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Ron Rivera’s rough record in red-flag replay reviews

Replay statistics through Week 8. Panthers coach Ron Rivera is 0 for 4 in challenges. He has some company at the bottom of the list.

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Replay statistics through Week 8

Panthers coach Ron Rivera has earned a reputation — and a nickname, “Riverboat Ron” — for taking some gambles with his play selection. Although Rivera will likely argue that he assesses risk and reward when he does so, one place where he has not figured out the house edge is in the replay challenge system.

Rivera has only seen one reversal go his way in his last 11 tries spanning 25 games (including a playoff game in which he did not challenge any call). A nine-percent rate of return does not pay dividends. Rivera posted an incongruously perfect 2-for-2 record against the replay machine in 2012, but he has won only one challenge in the other 2 ½ seasons he has been with the Panthers.

For Rivera, the challenge flag is a sucker bet.

Through the eighth week of the season, the Falcons, Lions, and Patriots have not challenged a call. Tony Sparano also has not challenged a call since becoming the Raiders interim head coach. The list below does not include challenges that were not permitted, even if the team was charged a timeout. The replay officials’ total is listed for reference.

 

Coach Reversals Challenges Success %
1 Mike McCoy SD 2 2 1.000
Marvin Lewis CIN 1 1 1.000
3 Doug Marrone BUF 3 4 .750
Chip Kelly PHI 3 4 .750
5 Jason Garrett DAL 2 3 .667
Chuck Pagano IND 2 3 .667
Dennis Allen† OAK 2 3 .667
8 Bruce Arians AZ 2 4 .500
Marc Trestman CHI 1 2 .500
Mike Pettine CLE 1 2 .500
Sean Peyton NO 1 2 .500
Tom Coughlin NYG 1 2 .500
Jeff Fisher STL 1 2 .500
— Replay official NFL 43 116 .371
14 Bill O’Brien HOU 1 3 .333
Gus Bradley JAX 1 3 .333
Rex Ryan NYJ 1 3 .333
Mike Tomlin PIT 1 3 .333
18 Andy Reid KC 1 4 .250
Jim Harbaugh SF 1 4 .250
20 John Fox DEN 0 1 .000
Joe Philbin MIA 0 1 .000
Mike Zimmer MIN 0 1 .000
Pete Carroll SEA 0 1 .000
24 Mike McCarthy GB 0 2 .000
Lovie Smith TB 0 2 .000
26 John Harbaugh BAL 0 3 .000
Ken Whisenhunt TEN 0 3 .000
28 Ron Rivera CAR 0 4 .000
29 Jay Gruden WAS 0 5 .000
— Coach’s total 28 77 .364

(2013 final replay statistics)
Totals including the replay official: 71/193, .368
†No longer with team. Source: NFL game statistics, regular season only.

Ben Austro is the editor and founder of Football Zebras and the author of So You Think You Know Football?: The Armchair Ref's Guide to the Official Rules (on sale now)

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