@tour2ma said:

Read one note earlier that the average hourly rate for NFL Officials in their full-time jobs was like $16.50...

That works out to just over $34,000 per year.

The fact that some are teachers, Attorneys, etc. and then Refs on the side is ludicrous to me.  The NFL is a massive business that makes massive dollars and they are a huge cog in the wheel.  Pay them...and put incentives in place for better performers to make higher pay. 

That works out to just over $34,000 per year.

Some of these guys  are holding down other positions and reffing on the weekends. 

@orion said:

The refs have to be held accountable for their work during games.

They are.

Officials are graded on their performances every game. The best are rewarded with the "best" games and playoff assignments... and money for the latter.

Referees earn $205,000 per season or ~$12,800 per game. Other officials earn less. So that's likely where their pay starts for playoff games. Hard for me to imagine that they don't get double that for a Super Bowl.

Sub-part Officials get coaching. There has been at least one instance where a Ref was fired for a bad call in a game... Hugo Cruz did not call a blatant false start, of all things, in a game in 2019... but I've little doubt he was already "in a program".

One thing I learned in googling stuff for this post is that in the most recent CBA between the Officials and the NFL, the Officials' Union made the path to dismiss (not renew the contracts of) sub-par Officials easier.

Officials miss purely objective, minor calls every game... delays, offsides (especially of the lined up variety) and, one of my personal favorite, "yell-at-the-TV" ones, not enough/too many men on the LOS. And of course there are any number of subjective calls... PI, roughing, etc. ... we can poke holes in every game. And, yes, these now include targeting. In targeting's case booth review and booth calls will soon be coming to a game near us.

Through it all I try to remember one thing... how laughably bad the substitute officiating was back during the Officials' strike in 2012.

One side thought... I wonder how many here who cannot abide this missed call on Higgins also dismissed the call when Randall was ejected in 2019? Quite a few did IIRC...

@orion said:

We should have won the game regardless of that.  We all know that

I'm not saying it wasn't a bad no call because it was.  I'm not saying we definitely still lose if they call it.  However I don't think you can say we win if that call is made.  Yes the ending score was smaller than a 7 point deficit. However if they make the call maybe we don't get in the endzone on the drive. Odds are we do but it's not a guarantee.  Our short yardage situations improved but it has plagued us earlier in the year. However let's assume we do get in. Does any Reid still call an option on 3rd and short if the game is a 1 possession game or is he more aggressive (does mahomes still get hurt). That's just one specific example of where the playcalling could have been different but basically every single play call from the helmet to helmet hit very well could have been different as the score has changed. Lastly assuming everything stayed the same and we got in the endzone on the drive they had the ball driving and in scoring range at the end of the game so there still would have been a chance for them to tie it or win it in the final moments.  It was complete shit and the refs need to be held accountable but I can't blame the loss on it or say we would have won the game if they make that call as there were far too many variables after the play that affected the outcome. 

Go browns lets get back in 2021

@orion said:

umm, no.  The refs have to be held accountable for their work during games.  If we don't receive an acknowledgement of the error then the league office would need to be notified by the team, in no uncertain terms, that officiating errors of that magnitude are not swept under the rug.

I'm certainly not saying that we should have T-shirts made up regarding it.  We should have won the game regardless of that.  We all know that.  But hey!  The refs throw flags on us, so we should throw one on them.  

BTW, I know that the refs games are reviewed by the PooBah of refs.  So I'm pretty sure the PooBah has dinged the refs for missing that call. 

Yeah, the refs should be accountable and they should fill a complaint, yes. 

But we shouldn't think of it as the game we lost for a helmet-to-helmet hit. You have to work with what you can improve by yourself. 

@nero said:

If the Browns want to be a contending team, they should forget about this kind of stuff.

umm, no.  The refs have to be held accountable for their work during games.  If we don't receive an acknowledgement of the error then the league office would need to be notified by the team, in no uncertain terms, that officiating errors of that magnitude are not swept under the rug.

I'm certainly not saying that we should have T-shirts made up regarding it.  We should have won the game regardless of that.  We all know that.  But hey!  The refs throw flags on us, so we should throw one on them.  

BTW, I know that the refs games are reviewed by the PooBah of refs.  So I'm pretty sure the PooBah has dinged the refs for missing that call. 

@orion said:

Has the organization received the apology letter from the league yet for the non-call of the helmet to helmet down near the goal line?

To be honest, F them.

If the Browns want to be a contending team, they should forget about this kind of stuff. On Sunday I complained a lot about the call, I still think it's bullshit and it changes the game, but the loss is on them, whether we like it or not. 

