The Giants-Patriots preseason game on Wednesday night offered yet another look at how the regular season might be with replacement refs officiating games. And, yet again, it was not pretty.
After the Giants punted late in the second quarter, the refs needed a few minutes to deliberate amongst themselves, and then with both Tom Coughlin and Bill Belichick, to get things straight. While one referee was announcing that each team had committed a penalty on the play, another referee was apparently yelling to him that both fouls (a personal and an illegal shift) were on the kicking team, which would result in a re-kick. New York was set to punt it again, but the refs interrupted to announce a "correction on the reporting of the foul."
"Both teams were on the.. off.. both fouls were on the kicking team.. 5-yard penalty."
Then the officials had to explain to both coaches what had happened, again, and announce the penalties, again. The fouls committed were a 15-yard face mask, which was declined by the Patriots, and an 5-yard illegal shift.
With replacement refs set to work Week 1, it looks like there might be some angry coaches during each game. And one very angry Chris Kluwe.