Cincinnati Bengals 2009 Media Guide.indb - Bengals Home

The NFL utilizes a system of Referee Replay Review
to aid offi ciating. Prior to the two-minute warning of each
half, a Coaches’ Challenge System will be in effect. After
the two-minute warning, and throughout any overtime
period, a Referee Review will be initiated by a Replay
Assistant from a Replay Booth.
The following procedures will be used:
REVIEWS BY REFEREE: All Replay Reviews will be
conducted by the Referee on a field-level monitor after
consultation with the other covering official(s), prior to
review. A decision will be reversed only when the Referee
has indisputable visual evidence available to him that
warrants the change.
COACHES’ CHALLENGE: In each game, a team will be
permitted two challenges that will initiate Referee Replay
reviews. Each challenge will require the use of a team time
out. If a challenge is upheld, the time out will be restored
to the challenging team. If both challenges are upheld, a
third challenge will be awarded to the challenging team.
No challenges will be recognized from a team that has
exhausted its time outs.
REPLAY ASSISTANT’S REQUEST FOR REVIEW:
After the two-minute warning of each half, and throughout
any overtime period, any review will be initiated by
a Replay Assistant. There is no limit to the number of
reviews that may be initiated by the Replay Assistant.
His ability to initiate a review will be unrelated to the
number of time outs that either team has remaining, and
no time out will be charged for any review initiated by
the Replay Assistant.
TIME LIMIT: Each review will be a maximum of 60
seconds in length, timed from when the Referee begins
his review of the replay at the field-level monitor.
INSTANT REPLAY RULES
REVIEWABLE PLAYS: The Replay System will cover
the following play situations only:
A) PLAYS GOVERNED BY SIDELINE, GOAL LINE, END
ZONE, END LINE AND GOAL POSTS:
1. Scoring plays, including a runner breaking the
plane of the goal line.
2. Pass complete/incomplete/intercepted at
sideline, goal line, end zone, and end line.
3. Runner/receiver in or out of bounds.
4. Recovery of loose ball in or out of bounds.
B) PASSING PLAYS:
1. Pass ruled complete/incomplete/intercepted in
the fi eld of play.
2. Touching of a forward pass by an ineligible
receiver.
3. Touching of a forward pass by a defensive
player.
4. Quarterback (passer) forward pass or fumble.
5. Illegal forward pass beyond line of scrimmage.
6. Illegal forward pass after change of possession.
7. Forward or backward pass thrown from behind
line of scrimmage.
C) OTHER REVIEWABLE PLAYS:
1. Runner ruled not down by defensive contact.
2. Runner ruled down by defensive contact and there
is a recovery by the defense.
3. Forward progress with respect to first down.
4. Touching of a kick.
5. Number of players on the field.
6. Recovery of loose ball in the field of play, including
those ruled to have hit the sideline.
7. Illegal forward handoff.
STAFF
ROSTERS
VETERANS
2009 DRAFT CHOICES
COLLEGE FREE AGENTS
LEWIS MASTERS THE RED FLAG
Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis was right at the top among NFL coaches in 2008 in effective use of
the replay challenge.
Lewis led the league in percentage of successful challenges, with six-of-seven for 85.7 percent. Pittsburgh’s
Mike Tomlin was second, with four-of-five for 80.0 percent, and the N.Y. Giants’ Tom Coughlin was third
at seven-of-nine for 77.8 percent.
Lewis was tied for third in most total plays reversed, with six, just one off the league lead. The Giants and
Raiders tied for fi rst at seven.
As a group, NFL coaches managed only a 40.3 percent success rate (110-of-273) on their 2008 challenges.
The league’s replay booth, which supplants the coaches in late-game situations, produced only a
35.2 percent reversal rate (37-of-105).
The combined reversal rate for the season was 38.9 percent (147-of-378).
2008 REVIEW
HISTORY RECORDS
STADIUM , NFL & MEDIA
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