Officiating experts break down Week 12 calls

Pereira and Daopoulos analyze the officials

Former NFL vice president of officiating and current Fox Sports officiating expert Mike Pereira and former NFL supervisor and current NBC Sports Network officiating expert Jim Daopoulos had many situations to explain during their weekly segments.

Daopoulos talked about the strange circumstances surrounding a replay in Chicago, a roughing the passer call against the Seahawks, and a fair catch interference call in Sunday Night Football (video).  Daopoulos explained the strange circumstances surrounding the replay in Chicago where referee Scott Green overruled a Vikings scoop-and-score (video).  Green initially announced the call was confirmed, but moments later the replay officials buzzed Green to come to the hood for a review.  Daopoulos said something happened between the two announcements, probably another replay angle, that caused the replay official to page Green.  He also commented that while the call was correct, it is another issue where the replay official made a mistake in initially confirming the call.  Daopoulos said that referee Clete Blakeman made the right call in flagging the Seattle Seahawks for roughing the passer at a critical point in the game against the Miami Dolphins (1:35 in video).  He added that the NFL does not want hits on the quarterback at the shoulders or above, no matter if the hit is with the head or any other part of the body.  Finally, Daopoulos agreed with the fair catch interference call the officiating crew made during Sunday Night Football (no video available).  Daopoulos explained that even if the receiver bobbles the ball in the air, he has to have the chance to secure possession. 

Mike Pereira broke down two replays in the Bears game with the Vikings.  Pereira’s take on the confirmed-turned-booth-review was similar to Daopoulos’s.  Pereira also explained the length of Green’s review of the Matt Spaeth touchdown catch.  Pereira commented that while the referee only has 60 seconds to review the video, most reviews take three minutes as the referee first consults with the replay official before going under the hood.

When it comes to NFL officiating, there never seems to be a lack of calls to discuss and explain.