Protected from criticism? On any given week some player(s) or coach(es) are going off about the officiating. It is inconsistent. Certainly they are not protected. The fines deter, but they do not eliminate.

Side me with those who think the refs do an amazing job - MOST of the time. There are those head-scratching moments to be sure, and they're frustrating, but the body of work the officials present from one season to the next is pretty damn solid in my opinion.

Blame the league for implementing silly rules to promote offense and to protect QBs. Don't blame the refs for doing all that is humanly possible to enforce them.

I think overall the refs do a good job calling the games. It's a very hard job to do with as fast as the game is with all the moving parts involved in each and every single play within the game.

Naturally they get some of the calls wrong and it's frustrating when it happens against the team you're supporting, but in the end it all evens out... with maybe the exception of calls that decide the outcome of a playoff/championship type of a game.

I don't believe in a league-wide conspiracy to manipulate the outcomes of games to further some underlining plan concocted in a shady boardroom - I believe the refs are just human as are the players and because of that mistakes are made on both sides of the game, which in itself is part of the game.

Bye.