Move over, chain gang. A new measurement system has been introduced to the NFL, and fans got their first glimpse of it during Thursday’s preseason game between the Detroit Lions and the Los Angeles Chargers.
The NFL’s virtual measurement system debuted during the first half of the Hall of Fame Game after a 10-yard run by Lions running back Craig Reynolds.
Rather than having the chain gang run out to the field, the officials simply waited for the virtual measurement system to calculate whether the veteran running back had made the line to gain.
Below is a look at how the process played out:
The virtual measurement was handled efficiently and didn’t disrupt the flow of the game. That left several prominent NFL voices impressed with the process and optimistic it will serve as a quality replacement for the chain gang, which remains on the sideline in case of an emergency.
However, a smaller cohort was reluctant to trust the new protocol. Others joked the process would be less aesthetically appealing than watching the chain gang determine whether a player generated a first down.
As long as the NFL’s virtual measurement process remains efficient, the league will probably not have too many regrets about switching to it as the primary method for measuring first downs.