While many hearts were left broken throughout Saints’ country following the NFC Championship Game, one thing was made clear: the NFL does whatever the hell it wants.
Viewership has been on a decline the past few years, although this year it made a 5 percent increase according to an article by Sport Illustrated. However, this may be a result of the expansion of the game to streaming services, as there was an 86 percent increase in digital streaming viewership this year.
The NFL also reported a decrease in concussions this regular season as it went from 281 to 214 concussions. While this decrease is good for the safety of the players, it begs the question as to why the blown call from the NFC Championship Game was not automatically reviewed for targeting.
If you have seen the replay of the hit, Nickell Robey-Coleman, defensive back for Los Angeles, clearly leads with his helmet, leaves his feet and makes forcible contact to the head of a defenseless player TommyLee Lewis, wide receiver for New Orleans.
The NFL missed an obvious targeting call, and failed to protect its player by doing so. The only excuse the league has is that its refs are human, just like the players and coaches.
However, the refs have video review to help them if they miss something, to help them correct calls and to help them avoid controversy by getting the right call.
When a player or coach mess up, they are held accountable by the fans and media; where as the refs can just go home, shower and never answer for what they messed up. The no call should have been addressed that night, and the fact the NFL did not just goes to show how much they actually care about the fans.
Another problem the NFL had this year was the quality of product. With new rules in place, the league saw the success rate of onside kicks fall. While it has always been low, it was 21.7 percent in 2017 according to an article on the Washington Post, it was unfairly low this season at 7.5 percent.
The onside kick is a play that makes games better by adding drama at the end of a game, especially if the kicking team is able to recover (which this year it has been shown difficult to do since new rules made it even tougher than it already was to recover).
The NFL is also the only pro-American sport besides soccer, that can end in a tie. If the NFL truly cares about the fans and product on the field, they would change their rules and adopt the college overtime rules.
The record-breaking LSU vs. Texas A&M 7 overtime this season was one of the best games this year. Could you imagine a seven overtime Kansas City vs. New England thriller this postseason? Everyone wins: TV wins, fans win, the game of football wins with college overtime rules.
Since it is too late to change the teams in the Super Bowl, there is one thing that can be done to salvage this season: the NFL needs to rig the game, if they have not already, to allow for both the Rams and Patriots to tie after 15 minutes of overtime with no college football overtime rules.
