"All-star" officiating crew for Rams-Chiefs game

[Eleazar]

NFL ups intensity with all-star officials for Rams-Chiefs game

Kevin Seifert
ESPN.com NFL Nation



The NFL took the unusual step this week of assigning an "all-star" officiating crew to the most highly anticipated game of the season, adding to the playofflike frenzy for Monday night's matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams.

Referee Clete Blakeman will work the game with only two members of his regular crew, umpire Ramon George and down judge Dana McKenzie. The other five officials -- including Jim Lapetina, who will handle replay -- were plucked from four other crews.

The approach is similar to how the NFL assigns officials to playoff games, a process that is based on performance and seniority rather than crew. But it is rarely, if ever, employed before the postseason. Officials typically work on the same eight-person crews throughout the regular season to maximize continuity and familiarity among members.

Individual crew members are occasionally juggled for health or scheduling reasons. But a series of actions this season have indicated the league is moving away from the consistent crew concept, in favor of a more aggressive administration of officiating. Earlier this season, the league bounced down judge Hugo Cruz among four crews before ultimately making him its first-ever official to be fired for performance during the season.

NFL spokesman Michael Signora confirmed Sunday that "there is a rotation amongst the crews throughout the season." Signora did not provide details on the decision to overhaul Blakeman's crew for Monday night's game.

An officiating source said Sunday that the five officials added to Monday night's crew are all highly respected and have performed well this season.

The Chiefs-Rams game, originally scheduled to be played in Mexico City before it was relocated to Los Angeles, is a rare matchup. Since 1970, there have been only four other games pitting teams with one or fewer losses this late in the season. And according to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is the latest matchup ever between two teams averaging at least 33 points per game.

The following is the full crew for Monday night's game, as listed on the official flip card published by the NFL, with the officials' permanent referee in parentheses:


Referee: Clete Blakeman

Umpire: Ramon George (Blakeman)

Down judge: Dana McKenzie (Blakeman)

Line judge: Rusty Baynes (John Hussey)

Field judge: Dale Shaw (Jerome Boger)

Side judge: Brad Freeman (Clay Martin)

Back judge: Tony Steratore (Boger)

Replay: Jim Lapetina (Brad Allen)



http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/2...ff-rams-chiefs

[petegz28]

Originally Posted by MGRS13

What was the penalty on Hill for going in for the long td? Was it for putting up the dueces sign?

Yes, they called him for unsportsmanlike for doing what he has done for almost 3 seasons...

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by BlackOp

Here is the false start on a Rams TD play...all-star crew?

https://twitter.com/AllbrightNFL/sta...ew-all-star%2F

I mean they throw 9 flags on KC in the first 7 minutes, some extremely ticky-tack...but dont notice something as glaring as this? How do you miss that? There is no other conclusion but this was deliberate.

Meh, no big deal. Just 7 points on a 3rd down in a 3 point win.

I really don't understand how they are letting false starts go, i've never seen that before in the NFL. I mean everyone can see it's so obvious.

[Skyy God]

The fix was in.

The holding on a tipped ball and fumble 6 on a forward pass calls were the tell.

[bobbything]

Everyone in the world saw what we all saw...

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/p...-it-should-end

[Marcellus]

Originally Posted by bobbything

Everyone in the world saw what we all saw...

http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/p...-it-should-end

Bullshit it didn't effect the outcome, that obvious false start on a 3rd down TD could have made the difference in a game won by 3 points.

[Red Dawg]

It was lopsided for certain and pushed towards the Rams winning. Cali is burning and they trotted out shooting survivors and gave them the win so they felt better about their shitty state. NFL wanted to avoid the Pats losing 3 early and last night they wanted the Rams to make Cali victims feel good. We got the shaft in the process.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by Marcellus

Bullshit it didn't effect the outcome, that obvious false start on a 3rd down TD could have made the difference in a game won by 3 points.

Nope not true Chiefs are to blame because they’re undisciplined

[Halfcan]

Worst officiating I have ever seen. It is hard to take the NFL serious when they try to fix back to back games in one weekend. First, they tried to help the Chargers, then ****ed us all game.

National Football Entertainment

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Nope not true Chiefs are to blame because they’re undisciplined

We had 2 chances to either win or tie the game for OT at the end.

We turned the ball over both times.

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by RunKC

We had 2 chances to either win or tie the game for OT at the end.

We turned the ball over both times.

I watched the game. That doesn’t make the missed calls and terrible calls any less important or relevant.

Continue to pretend it does though.

[scho63]

Last night's worse calls;
* The Tyreek Hill piece sign on TD for 15 yards penalty
*One of our ST players literally touched his hand on a players back with no push or block or effect and they called a block in the back on a kick return.

Last night's worse non-calls;
*The Rams RT with no less than 5 or 6 false starts and none called.
*The Rams held Dee Ford and Justin Houston at LEAST 3 times blatantly and no call. I'm trying to remember the Rams getting an OLine hold at all, maybe one.

Those refs SUCKED BALLS!

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by staylor26

I watched the game. That doesn’t make the missed calls and terrible calls any less important or relevant.

Continue to pretend it does though.

And what about our stupid ass penalties on us? This wasn’t a one time thing. It happens every goddamn week and every week posters like you bitch that the league is out to get us.

We had some horrible calls against us. We also shot ourselves in the dick over and over and over again.

Andy has no control of his team

[staylor26]

Originally Posted by RunKC

And what about our stupid ass penalties on us? This wasn’t a one time thing. It happens every goddamn week and every week posters like you bitch that the league is out to get us.

We had some horrible calls against us. We also shot ourselves in the dick over and over and over again.

Andy has no control of his team

You really are a butt****ing moron.

I wonder if McVay’s team would’ve look “disciplined” had they called their RT for a false start the several times he did it, or the countless missed holding calls, or Suh and Peters missed personal foul calls.

[RunKC]

Originally Posted by staylor26

You really are a butt****ing moron.

I wonder if McVay’s team would’ve look “disciplined” had they called their RT for a false start the several times he did it, or the countless missed holding calls, or Suh and Peters missed personal foul calls.

Maybe the Chiefs shouldn’t give the refs a reason on top of getting calls against them?

Nnandi demolishing a Center before the ball was snapped, Murray’s dumbass going helmet-to-helmet, more personal fouls, poor playcalling at the end, not controlling your QB and giving him better options with 1:49 left in the game.

You can suck Andy’s cock as long and hard as you want, but history is history. He doesn’t have a ring because when he plays the best, he monumentally ****s it up.

[KChiefs1]

Originally Posted by MIAdragon

He did that quite a few times last night all no calls

I'm still wondering how you turn a blind eye to that? It was so obvious.


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