NFL isn't going to suddenly have perfect and professional refs so they, as any other team, have to cope with that kind of situations. 

@browns52 said:

defense lost the game...

Riiiiight... because everyone knows that 16 points scored should be enough to beat KC...

@ibleedbrown said:

Some props to Njoku too who seemed to play the part of TE 1 today.

Belated +1 for you...

David earned his 5th year on Sunday. Finally starting to live up to the potential we saw early in him. It just took the right Staff.

@nickers said:

I have a strong feeling OBJ won't be here next season..... He's a non factor on this team... And.. Never will be...

i'd like tosee him traded for some high draft picks.....so we can build a defense.....

@ibleedbrown said:

The throw too. Talk about game of inches. He had to fully extend  to have a chance with his DB jacket on. I think the ball grazed the defender’s hand or came really really close. 
 

Some props to Njoku too who seemed to play the part of TE 1 today.

he had some nice catches and he actually made some nice blocks.....

@sdbacker80 said:

I have to say i have never in my life seen the middle of the field open like we’ve had all year and just 4 guys after the passer. 
 

anyone with me here? 
 

we can't continue to play this kind of d and expect a sb appearance....yeah, i agree with you.....even the so called good teams we beat, we had hugh leads and let them right back in the game....tennessee.....what was it...38-3 and the game came down to an on side kick.....i don't know if it was because of the injuries to delpit and williams or if joe just sucks big time as dc....either way whether its personnel or the dc....something has to change...

@brownsfaninpa said:

i'm very happy the Browns had a winning season, long over due. And the Chiefs game was looking to be a blowout until P. Mahomes was declared out for the game. Then we got robbed on the No Helmet to helmet contact hit at the one yard line that caused a fumble that resulted a touchback and gave the ball back to the Chiefs at the 20. TOTALLY got cheated. We could have taken the lead with a possible TD and may have won the game.

defense lost the game.....the helmet to helmet should have been called but i don't, in my opinion was the reason we lost.....we were given a gift from the good lord above and we could not capitalize on it.....the d let a backup qb scramble for 13 and a half yds......setting up the game winning pass completion....i believe if we held them there baker would have won the game.....the 13 yd scramble was the reason we lost.....

@falcon7 said:

Wrong dude.  4th down play was snapped at 1:16, & 5 secs on play clock. Max time after punt would have been 65 seconds.   

You are correct.

im still thinking 20% though 

@nero said:

The neck goes down fast

Sorry... I see the neck at an angle to the spine from the beginning of the "takedown" to after the so-called impact with the ground that does not change.

I simply see no acceleration or deceleration of PMah's head that would cause his brain to impact his skull.

@tour2ma said:

Except for no such thing being in evidence... sure...

There's no evidence but the video itself.

The neck goes down fast because as Wilson is tackling him, Mahomes is going down thus the defenders arm holds him around the neck and is going down fast, Mack Wilson is noy a tiny guy. 

It's similar to having a car accident with the seat belt on, the difference being you have a NFL linebacker's arm around your neck... 

@vagitron said:

and maybe i'm just baked but i read his little myspace bio under is avatar and it has me in my feelings. I'm ready to get creative! 

First, "it has me in my feelings"??? Yeah, I'd say "baked".

Second, that creativity has to include some homage to you-know-who.

@nero said:

Sutterer explaination that it is a concussion produced by a fast neck movement

Except for no such thing being in evidence... sure...

@poeticg said:

Mahomes is good QB without a doubt but I'd take Baker Mayfield over him everyday of the week. 

I missed this comment.

Thank you for always bringing the comical relief. 

@vagitron said:

I mean something had to have happened for him to not go into protocol and the team to label it a pinched nerve.  I only offered that diagnosis after reading a tweet from a surgeon that writes for a steeler site i follow.  I had no idea what the hell it was up until that point. Pro athletes + adrenaline maybe it didn't take him out for that reason?

He went into protocol, and a vasovagal syncop I'd say is not like a muscle injury that the adrenaline and energy can work around. It is closer to a suckerpunch in the liver that turns you off.

What Mahomes had was closer to a KO by a hook to the head: fast neck movement, resulting in a self defense ('fencing') position reaction by the body. 

I think that one way or another they'll work around the concussion protocol so the NFL playoffs don't go Mahomes-less. Maybe the vasovagal historyline is there for that reason. First one to mention it was a KC journalist and even Rapaport was surprised by that because he knew nothing... 

PS: my English vocabulary is lacking at medicine+boxing so I hope I explained myself.