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Saturday 31 auguSt 2019
NFL 2019: Pass interference reviews main topic in season 100

By BARRY WILNER AP Brady, who is going for an
Pro Football Writer unprecedented seventh
The NFL would love the Lombardi Trophy — would
main focus of 2019 to be on be no shock.
the celebrations of its 100th "I'm ready to go this year
season. and that's really what mat-
Sorry. ters. That's where my focus
While the history of the is," Brady says. "It's a unique
league is a widespread situation I'm in. I'm in my
and fun topic, what hap- 20th year with the same
pened last January in the team. I'm 42 years old, so
NFC championship game pretty much uncharted ter-
has guaranteed the spot- ritory I think for everybody.
light will be shining on offici- I'm going to go out there
ating and replays. and do the best I can this
After an egregious missed year and see what hap-
penalty (or two) that basi- pens."
cally kept the Saints from At the other end of the ma-
making the Super Bowl and turity chart are the young-
helped the Rams get there sters. We've already seen
instead, there was little one prodigy, Kansas City's
chance attention could Patrick Mahomes, mesmer-
be diverted from the guys In this May 22, 2019, file photo, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks to the media during the ize the league and win MVP
with the whistles and their NFL football owners meeting in Key Biscayne, Fla. honors in his second year,
impact on games. Com- Associated Press first as a starter. Now the
missioner Roger Goodell, spotlight could be taken by
the league's powerful com- bitten digits. stoppages take away from ball better prepared for the Cleveland's Mayfield or the
petition committee and a But we all know what will that." NFL when they reach it; and Jets' Darnold or the Ravens'
vast majority of the owners hog the limelight. A realist, Archuleta admits fans' insatiable appetite for Jackson , pro sophomores
recognized this — and did INTERFERING WITH REPLAY he knew something would shootouts. Fantasy football whose team's ascensions
something about it. Gene Steratore spent 13 happen after the New Or- fanatics can rejoice. depend largely on their fur-
Coaches can now chal- years as an NFL referee and leans debacle. He accepts Still, the Super Bowl final ther progress.
lenge pass interference also was a college basket- the coaches' challenge as score was 13-3, and there CHANGES ON THE SIDELINE
calls and non-calls as part ball official. Now with CBS the most logical means, are several teams whose Eight clubs jumped on the
of the replay review system. as an officiating analyst, he but doesn't have to like it. defenses successfully can coaching carousel, includ-
Just as with other in-game knew some sort of change The addition of pass inter- determine their fate. The ing one head man swap-
instances, the replay booth in the review system would ference will change the Rams, Chargers, Ravens, ping teams as Adam Gase
will initiate any reviews in emerge from the Rams- strategies for using chal- Bears, Cowboys and Bills went from the Dolphins to
the final two minutes of Saints debacle. lenges. An early false spot- could fall into that catego- the Jets. Also new on the
both halves and for an en- "Understand first that they ting of the ball, for example, ry. job are Brian Flores (Miami),
tire overtime. were making the call in real might not see a red flag Chicago, which led the Zac Taylor (Cincinnati),
As former NFL defensive time," Steratore says. "That thrown because a coach league with 27 intercep- Freddie Kitchens (Cleve-
back Adam Archuleta, will remain the standard realizes a late DPI or OPI tions in '18, believes the land), Vic Fangio (Denver),
now a CBS game analyst, and base on which calls call or non-call would be Monsters of the Midway Kliff Kingsbury (Arizona),
notes: "They have opened will be made on all plays. far more impactful. Indeed, have been reborn. The Matt LaFleur (Green Bay)
a huge can of worms." Then we get to replays, there might be fewer over- Bears are primed to prove and Arians (Tampa Bay).
Sure, the Browns' upgrades which are in slow motion of all disruptions by challeng- it. Most intriguing might be
— some people envision course, and you are get- es as coaches save them "Takeaways on the field the new boss with the Bucs,
Cleveland (yes, Cleveland) ting a different look (than for second-half needs that and the practice field cor- a proven QB guru who tries
as a Super Bowl contender an official might get in real maybe never arrive. relate to takeaways on to mold Jameis Winston
— provide a ripe subject. time). "Coaches are going to get the field in the game as into a winner in a prove-it
So do the head coaching "Then there is the determi- burned on this, challenge well," star edge rusher Khalil year for the 2015 top over-
changes, including Bruce nation of what is significant plays that will not be over- Mack says. "You know what all draftee.
Arians returning to the side- contact. Did it impede turned because of judg- I mean? So it goes hand "I'm going to work regard-
line one year after retiring. someone from making a ments, and they will be in hand. When you work less, but it's always a plus
There are the aged quar- play? Was it incidental? minus a timeout or a chal- on taking away the ball in when your head coach be-
terbacks, from 42-year-old Some of that is adding sub- lenge later in the game," practice, naturally it hap- lieves in you," Winston says
Tom Brady to 40-year-old jectivity to the process." says Hall of Fame coach pens in the game." of the 66-year-old Arians.
Drew Brees to late-thirty- Archuleta, not surprisingly Tony Dungy. "I think it is go- OLD QBS, KID QBS "Every coach brings some-
somethings Ben Roethlis- for a former safety, ada- ing to be a mess." Brady and Brees and Ro- thing different. I'm just really
berger, Eli Manning and mantly disagrees with add- CAN ANYBODY PLAY DE- ethlisberger and Rivers and excited to get to work with
Philip Rivers. And the fledg- ing anything to the replay FENSE? Manning equal 194 years of them."
ing QBs such as Baker May- system, particularly pass in- With spread offenses over- age, 87 seasons in the NFL. CHANGES ON THE FIELD
field, Sam Darnold, Lamar terference penalties. taking the college game — Each of them remains the New faces in new places
Jackson and Kyler Murray. "It's not good for the game, and college defenses — it starter, though Manning's figure to have a major im-
Don't forget those big stars which is not meant to be was only a matter of time hold on the Giants' job is pact, and if those effects
in new places: Le'Veon played in slow motion or of- before scoring records fell tenuous. are positive, their teams
Bell, Odell Beckham Jr., ficiated that way," he says. in the pros. Nothing much It's fair to think that, except could be playoff bound.
Earl Thomas and Antonio "I don't want them stopping is expected to change this for Manning, seeing any of Bell would seem the per-
Brown. games in critical moments. season with rules designed those four oldies but good- fect guy to bring in to help
And let's ignore Brown's hel- Pro football is an exciting to boost points production; ies in the Super Bowl next Darnold make the next big
met complaints and frost- and emotional sport and players on that side of the February — particularly step. q