Tomlin and the Challenge Flag

[steelcityjameser]

Who gives him input as to what to challenge? I assume he has someone up in the booth that has access to replay, etc. IMO his camp has done a horrible job at challenging plays this year.

I understand that sometimes you want to challenge a questionable play even though it is unlikely that it will be overturned. This is usually a situation that you want to break up/disrupt the rhythm of the other team(particularly offense) and/or you can use it as a timeout anyway.

I also understand he is green and will get better with these types of decisions as he matures as a head coach. Still, the point stands that whomever is responsible for guiding him in these decisions is doing a pretty bad job.

Any thoughts?

[RushHard34]

I have to agree with you there. Theres been more than one time where it was clear on the replay that it was the right call and he's thrown the flag....hasnt killed us yet, but it could come to haunt us in the future. As long as it doesnt hurt our team, i dont care....yet

[tony hipchest]

its just a time out. i dont get too worked up over it. there are 6 of them in a game and, using 1 should be no more damning than carrying 1 into the half. challenges are a bonus, not a curse.

[Atlanta Dan]

It was a good challenge - if he wins it the game was over.

[Glace]

That was a weird game for challenges though....couple could have easily reversed the play from what I saw...for both teams....and they weren't overturned.

It was basically an extended time out though.

[revefsreleets]

Yup. I'm a HUGE proponent of tossing the flag even if you know the play won't be overturned if it's an appropriate time for a TO. And, to be honest, that play was almost exactly the same situation as Holmes earlier catch. At least the refs were consistent.

Dan got it right, too. It was 4th down. If by some chance the review overturned the call, that was the game.

[Steel Pit]

I think that Tomlin also wanted the refs to see that Chad Johnson was pushing off on the play. It's not like they could penalize Johnson for that particular push off but it may have induced the refs into watching Johnson more closely for the remainder of the game.