Every NFL season has its share of officiating controversies. But Washington Redskins wide receiver Santana Moss believes this season has had more mistakes than usual.
"Its probably been worse this whole year as a total, not just this team," Moss said Wednesday of the officiating, via The Washington Post. "But I've watched a lot of football this year. It's been the worst that I've ever seen."
The stories have come at a rapid pace lately. There was the non-callat the end of the Carolina Panthers-New England Patriots "Monday Night Football" game. The 49ers were furious about a correct call made against linebacker Ahmad Brooksafter he hit Drew Brees. No penalty was called against Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin for his sideline infraction on Thanksgiving, an error that eventually cost him $100,000. And the NFL admitted errors were made during Sunday night's confusing end to the Redskins-Giants game.
Moss, like a lot of fans, believes there is also great confusion about what constitutes a catch.
"I understand (there are) so many things being changed. But at the end of the day, some of that stuff is crap," Moss said. "So hopefully somebody who's in a higher position that can really watch this season alone and see some of the stuff that's being called and hasn't been called, they can go and try to critique that because it's been the worst by far since I've been in the league."
Moss isn't the only one talking about the problems this week.
"We've needed full-time officials forever," Hall of Fame coach and broadcaster John Madden said Wednesday on SiriusXM NFL Radio. "It's time for full-time officials."
Complaining about officiating is a part of every sport. But this season does feel different than others. Larger questions have been raised about how to improve the officiating process for the future.
One constant throughout NFL history: Rule changes come every offseason. And those changes usually happen after high-profile mistakes or loopholes have been exposed. Expect this officiating conversation to continue into the winter.
*The latest "Around The League Podcast" recapped every Week 13 game. *
