The NFL will consider a rule change that will allow roughing the passer penalties to become subject to replay review, NFL Media reports.
According to Judy Battista of NFL Media, the rule change allowing replay review of roughing calls could soon be voted on by league owners.
As Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk writes:
Given the way the rules are written, the replay process would entail scanning on a frame-by-frame basis any and all available angles for any and all potential instances of roughing based on broad, literal application of the rule. It would become, from a coach’s challenge perspective, a potential emergency option to extend a key drive. And for every interception, which makes the replay process automatic, part of the second look will entail checking to see whether any potential roughing the passer happened.
There certainly have been several roughing the passer calls that have impacted games in recent years. An article at NFL.com cited an incorrect roughing call that helped the Vikings beat the Lions in Week 17. Had a review of the call taken place, it almost certainly would have been overturned and changed the outcome of the game.
However, while many are concerned about getting a call right, many more are concerned about adding more calls for an already time-consuming review process which destroys the pace of play and makes games way too long.
Though, as long as the league doesn’t add to the number of reviews each team gets per game (2), then what’s the harm?
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn