Changes could be coming to the NFL's instant replay system. When the NFL owners convene in Charlotte on Tuesday, they'll consider proposals to change the replay system, which will be presented by the competition committee and the Baltimore Ravens.
Thanks to the Washington Post's Mark Maske, we have an idea of the changes that will be considered. According to Maske, the committee's proposal would allow for officials to "communicate with league representatives during reviews regarding administrative issues."
As Maske explained, that doesn't mean officials would be able to speak with NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino about a judgement in particular. Blandino -- or anyone else in the league office -- wouldn't be able to help an official make the actual decision. For instance, someone in New York couldn't tell the official on the field that Dez Bryant actually caught the football (sorry for bringing it up, Cowboys fans).
The official and league would only be allowed to talk about matters like the down and distance, penalty enforcement, and the game clock. The NFL actually allowed this during this past postseason.
Though enhanced communication is clearly a positive step toward avoiding simple errors related to the three areas above, logistics could be difficult on the NFL's end. Speaking with officials during the playoffs, when only one game is being played per time slot, is simple enough. Maintaining communication during the hectic 1 p.m time slot is an entirely different animal. Still, if it's feasible, the owners shouldn't shy away from making the change.
Maske also elaborated on the other aspect of the committee's proposal, which is much more vague than the communication part:
The competition committee's proposal to the owners "will just try to clean up and simplify the language" of the replay rules, according to one of those people familiar with the committee's deliberations.
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Full details of the competition committee's proposal were not available so it was not clear which plays, if any, the committee might be adding to the list of reviewable calls.
And that brings us to the Ravens, who will also present their own proposal to the owners. According to the Washington Post, the Ravens want illegal hits to be reviewable. Maske reported that the competition committee is unlikely to endorse the Ravens' idea.
The proposals will need 24 of 32 votes to be passed for the upcoming season.
Wink of the CBS eye to the Washington Post
