NFL shows support of highly criticized referee crew

There is a clear officiating problem in the NFL and the league is deciding to look the other way in its latest installment. 

According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, referee Brad Allen and his crew, who were highly criticized for the ending of Week 17’s Lions-Cowboys game, have been assigned to Saturday’s Steelers-Ravens game.

Allen and his crew misheard which lineman was an eligible receiver on the Lions’ two-point conversation attempt in their 20-19 loss to the Cowboys last week. Detroit would have likely won the game if the officiating heard the players correctly as it was a successful conversion, but that was not the case.

Now they are being put back on national television in a game that has high playoff implications. The Ravens (13-3) already locked up the AFC’s No. 1 seed, but the Steelers (9-7) are still fighting for their postseason lives.

Given Allen and his crew’s recent record, those in Pittsburgh must be even more nervous ahead of the regular season finale in Baltimore. If the reffing dictates the ending of this game, the backlash against the NFL’s officiating will become much louder.

Jets QB Aaron Rodgers joined the conversation on Tuesday. He said it’s clear who the best refs are and that the league shouldn’t be allowing anyone but the best to officiate as the games get more important late in the season.

“I think as players, we know who the best refs are,” Rodgers said on “The Pat McAfee Show.” “When you get to the playoffs it should be the top of the top.”

Allen and his crew are surely not in that select group of referees, but they are being treated like so. The NFL is taking a risk by allowing them back in the stadium this weekend and it is certainly hoping they redeem themselves this time around.