AR Review: Week 33
33 weeks later we have reached the end of the regular season. The final week produced more positive performances and good decisions, two of which you can pick from to decide our final Call of the Week winner.
An interesting offside decision in San Jose will serve as the educational material for this week and we are going to tie that decision to one from the play-in round of the playoffs.
No offside in Atlanta v Columbus
This decision is not from Week
33 but from the play in round
of the playoffs. This decision
received a lot of attention
because it could not be sent to
video review because the
whistle clearly goes before the
ball is kicked into the net.
Here we will look at it to see,
unfortunately, why it was
incorrect. The error was
committed in focusing too
much on a single player and
not seeing the whole play. Columbus’ Kamara is clearlyrunning in an offside position and when the ball is passed it goes behind him to CLB #32 who was in an onside position. On the freeze frame it looks like a simple decision, but in live play it appeared offside. The AR did not let the play develop and raised the flag too quickly (on Kamara’s position) missing the second attacker’s run. As we have stated in previous reports, there is rarely a need for a quick flag and on this play, the quick flag negated the well timed run.
All season we have been making a concerted effort to be in the best position and keeping the flag down when not completely sure of offside. It has been very successful. The playoffs and the atmosphere associated with them add to the pressure to “be safe” and raise the flag. Stick with what has worked all regular season, be patient with your decision, give benefit of doubt to the attack and you will continue to be successful.