As a possible solution to avoid the type of missed call from the NFC Championship Game, the NFL is expected to consider a plan that would allow limited coaches’ challenges for incorrect judgment calls that also could include a penalty or time run off if the coach is wrong, per a league source.
It is a proposal designed to get those against allowed coaches’ challenges of officials’ judgment calls more supportive of the potential rule change. By creating a disincentive or penalty to even question a judgment call, the argument will be that it will be used rarely and won’t be abused.
One source predicted the competition committee will figure out a way to get a rule like this passed, especially considering that it has the attention of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
During the NFC Championship Game, Los Angeles Rams cornerback Nickell Robey-Coleman appeared to run into New Orleans Saints wide receiver Tommylee Lewis before the ball arrived from quarterback Drew Brees on third-and-10 at the Rams’ 13-yard line with 1 minute, 45 seconds remaining in a 20-20 game.
No penalty was called, although Payton said NFL head of officials Al Riveron told him the officials “blew the call” by not penalizing Robey-Coleman.
Robey-Coleman was also fined $26,739 for a helmet-to-helmet hit on the play, another potential penalty that was not called during the game.
Just like “what is a catch?” became a hot button item last offseason, what coaches can challenges will be a hot-button item this offseason.
There will be other proposals the competition committee considers but, at this time, this one seems to have some traction, per a source.