NFL Prepared to Hire Replacement Refs

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

There was an average of about 17 flags per game in 2005...and 15 in 2011, per my recollection

I wonder what the average was in the 90's and 80's.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by skinsfan69

I wonder what the average was in the 90's and 80's.

I don't know. I do know it steadily went up the first few years of the 2000s and has basically plateaued (if not gone down) during the final 5-6 years

Replays have slowed the game down for sure. Average length of MNF last year was about 5-6 minutes longer than the previous year.

But referees do not get any sort of bonus for throwing more flags