Seahawks In Playoffs Thanks to 'Worst-Ever' Referees? Why's ESPN Pushing This Goofy Narrative?
The Seattle Seahawks are in the NFL Playoffs. And to some critics, and seemingly to ESPN, they have the NFL referees to thank for that.
It's being alleged that multiple controversial calls in Sunday’s Week 18 playoff-shaping contest between the Rams and Seattle is why the Seahawks are in the playoffs against the Niners. ... a narrative being pushed by ESPN as it suggests the world of officiating could be in for sweeping changes due to that contest being botched by the zebras.
ESPN's Adam Schefter quotes a source as saying it was the “worst officiated game of the year.”
We're going to make an argument that isn't nearly this controversial, however: We watch a lot of NFL football. And officials miss multiple calls that help one team win over the other team ...
Often.
As is happened, of course, the Seahawks won a tight overtime matchup against the Rams last week, and when the Lions later eliminated Green Bay, Seattle was able to say "Thanks, Lions!'' and advance.
But "Thanks, Refs''?
Nah.
ESPN writes that a source said, “There's a real groundswell of unhappiness with officiating that is much deeper than I’ve seen and frankly, I haven’t seen in this league in years.”
OK. So ... what?
From Schefter: "One source told ESPN this week that the NFL must do a better job of screening, hiring and training its officials; the league can't have games in which teams' seasons are on the line and have questionable and impactful calls such as the ones in the Rams-Seahawks Week 18 game.''
We're not sure what football planet Schefter and his sources are living on. But cries of "missed calls!'' and "worst refs ever!'' happen every week, in almost every game ... and they are magnified in Week 18 ...
And if Schefter and his sources think there were "questionable and impactful calls'' when "teams' seasons are on the line'' ...
Wait until they get a load of what happens starting today, when the Seahawks play at the Niners. There will be a blown call. And "better screening, hiring and training of the officials'' will never, ever change that.
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