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At halfway point, replay reversals soar, coaches’ challenges floored, rookie coaches even more
A look at the replay statistics through Week 8
2018 replay statistics through Week 8
Reviews initiated by the replay official were fairly high last season, peaking at 43.7 percent, when the four previous seasons were less than 40. Through eight weeks of this season, the replay booth is in uncharted territory — over 50 percent — which might be a signal that replay is confirming more calls under its exclusive jurisdiction without having a formal review or that the replay officials are exercising more discretion in when a call is reviewed. (In at least one case, the replay command center initiated a review for an ejection, under new procedures this year. This is counted as a reversal on the replay booth line.)
Coaches have similarly flipped the script, as they have always been above 40 percent since scoring plays (as of 2011) and turnovers (as of 2012) were removed as part of the challenge system. So far this year, they are treading water at 37.7 percent by comparison.Â
Also of note:
- All first-year head coaches not named Matt Patricia are a combined 0 for 6 in replay reviews, while Patricia has successfully challenged 3 times on 4 plays.
- Marvin Lewis is perfect for the Bengals on 2 challenges, while Steelers coach Mike Tomlin has yet to win a challenge in 3 tries. Both coaches are on the Competition Commitee. (Tomlin’s last successful challenge was the 2016 Wild Card Playoff game.)
- Recently fired Browns coach Hue Jackson was 2 for 3 in replay, one of only nine coaches to be over the .500 mark.
- Anthony Lynn (LAC) has not yet challenged this year.
| Â | Coach | Â | Â | Reversals | Challenges | Success % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marvin Lewis | CIN | 2 | 2 | 1.000 | |
| Â | Mike McCarthy | GB | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | |
| Â | Todd Bowles | NYJ | 1 | 1 | 1.000 | |
| 4 | Matt Patricia | ¹ | DET | 3 | 4 | .750 |
| 5 | John Harbaugh | BAL | 2 | 3 | .667 | |
|  | Hue Jackson | †| CLE | 2 | 3 | .667 |
| Â | Doug Marrone | JAX | 2 | 3 | .667 | |
| Â | Jon Gruden | OAK | 2 | 3 | .667 | |
| Â | Pete Carroll | SEA | 2 | 3 | .667 | |
| — | Replay booth |  | NFL | 53 | 100 | .530 |
| 10 | Kyle Shanahan | SF | 2 | 4 | .500 | |
| 11 | Ron Rivera | CAR | 1 | 2 | .500 | |
| Â | Bill O’Brien | HOU | 1 | 2 | .500 | |
| Â | Andy Reid | KC | 1 | 2 | .500 | |
| Â | Bill Belichick | NE | 1 | 2 | .500 | |
| Â | Jay Gruden | WAS | 1 | 2 | .500 | |
| 16 | Jason Garrett | DAL | 1 | 3 | .333 | |
| Â | Sean McVay | LAR | 1 | 3 | .333 | |
| Â | Sean Payton | NO | 1 | 3 | .333 | |
| Â | Pat Shurmur | NYG | 1 | 3 | .333 | |
| 20 | Vance Joseph | DEN | 1 | 4 | .250 | |
| 21 | Steve Wilks | ¹ | AZ | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Â | Dan Quinn | ATL | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
|  | Matt Nagy | ¹ | CHI | 0 | 1 | .000 |
|  | Frank Reich | ¹ | IND | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Â | Dirk Koetter | TB | 0 | 1 | .000 | |
| 26 | Doug Pederson | PHI | 0 | 2 | .000 | |
| 27 | Adam Gase | MIA | 0 | 3 | .000 | |
| Â | Mike Zimmer | MIN | 0 | 3 | .000 | |
| Â | Mike Tomlin | PIT | 0 | 3 | .000 | |
|  | Mike Vrabel | ¹ | TEN | 0 | 3 | .000 |
| 31 | Sean McDermott | BUF | 0 | 5 | .000 | |
| — | Coach’s total |  |  | 29 | 77 | .377 |
(2017 final replay statistics) Totals including the replay official: 82/177, .463
¹-First-year head coach, not including interim assignments. †-No longer with team. ‡-Interim coach. Source: NFL game statistics, Football Zebras research.
