As our Jonathan Jones wrote today, after another Sunday with missed calls at critical times in NFL games, it’s time to I wonder if the league needs to make more changes to officiating to prevent such things from happening. I’ve heard many people say that officiating is “worse than it’s ever been”.
But are we sure this is the case? Isn’t it possible that refereeing has always been this bad? I’ve watched the NFL all my life, and I can’t remember when I thought the officiating was good. What if we just think it’s getting worse because we’ve become so obsessed with it?
We also have multiple critics in each game, which makes the rules and refereeing become as important a part of the game as the game itself. Also, what if the main reason we think the arbitrage is deteriorating is simply because we see more games? NFL Red Zone allows us to know every bad call in any game, whereas before we were limited to knowing the games that were shown to us in our TV market.
I’m not saying the NFL can’t afford to improve its officiating – every sport should strive to do so. I’m just saying that adding more reviewable appeals, and therefore making officials even more accountable, probably won’t solve problems as much as it will create new ones. And if you want to solve all your problems, read these stories.
Now let’s try to make better calls with our bets than the officials on Sunday.
All Eastern times and odds via Caesars Sportsbook
🔥 The hot ticket
Rams at Packers, 8:15 p.m. | Television: ESPN
Latest odds:
Green Bay Packers -7.5
- Key trend: Packers are 9-3-1 ATS after a pass with Aaron Rodgers at QB
- The pick: packers -7.5 (-110)
Look, if you want any numbers on why I think you should take the Packers tonight, you know I have them. Long-time readers understand how happy I am to throw crazy numbers at them that they don’t understand. Those same readers know I’m not afraid to do a vibe test either. However, tonight, I’m not relying on numbers or vibes for this piece.
Instead, I would like to quote one of our greatest philosophers and one of the most innovative footballing minds we have ever seen. I’m talking, of course, about Pro Football Hall of Famer and three-time Super Bowl champion Michael Irvin: “Man, when we played in that cold weather, we was cold.”
The forecast for Lambeau Field tonight calls for temperatures of 17 degrees, but don’t worry. It’s supposed to heat up as the game goes on and could reach 19 degrees in the second half! Either way, the wind chill will be more like 11 degrees. Oh, and there’s also a decent chance of late-game snow.
Now, which of these teams do you trust to perform in these conditions? The one that lives in Wisconsin and plays games like this every year forever, or the Los Angeles team that plays in an outdoor but covered stadium in sunny Southern California? Plus, while Baker Mayfield led an incredible win on his Rams debut last week, do you remember how the Rams looked for the first 95% of the game? Yes, take the Packers.
Here’s what SportsLine has to say about the game: SportsLine’s RJ White is 56-20-2 in his last 78 ATS picks involving the Packers and he has one game posted for tonight’s game at SportsLine.
💰 Choices
🏀NBA
Blazers at Thunder, 8 p.m. | Television: NBA League Pass
Latest odds:
Over 229
The choice: Over 228 (-110) — Overs have been a solid game in home games for the Thunder this season, as they are 9-5 this season and are covering an average of 8.2 points per game. I’m not sure why that’s the case, but my working theory is that the Thunder put up strong defensive numbers this season without Actually to be so good in defense. Their defensive efficiency of 112.0 ranks 12th in the league and ahead of other legitimate playoff teams. You know, the kind you would expect to be better at defensively.
Tonight that Thunder defense hosts a Portland team that I think has been a bit over the weight so far as the Blazers are 17-13 and sixth in the West despite the seeding 15th in the league in net efficiency. The Blazers are a first-to-score team that doesn’t defend well, which is why I’m skeptical of them long term, but it’s another reason I like tonight. Because of the defense, it’s hard to trust the Blazers to cover as road favorites tonight as they’ll likely let OKC trail, which only gives me more confidence in the overs.
🏈 College Football
Eastern Michigan vs. San Jose State, Tuesday, 3:30 p.m. | Television: ESPN
Latest odds:
More than 52.5
The choice: more than 53.5 (-110) — San Jose State’s defense was terrific to start the season as the Spartans allowed an average of just 14.5 points per game. That number has jumped to 27.2 points in their last five games, and I don’t think the market has quite caught on to the drop.
Meanwhile, Eastern Michigan has done nothing but play in tennis matches throughout the season. Eastern Michigan’s game average saw 57.4 points, but more importantly, the Eagles’ defense looked subpar against poor MAC offenses. San Jose State’s offense is not a juggernaut, but should be able to move the ball effectively against this team.
🔒 SportsLine Pick of the Day: SportsLine’s projection model has an A-rated game in the NBA tonight, and it’s a game on the Cleveland-Utah game.