Controversy over NFL replacement officials mounts

New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick yells at official during first quarter of game Pats wound up losing to Baltimore Ravens in Baltimore Sunday night / Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

(AP) Replacement officials are getting to Bill Belichick, too.

The New England Patriots coach grabbed the arm of an official as they were leaving the field Sunday night after rookie John Tucker's last-second field goal barely sneaked inside the right upright, giving Baltimore a 31-30 victory.

Belichick said he doesn't expect to be fined for making contact with the official, although that usually is NFL policy.

"I'm not going to comment about that. You saw the game," Belichick said in his postgame news conference. "What did we have, 30 penalties called in that game?"

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NFL: Week 3

Actually, it was 10 for 83 yards, fewer than the Ravens' 14 for 135 yards.

"It's our job to go out there and control what we can control," Belichick added. "That's what we're going to try to work on. Talk to the officials about the way they called the game. Talk to the league about the way they called it. I don't know. But we just have to go out there and try to play the best we can."

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The kick was close, but replays clearly showed it was good.

Week 3 produced suspect calls during several games, even as the league and the locked out officials' union met.

Two people familiar with the talks said the sides held negotiations Sunday. It was uncertain whether progress was made in an attempt to reach a new collective bargaining agreement, or when further negotiations would take place.

The two people spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the talks are not being made public.

The NFL locked out the officials in June after their contract expired. The league has been using replacement officials and, through three weeks of the regular season, there has been much criticism over the way some games are being handled.

Particularly on Sunday.

Replacement officials admitted making two mistakes in Minnesota's victory over San Francisco, while a few other games included questionable calls that could have affected the outcomes.

Referee Ken Roan said he twice granted 49ers coach Jim Harbaugh video challenges after Harbaugh called timeout in the fourth quarter. Neither challenge should have been allowed once Harbaugh asked for time.

"What I told him was, `Well you challenged it not knowing what the result of the play was going to be,"' Roan said. "So I granted him the challenge and we went and looked at it. That was wrong. I should not have."

Both mistakes happened in the span of six plays in Minnesota's 24-13 upset of the 49ers.

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[jnostromo]

The NFL really doesn't have to care what people think...The stands will still be filled, people will continue to watch regardless...

[1history]

The losing coach is always the one who snivels the most about poor officiating. A built in excuse for losing. Has anyone read Belichick's lips on the sideline when things aren't going his way? Some of the things he says wouldn't be allowed here.

[Paul_I]

The NFL has put less than qualified people in referee stripes and essentially pretends that does not affect the quality and standards of the game. The NFL is trying to bully everyone including fans, players and coaches into accepting that the substandard officiating does not impact the game. The longer the NFL pursues this sham, the greater the erosion in the integrity of the game.

[lesserof2evil]

LOL @greedy NFL owners.

[saucymugwump]

Outsourcing results in lower quality, whether in Chinese-made goods or NFL referees.

[filmguy107]

Total word!

[royalstar05]

He should have to sit out a game and should be fined for grabbing the ref. Uncalled for.

[Filmguy870]

There are serious issues here...the outcome of the games is being affected by inaccurate calls. NOT GOOD!

[spitbucketbaptismo]

The officiating is abysmal. C'mon Goodell, suck it up and pay the 'professional' NFL refs what they're worth. Stingy freak! Goodell and not the refs. NFL fans DESERVE better.

[no1blonde]

Belichick pointing a finger? Ha! I have no sympathy for the man who sureptitiously video taped sideline signals. Go away, you have been here too long.

[keote_poet]

oh now you're the self-riteous? nothing but jealousy!!..

[rubberrezi]

It a game, grow up Belichick!

[keote_poet]

it smore than a 'game' to the players and coaches, you should get a life..