Replacement officials taking heat

One official was pulled from duty because he’s a fan. Another negated a touchdown without ever throwing a penalty flag. Several others had difficulty with basic rules.

Upon further review, the NFL’s replacement officials came up short in Week 2.

Coaches and players around the league are losing patience and speaking out against the fill-in officials following a slew of questionable calls in the games Sunday and Monday night.

Some players are even joking about dipping into their own pockets to settle the contract dispute and get the regular officials back on the field.

“I don’t know what they’re arguing about, but I got a couple of (million) on it, so let’s try to make it work,” Washington defensive back DeAngelo Hall said, kiddingly, on Monday. “I’m sure the locker room could pot up some cash and try to help the cause out.”

The NFL locked out the regular officials in June after their contract expired. Negotiations with the NFL Referees Association broke down several times during the summer, including just before the season, and the league is using replacements for the first time since 2001.

The results have been mixed.

Just hours before kickoff Sunday, the NFL removed side judge Brian Stropolo from the New Orleans-Carolina game because it was discovered he’s a Saints fan.

Then came the on-field problems.

In Philadelphia’s 24-23 win over Baltimore, two game-altering calls left quarterback Joe Flacco and linebacker Ray Lewis fuming, though it appeared on replay that both calls were accurate. That didn’t make them any less controversial.

Flacco’s scoring pass to receiver Jacoby Jones in the fourth quarter was called back because of offensive pass interference. The official who made the call didn’t throw the yellow flag, though he immediately signaled a penalty.

“I might sound like a little bit of a baby here,” Flacco said, “but for them to make that call, I think, was a little crazy.”

There was confusion later during Philadelphia’s go-ahead drive. First, the two-minute warning occurred twice. Then, quarterback Michael Vick’s forward pass was called a fumble inside the Ravens 5. It was ruled incomplete following a replay, and Vick scored on the next play after a few anxious moments.

“It’s extra stress when you have to sit there and wait,” Vick said. “The one thing you don’t want to do, you don’t want to put the game in the officials’ hands.”

Lewis, like many players around the league, has seen enough.

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