Much of the attention on the officiating in the New Orleans Saints' season opener has rightfully gone to a bad rule that erased a defensive touchdown, which could have kept the game from going to overtime -- and secured a Week 1 upset win against the Detroit Lions. Former referees, rules analysts, and NFL officials all agree the play was ruled correctly as written, but that doesn't change the fact it's a bad rule. That it's both rarely come up before (if ever) and that it means a ball traveling backwards could be defined as a forward pass is ridiculous. Tear that page out of the rulebook.
Nevertheless, we're on to Week 2. Veteran referee Clete Blakeman has been assigned to Week 2's road game with the Baltimore Ravens, per Football Zebras. Blakeman is
one of the most experienced officials in the game today, having worked for two years as a field judge before being promoted to lead his own crew back in 2010. He has refereed 16 games for the Saints, who went 9-7 in those matchups. The Ravens are 11-5 in 16 games with Blakeman at referee.
Blakeman's crew was one of the NFL's fastest to throw a penalty marker last season, with 218 fouls called in 17 games (16.5 per week), fifth-most. They also assessed the seventh-most penalty yardage (1,720) with 20 more penalties going against visitors than home teams. Like most crews, their most-common fouls are for offensive holding, false starts, and defensive pass interference. Last week Blakeman's crew tied with Alan Eck's group, who officiated the Saints-Lions game, with 14 penalties. That ranked fourth-fewest. The New Orleans offensive line can't afford many mistakes this week. Let's see if they show up.
This article originally appeared on Saints Wire: Veteran referee Clete Blakeman assigned to Week 2 Saints-Ravens game
