Let me wrap my head around this. Currently, it takes about three hours to play a 60-minute game that has at most 15 minutes of on-field action. Yet a new rule could see that three-hour block become four hours.
Hope you like replays, because there will be an increased number of booth reviews in the 2011 season. The rippling effect is that games will become increasingly longer.
The new rule going into effect this upcoming season states that every scoring play during an NFL game is subject to automatic review by the replay official.
Mike Pereira with FOXSports.com furthers the explanation with this statement:
If an official rules a score (touchdown, field goal, safety or extra point) during a game, the replay official will automatically review the play. If there is any question as to whether the ruling is correct, they will buzz down to the referee and ask him to come to the monitor to review the play. If the replay official confirms the ruling is correct, they will buzz the referee indicating he is clear to let the scoring team attempt the extra point, or kick off if the scoring play was a field goal, safety or extra-point attempt. A coach will not be allowed to challenge the ruling of a score. The intent is to save the coach from having to challenge the ruling of a score and, thus, increase his chances of not running out of challenges or timeouts.
Well, the new rule is surely going to upset a number of TV watchers who aren’t fans of football, especially if the rule plays havoc with their DVR recordings of Sunday night programs on CBS and Fox.
