"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

[FanOfRED]

Originally Posted by Chiefs4TheWin

Well we'll see either New England or Pittsburgh in the playoffs. The fight against calls will continue at a later date.

I can't believe they missed the false start AND the hold on that Goff run.. NFL should be ashamed on that one.

They're not ashamed of anything. They got their money, they made a bunch of amigos south and north of the boarder happy after having to move the game. And Los Angeles isn't having riots on top of everything else. Most people don't care because either they don't have a dog in it or it benifitted their side. Or you're a Chiefs fan "blaming the refs again". See how this works? It's politics. Politics is everywhere along with money and greed. Just ask any player that took a knee or any fan that supported it about how they feel about politics in the NFL. If they say they dont like it then they are very dishonest.

[kcpasco]

I’m ready to sacrifice Bob to the football Gods. Enough is enough, let’s see if someone else can change things up because whatever he’s calling or coaching isn’t working.

[tyreekthefreak]

Agree...…..something's amiss with the lack of holding calls against our D-line. Every play they get held......every play...…..and no calls.

Screw the morons on here who have no vision!

[MGRS13]

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

[Imon Yourside]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

The officiating wasn't good, but it went both ways. KC's secondary wasn't turning their heads around. Contact without turning your head is going to get called. The Chiefs were sloppy and undisciplined just like they have been all year. Did the refs not call some holds on Houston, yep - just like they didn't call some on Donald. Some of the false starts were bad and I don't know what they think they saw on the Mahomes incomplete pass to call it a fumble, but KC fans need to stop being such conspiracy snowflakes.

OH no doubt we played stupid football in many ways, doesn't change the fact the rams had a lot of calls missed completely.

[ChiTown]

Originally Posted by staylor26

Here come the butt****ing morons to tell us how the officiating wasn’t biased even though there’s plenty of evidence that proves otherwise

Yeah, the League just hates Pat Mahomes and doesn’t want him or the Chiefs to win. It’s a 9/11, TacoDumb-sized conspiracy!!!!!

Did the officiating suck? Yes. But, this loss was about our inability to make a defensive stop when needed (how about making that INT, Scandrick?) and having 5 turnovers on the road. All that, and we still had an opportunity to win the game.

[kcpasco]

Every d line gets held in today’s NFL. Don’t blame the refs for a shit scheme on D and DB’s who get grabby and drop picks.

[Coochie liquor]

Originally Posted by BlackOp

THAT is how you know....it's an agenda.

So far KC's 2 losses...NE had 0 penalty yards...and this one, they just made up a bunch of shit to start and ignored crucial ones.

At this point..coupled with what they tried to do in the Chargers game, yesterday...I'm distancing myself from any SB aspirations for 2018. The NFL hand picked this crew...and they are getting roasted on twitter. Now the NFL will apologize and say keeping crews together is a better idea...while getting exactly what they wanted.

I dont want another PO loss that is dictated by the refs...I'd rather not even watch. The NFL has spoken...and KC isn't part of their plans.

I think you’re slightly off here. The NFL saw the fireworks last night. Maybe there was an agenda and they wanted LA to win. But they know what we’re capable of, and they know we’re ready for the spotlight! NFL loves offense and who in the AFC can give them that more than us? We’ll see what Pit does against NO week 16. But Goodell knows this isn’t an Alex Smith led 9-2 team, it’s Showtime now!

[Spott]

The NFL absolutely has an agenda and last night was one of a countless number of examples of how they purposely push games towards in certain directions. Anyone that can’t see it is just as ignorant as the flat-earthers.

[kcpasco]

Originally Posted by Spott

The NFL absolutely has an agenda and last night was one of a countless number of examples of how they purposely push games towards in certain directions. Anyone that can’t see it is just as ignorant as the flat-earthers.

The agenda is to turn the NFL into the Big 12. Mission accomplished.

[kgrund]

I think the Chiefs were on their heels early with some of the Rams early success of offense and a big part of it in the 1st quarter was the litany of flags. The refs absolutely dominated the first quarter. All of this is hard enough to take in and of itself, but they miss an EASY false start call on the Rams TD run by Goff and it gets you thinking no doubt.

[chiefzilla1501]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

The officiating wasn't good, but it went both ways. KC's secondary wasn't turning their heads around. Contact without turning your head is going to get called. The Chiefs were sloppy and undisciplined just like they have been all year. Did the refs not call some holds on Houston, yep - just like they didn't call some on Donald. Some of the false starts were bad and I don't know what they think they saw on the Mahomes incomplete pass to call it a fumble, but KC fans need to stop being such conspiracy snowflakes.

The officiating did not go both ways other than a generous Defensive holding call late in the 4th quarter. The Chiefs were sloppy, but another half of those were bullshit. The first drive alone had 2 horrendous calls that really set a bad tone for our defense. You'd have to be blind not to see it. It's not a conspiracy theory... it's demanding better officiating. Either A) stop calling all the ticky tack bullshit - it's MNF - nobody wants refs inserting themselves into the game (lots of neutral fans on Twitter griping about it). B) if you're going to enforce ticky tack nonsense, then enforce it both ways. That CLEARLY did not happen.

Even Scott Van Pelt blasted the officiating. Absolute horse shit that in the most anticipated game of the year, the refs thought it was a good time to go flag happy.

[dj56dt58]

When the refs threw the flag on the Goff sack..2 refs threw flags at the same time while watching the sack. It's like they both decided it would be a great time to call a holding against the Rams because it would be negated

[dj56dt58]

If KC scored on a hail mary with no time left, the refs would have put a second back on the clock, called uncessecary roughing on whoever made the tackle on the kick off, and called PI on a deep pass to get the Rams into into scoring range, then 2-3 more defensive holding calls until they scored (ala Oakland game) That's how bad it was

[Bob Dole]

Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501

The officiating did not go both ways other than a generous Defensive holding call late in the 4th quarter. The Chiefs were sloppy, but another half of those were bullshit. The first drive alone had 2 horrendous calls that really set a bad tone for our defense. You'd have to be blind not to see it. It's not a conspiracy theory... it's demanding better officiating. Either A) stop calling all the ticky tack bullshit - it's MNF - nobody wants refs inserting themselves into the game (lots of neutral fans on Twitter griping about it). B) if you're going to enforce ticky tack nonsense, then enforce it both ways. That CLEARLY did not happen.

Even Scott Van Pelt blasted the officiating. Absolute horse shit that in the most anticipated game of the year, the refs thought it was a good time to go flag happy.

That first Ram's drive...holy ****. I missed the first KC touchdown because I was driving to a place with no children in it because I wanted to scream.