NFL: Terrible Officiating is Ruining the Game, but Not Profits

Derailing what promises to be a significant year for the Detroit Lions, Monday night’s matchup shows just what’s wrong with today’s NFL. The league has an officiating problem and one has to wonder if the refs are in on the prize. Yes, the Lions play the Packers twice a year but it’s clear that the NFL stands to make more money off their historic franchises than the ones that have struggled throughout the year and the refs make sure of it.

Let’s face it, NFL fan bases like the Cowboys, Packers, Patriots, or Steelers have a much larger following than teams like the Browns, Cardinals, or Lions based on history and longevity in the league. If anything, Monday Night Football’s officiating proves that the NFL lacks integrity and will do anything to keep their winning franchises winning.

Nothing against every other team in the league, but the NFL is a business and businesses are designed to make money. One of the ways to guarantee they’ll continue growth is making sure the teams with the biggest fan bases are at the top of the league. Have you ever wondered why these phantom officiating calls come out late in close games to swing favor of these future Hall of Fame quarterbacks? Why the catch rule is so open to interpretation? Why pass interference calls only get called late in the game when refs have been allowing them to play physical for 3 quarters.

Now it’s lunacy to think that the NFL is 100% fixed, there are too many variables to sway the outcome of a game between catching deep passes and kicking long field goals. However, the only way to explain how terrible the officials who continue to have a job keep getting calls wrong is simple. The NFL is corrupt. Yes, occasionally the Dolphins will beat the Pats late in the season or the Lions might get their redemption on the Packers but its always at the end of the year when their playoff spots are secure.

The NFL stands to make too much money off a Super Bowl where Tom Brady faced Peyton Manning than Ryan Fitzpatrick vs Matthew Stafford. The league is set up to follow the money. That’s why every year there’s a feel-good team that gets on a roll and makes headlines and next year they’re awful. Behind the scenes where fans and players are naive, the NFL has to make sure their cash cows are winning. Otherwise, there’s no excuse for terrible officiating ever, especially with instant replay.