News
Replay reversals don’t come easy
2014 final replay statistics
The replay reversal rate crashed this year, based largely on the interventionist role vice president of officiating Dean Blandino played this year. Referees were allowed to consult with the officiating command center starting this year, but Jarrett Bell of USA Today reports that Blandino and senior supervisor Al Riveron are now “the two deciding officials,” a characterization that the league declined to comment to Football Zebras on. Blandino, for better or for worse, has strictly applied the standard-of-evidence criteria this season. Last year, coaches challenges were successful 52.2 percent of the time; that rate is just below 40 this season. Including reviews initiated by the replay official, the overall reversal rate dropped from 44.2 percent last season to 36.7 percent this year.
Also of note:
- Teams with coaching vacancies: 5/18 (27 percent)
- Teams with first-round byes: 4/19 (21 percent)
- Teams finishing last in their division: 12/36 (33 percent)
- Bill Belichick, 2013-14: 0/4
- Challenges by Tony Sparano as Raiders interim head coach: 0 (12 games)
| Â | Coach | Â | Â | Reversals | Challenges | Success % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marvin Lewis | * | CIN | 4 | 5 | .800 |
| 2 | Chuck Pagano | * | IND | 5 | 7 | .714 |
| 3 | Bruce Arians | * | AZ | 4 | 6 | .667 |
| Â | Sean Payton | NO | 4 | 6 | .667 | |
|  | Dennis Allen | †| OAK | 2 | 3 | .667 |
| Â | Chip Kelly | PHI | 4 | 6 | .667 | |
| Â | Mike McCoy | SD | 2 | 3 | .667 | |
| 8 | Doug Marrone | †| BUF | 3 | 5 | .600 |
| 9 | Jason Garrett | * | DAL | 4 | 7 | .571 |
| Â | Lovie Smith | TB | 4 | 7 | .571 | |
| 11 | Marc Trestman | †| CHI | 1 | 2 | .500 |
| Â | Mike Pettine | CLE | 2 | 4 | .500 | |
| Â | Jim Caldwell | * | DET | 2 | 4 | .500 |
| Â | Tom Coughlin | NYG | 2 | 4 | .500 | |
| Â | Jeff Fisher | STL | 1 | 2 | .500 | |
| 16 | Ron Rivera | * | CAR | 3 | 7 | .429 |
| 17 | John Fox | *†| DEN | 2 | 5 | .400 |
| — | Replay official |  | NFL | 96 | 274 | .350 |
| 18 | Andy Reid | KC | 2 | 6 | .333 | |
| Â | Mike Zimmer | MIN | 1 | 3 | .333 | |
| Â | Mike Tomlin | * | PIT | 2 | 6 | .333 |
| 21 | Gus Bradley | JAX | 2 | 7 | .286 | |
| Â | Pete Carroll | * | SEA | 2 | 7 | .286 |
| 23 | Joe Philbin | MIA | 1 | 4 | .250 | |
| 24 | Rex Ryan | †| NYJ | 1 | 5 | .200 |
| 25 | Bill O’Brien | HOU | 1 | 6 | .167 | |
| 26 | Jim Harbaugh | †| SF | 1 | 7 | .143 |
| Â | Ken Whisenhunt | TEN | 1 | 7 | .143 | |
| 28 | John Harbaugh | * | BAL | 1 | 8 | .125 |
| Â | Jay Gruden | WAS | 1 | 8 | .125 | |
| 30 | Mike Smith | †| ATL | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 31 | Bill Belichick | * | NE | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| 32 | Mike McCarthy | * | GB | 0 | 4 | .000 |
| Â | Coach’s total | Â | Â | 65 | 165 | .394 |
(2013 final replay statistics)
Totals including the replay official: 161/439, .366
*Playoff team. †No longer with team. Source: NFL game statistics, regular season only.
