Are NFL officials actually picking on the Dallas Cowboys?

The Dallas Cowboys play a game that is difficult to officiate. Instant replay is only shining a spotlight on NFL officials and making their jobs harder.

The state of officiating in the NFL is becoming a major story. Dallas Cowboys fans are no longer talking about current quarterback Dak Prescott and his apparent maturation or the lack of a pass rush from the Dallas’ front four.

Rather, fans are talking about the pass interference penalty on corner Anthony Brown when he ran into Packers receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling last Sunday. By my estimation, Valdes-Scantling had less than five percent chance to catch the underthrown Aaron Rodgers toss since the ball hit Brown in the back as he was chasing the receiver downfield.

The defensive pass interference penalty should have been picked up for an uncatchable pass. The Packers benefited 39 free yards for Aaron Rodgers underthrowing his receiver. But there lies the problem, how can you objectively determine uncatchable with a clear and concise rule?

The penalty prompted Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett to challenge the play when he was encouraged by Side Judge Scott Edwards to throw the flag if he didn’t like the call. Instant replay has changed the way the officials call the game. And it is not for the better.

During the Cowboys-Saints game, running back Ezekiel Elliott converted a fourth and one from the Dallas 43-yard line. It was difficult to spot Elliott let alone the ball from the camera angle shown during the telecast. The Line Judge had the same view as the camera angle.

As the Line Judge and the Down Judge came running to the pile, it became clear that the Saints had the ball. They conferred and agreed that Elliott had fumbled. By rule, all turnovers are reviewed so if they got it wrong, the ball would be returned to the Cowboys.

The problem was there was no clear view of the ball being fumbled or not fumbled. As a result, the call on the field stood. Officials are changing the way they call the game knowing that if they make a mistake, the replay can clean up the outcome.

Former Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman has gone on record multiple times to share his opinion on officiating in the NFL and instant replay. In case you missed it, here is what he said in a SI.com podcast in September:

"“At a time when the league and sport is trying to do all that it can to get the calls right, there’s more controversy than there’s ever been before. I’ve never been a fan of instant replay. I didn’t like it when I was playing and I didn’t like it when it returned when the votes were made years ago to make instant replay part of our game. I just think that for the most part, the officials were doing a good job, there were times when I was impacted by the wrong calls and there were times I benefited from the wrong calls. I think over time, it evens itself out.”"

The television networks rules experts, former NFL referees or executives, are only adding fuel to the fire. By explaining the rules to the common fan, the rules experts are shining a light on how many calls the officials are getting wrong in real-time.

The game of football is difficult to officiate in real-time and the seven officials do not have the luxury of slow-motion replay. They are paid to make an instantaneous judgment and they, like the rest of us, are human and prone to mistakes.

In the Cowboys-Packers game last week, wide receiver Amari Cooper made an extremely athletic catch along the Cowboys sideline in the third quarter. Side Judge Scott Edwards was the official who made the call that Cooper did not get both feet inbounds before running out-of-bounds.

In real-time, Edwards needed to watch both Cooper and Packers corner Jaire Alexander for any illegal contact, holding or pass interference. Then Edwards had to watch for Cooper to control the ball and at the same time check that he got both feet in bounds.

Edwards called the pass incomplete. Cooper was confident he made the catch and the Garrett challenged the play. Garrett also informed Edwards (assumed impolitely) that he was going to throw the flag and slammed it in Edwards’ face prompting Edwards to throw his flag faster, higher and harder than any official in the history of the NFL for unsportsmanlike conduct.

After review, Cooper was able to toe-tap his right foot and make the 27-yard catch.  The Cowboys bench unsportsmanlike penalty was enforced netting Dallas 12 yards and a first down with 25 yards to make.

Edwards’ initial call was a difficult one to make. He got it wrong and the replay was able to correct the mistake. His penalty call was likely the right call as well but he bears responsibility in inciting Garrett earlier and his response shows that he was equally emotionally invested in the game when he is paid to be neutral.

For a balanced perspective, the Cowboys were the beneficiaries of at least one suspect penalty in the Packers game. The head slap roughing the passer penalty may have been by the book but it did not pass the eye test netting the Cowboys an extra fifteen yards. Proving Troy Aikman correct, the calls tend to even out over time,

The problem of too many flags and replay reviews is not going to go away by itself. The NFL Competition Committee needs to propose ways in which penalties are only enforced when player safety and competitive advantage are at risk.

The NFL has an officiating problem. Replay is contributing to it. The league needs to find a solution so that the narrative is about the players and their fantastic play.