Replacement Officials

Week one of the NFL preseason started on Thursday, with replacement officals patrolling the fields.  The league was unable to come to an agreement with their officials this year, the officials want their benefits and vacation like everybody else.  After awhile these new officials who have come up from college and other lower level leagues will be serviceable, teams and the league want their normal officials back.  Officials are like players in that you scout them in order to tell your team about certain crews who have a tendency to make a certain type of call.  The NFL is committed to these replacement officials until at least the second week of the preseason.  Hopefully by the third week the regular guys come back, and they can knock the rust off in time for the regular season.  Officials need some time to practice making calls in game action, to get back int the swing of things.