Football Officiating > General Discussion

Can multiple synced angles be used to overturn a call?

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pokypine:
When a play is under review, are officials able and allowed to use multiple perfectly synced video angles to determine a call that is timing sensitive?

For example (simple frame numbers used for easy explanation), a ball carrier is crossing the goal line on a play that was ruled a touchdown on the field.

In angle A, the ball clearly crosses the line at frame number 1,234, however the view of his knees is blocked by other players.

In angle B, the view of the ball is blocked, but it is clear that the runners knee is down at frame 1,232 (a couple frames before the ball crosses the line in angle A).

In this scenario, is the technology in place to allow this level of detail during review? And if so, are officials allowed to use this to overturn a call?

Legacy Zebra:
Yes. Most replay systems have can sync up to 4 different feeds next to each other. This method is used often.

ElvisLives:
It’s referred to as “piecing it together.” Even if not perfectly synced, one view can show a certain sequence of events that can prove when something happened in another view.

pokypine:
Thanks for the answers  :)

So more specifically, during an NFL review do the officials or those reviewing off site actually get perfectly synced feeds?

Zebra seems to be saying yes, but Elvis’ answer makes it sound less precise and more along the lines of what is shown on TV broadcasts.

I guess to ask another way, are they seeing something better and more useful than the broadcasters?

Very rarely (or maybe never) does the broadcast show 2 replay angles side by side. The commentary frequently goes something like: “well the ball clearly crosses the line here, but the question is… was he down”. At which point I’m thinking: just show us the 2 feeds side by side in sync and be done with it!

ElvisLives:
Earlier technology did not allow ‘synced’ views, so the concept of ‘piecing it together’ was born out of necessity during those years. In one view, you might see a hand down just as the ball is breaking the plane of the goal line, but you can’t see the BC’s legs. Another view might show the knee down, but the player’s hand is still well up in the air, so you know the ball hasn’t yet broken the plane of the goal line. So, by piecing it together, you can rule no touchdown.
With synchronization these days, that becomes a lot easier, but views could still be blocked, and it may still require ‘piecing.’ As they said on “The Six Million Dollar Man,” “We have the technology.”

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