Consequences of the Challenge System

[Jack of Arcades]

Refs no longer call runners down, even when it's obvious somebody is down, leaving it up to the coaches to challenge it. This is obviously a problem when the coaches no longer have a timeout, as was the case in the Saints/Rams game. It was before the 2 minute warning, and on a completion to Ernie Conwell, Mike Furrey took the ball from Conwell after he'd been on his back for half a second, then goes 66 yards for a touchdown. The Saints cannot challenge the play. It is then ironic that, had the challenge system NOT been in place, this mistake would not have been made because Conwell would've been called down.