Arguably the hottest topic in the NFL this year doesn’t involve the players, but is instead about the league’s refs. Ever since the regular NFL refs were locked out due to a labor dispute, players and fans have had to deal with replacement refs that largely come from the college ranks.

These new referees have been officiating since the preseason and have had their fair share of issues. A (small) selection of these concerns include failing to check the game clock, facing the wrong way and general lack of skill at officiating football.

The NFL needs to realize that decades of professional refereeing experience cannot be replaced so easily. These new refs have trouble keeping control of the game and often allow too much fighting between teams. Their bad calls are not just a nuisance, they also have a direct correlation to player safety.

The locked out referees’ financial demands are not unreasonable, especially for a league that pulls in obscene amounts of profit. The NFL needs to do what’s right and bring back the regular refs for the sake of player safety, quality of calls and general watchability.