Thursday September 27, 2012

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- NFL field judge Boris Cheek said while the league and the regular officials are meeting, he doesn’t know if the latest controversial call Monday night in the Green Bay-Seattle game will expedite the end of the lockout.

He said it wasn’t a tough call, "our grandmoms sitting at home can probably make that call."

Cheek, an NFL official for 17 years, says the ruling on the game-winning touchdown by Golden Tate was the result of a breakdown in mechanics and communication by the replacement officials.

The call has raised hopes the regular officials will be back soon.

Cheek said the lockout is not "good for the game of football" and the regular officials "want to go to back to work, but it has to be the right deal for 121 guys."

"I’ve not heard anything at this point," Cheek said when asked if the lockout was nearing an end. "We all want to get back to work and do what we love doing. We’re taking it minute by minute and day by day and we’re trying to be professionals. ... All I’ve heard is that they’re meeting."

Cheek said the calls are an indication of how valuable regular officials -- who have proven experience working NFL games -- are to the integrity of the league.

"Honestly, those (replacement officials) are in a tough situation out there," Cheek said. "There’s no way. ... I mean, it’s tough to keep up with the speed of this game

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with such short training. That is tough. I mean really tough. And that was a big play. But that is why we get paid. We get paid to make those calls.

"That is what distinguishes guys who work Division III, Division I and the NFL."