re: New "Aaron Murray" rule protecting QBs

quote:

---

As for the ejection rule and targeting, it is my understanding that the ejection and targeting call is reviewable and that refs have been instructed to throw a flag even when they are in doubt. If that is the way it is going to be called and given the severity of the penalty and the effect of a missed call, they need to reverse the standard for review on those plays to give the player the benefit of the doubt and not giving the original call the benefit.

---

Absolutely. At least go into the review booth with the presumption that it was not electable targeting. Instead any "contact above the shoulders" on a "defenseless player" is a presumed ejection unless it can be overcome on replay by "conclusive evidence". That is 3 phrases open to a lot of interpretation that a referee is going to have to make on every targeting decision. It's going to open them up to a ton of criticism and I think they will be extremely reluctant to overturn any targeting ejection. It will be much easier to eject them all than explain why one was ejected and the other was overturned.

Also I am unsure about what they are looking for in the replay booth. Are they simply trying to confirm if the hit was above the shoulders or are they making a judgment call on whether the above shoulder hit was intentional or avoidable, etc?