontaneous aspect of challenges etc.

I agree with you lot. I don't like the new rule, I can kinda understand why they have introduced it but the old way wasn't broke so didn't need fixing

Happened a few times in the Bucs game last night. Clear touchdown but we still have to wait a couple of minutes while they go through it.

Seems they should change it back, as said before, it just detracts from the atmosphere.

Agree with consensus - don't bring this back next year.

Sorry Gents, I'm going to be the odd one out here.
When each coach had 2 challenges (3 if both challenges are reversed) there was a limit on whether obvious errors would be corrected because if you'd used up your challenges a crucial incorrect call may not get corrected, this way every scoring play is naturally reviewed to ensure awarding the TD is the correct call.
It removes any doubt on scoring plays.
I accept it kind of impacts the atmosphere but in a sport where stoppages are common I don't think this impacts greatly.
Whether scoring plays are more important than the 65 yard pass that gets an offence to the half yard line is debatable of course....

Gaelic-Warrior wrote:I hope they end up changing it back. You're right GB that interesting tactical dimension has been lost to the game. Even Al Michaels and Collinsworth sounded PO'd with the reviews on SNF. It robs the game of the atmosphere surrounding a TD plus the spontaneous aspect of challenges etc.

I agree with this comment really.

I mean I would like the refs to get every TD call right more so than on other plays, but you lose the element of teams rushing to kick extra points, teams running out of challenges (because they really shouldn't any more!) and not being able to overturn something questionable etc.

The SNF commentators, as written in the above, seemed to dislike and that can't be projecting positively to the American public,

Grizzly wrote:Sorry Gents, I'm going to be the odd one out here.
When each coach had 2 challenges (3 if both challenges are reversed) there was a limit on whether obvious errors would be corrected because if you'd used up your challenges a crucial incorrect call may not get corrected, this way every scoring play is naturally reviewed to ensure awarding the TD is the correct call.
It removes any doubt on scoring plays.
I accept it kind of impacts the atmosphere but in a sport where stoppages are common I don't think this impacts greatly.
Whether scoring plays are more important than the 65 yard pass that gets an offence to the half yard line is debatable of course....

I think your argument is slightly flawed here Grizzly. First of all, if they are incorrect calls and the Head Coach challenged them it would take until the officials made a fourth obvious incorrect call before they could not be overturned. When was the last time you saw a game where a coach had won three challenges and then could not challenge another call because he had used up his challenges. There are plenty of games where there are no challenges at all and I think you are downplaying how regularly right the officials are.

Secondly, if your beef is really with this aspect then it still stands that the above could happen albeit not on a scoring play. If as you describe a 65 yard pass to the half yard line is ruled incomplete after the third correct challenge it could still not be challenged. The only solution to this would be to challenge every play, and I know you're not suggesting that. The point is there are tactics everywhere in American Football, why not leave them in how Head Coaches use their challenges too?

Fair comments GB, of course if the HC gets one challenge wrong on a non scoring play and is left with only 1 further challenge in the game, it's not beyond the realms of possibility that 2 questionable scoring plays can happen in the game creating the situation I describe.
That said, I do believe the officials get the vast vast majority of calls right (surprisingly large number), however, sods law dictates that the most contentious of plays will be the most critical (by way of affecting the outcome) of plays very late in the game when challenges may already have been used.

For the record, I was always a fan of a HC having 2 challenges per half and unlimitted challenges in a game until they get one wrong, if this was adopted then removing the need to review every scoring play makes sense IMO....

That's where the tactics come in, is this a big enough play for me to risk a challenge, assuming it isn't immediately clear whether or not it is a winnable challenge.