There’s a lot of talk on Sundays about how games in the NFL are won in the trenches. Apparently there’s a lot more going on in there than meets the eye.
Former NFL All-Pro offensive lineman Chris Snee thinks the league has to look closer at how it’s refereeing games around the line of scrimmage. In a post for Football By Football — a new blog featuring work from former NFL players led by Matt Chatham — Snee explained why there are inconsistencies in how the game is called in the trenches.
According to Snee, defensive linemen are taking more liberties after a rule change in 2010, which moved the umpire farther away from the line of scrimmage. This change, Snee writes, keeps the official from seeing all that happens.
“I knew when this change occurred that offensive holding calls would increase, and they’d never see a defensive lineman holding because of where they were now positioned,” Snee wrote.
“Sure enough, the season following the change, offensive holding calls increased by about 70…and holding by a defensive lineman dropped to a mere 10!”
When defensive linemen are allowed to hold, Snee points out, it allows linebackers to plug the holes and slow the offense.
Snee’s proposed solution is a pretty simple one, too.
“How about you put your most athletic official in the umpire position? Just because they’re responsible for watching the big boys doesn’t mean they have to resemble and/or move like them.”
