Stop it with the silly Challenges

[ZorntoLargent]

We are 2-8 in challenges. Precious time outs are wasted. Can't afford that during the playoffs. On multiple occasions I've scratched my head on why we challenged some of the calls! I'm at about a 100% when saying that a challenge will not result in an overturning of the call on the field based solely on what I saw. Who initiates the challenge? Someone in the booth? Whoever it is sucks.

Richard Sherman was ranting around telling Pete that Crabtree (I think) didn't catch that pass.

 

[LymonHawk]

If correct challenges were that easy to spot, then no one would miss a challenge. Fact of the matter is; Pete & Co have a few seconds to make a decision, and may not have access to all the angles as the refs do.

The refs on the other hand (and us too.) have lots of time to make a decision...and then we still may disagree.

If this is Pete's biggest shortcoming...far out! :thirishdrinkers:

 

[Smellyman]

I thought the first angle, from behind Kaep showed it clearly hitting the ground. It was never showed again on TV. All other views were from the other direction.

I think I will watch it again now.....

 

[ivotuk]

That could have come back to haunt us. You can't just throw the flag because it "looked" like it was loose. It was obvious from the replay that there wasn't anything conclusive so I'm not sure what Sherman saw and I think he was just reacting because of the first down.

Pete needs to consider the value of what the challenge will bring, and he needs to hold on to that flag unless it's got a good chance of being overturned, which means he needs to have an obvious view of something like the ball on the ground.

He's done this in the past and said "I got hormonal but now I have people there to stop me." Not Sunday he didn't, and he should have.

As a rule referees don't like overturning a call, so the odds are immediately stacked. What if Russell Wilson threw an "apparent" pick six that lost us the game but with instant replay it showed that the ball hit the ground but we had no challenge because Pete used it to challenge a first down?

IMHO, challenges should be used for game-changing plays, not to determine a first down early in the 2nd half.

But Pete's not the only one who does it. Arians got away with throwing a challenge flag on a turnover because his Olineman picked it up before the referee saw.

I think it was Lovie Smith that threw an illegal challenge with less than 2 minutes and the referees let him get away with it.

And was it Jim Schwartz that threw the illegal challenge flag last year that resulted in Justin Forsett being awarded a touchdown that wasn't?

Pete's got to more cognizant of throwing that flag before it costs us the chance at a 2nd Lombardi.

 

[CurryStopstheRuns]

We are 2-8 in challenges. Precious time outs are wasted. Can't afford that during the playoffs. On multiple occasions I've scratched my head on why we challenged some of the calls! I'm at about a 100% when saying that a challenge will not result in an overturning of the call on the field based solely on what I saw. Who initiates the challenge? Someone in the booth? Whoever it is sucks.

They should obviously be calling you since you are everything that is replay challenge awesomeness

 

[Smellyman]

I thought the first angle, from behind Kaep showed it clearly hitting the ground. It was never showed again on TV. All other views were from the other direction.

I think I will watch it again now.....

reply to myself. Watched it again and it looked like it hit to me. It was the only view Pete and crew had to look at. Sherm and Maxwell thought it hit too. I think it was a good challenge. For some reason that angle was never showed on TV again. someone with the capability could post a gif....

It was a 3rd down conversion with Hawks down 7-3 and it was an important down at the time. turned out not to be since their drive stalled with a Wagner sack.

EDIT: also, the super bowl challenge was botched. RW clearly got the first. even on SoundFX the ref was talking with Fox saying to looks like a first and Fox agreed. Everyone knew it was a first but the replay man

 

[fenderbender123]

Pete had to make a choice....should he listen to Richard Sherman, one of his best and smartest players and challenge the play, or let the opposing team snap the ball before the replay angles were available?