NFL pumping the brakes on high temp offense (Chip Kelly related)

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"We have to make sure teams understand that they don't control the tempo, our officials do," said NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino. "We're going through our normal ball mechanics, we aren't going to rush [unless] it's in the two minute drill."

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In the NFL, however, referees are required to change balls when a play dies out of bounds or when there's an incomplete pass. That can add five to 10 seconds between plays. Another source of slowness: the referee who spots the ball in the NFL must be behind the deepest offensive back before the offense can snap the ball.

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In at least one collegiate conference, the referee has to only be two steps away from the ball for the offense to snap it. The difference between these approaches can add up to 10 seconds in some instances.

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. If an offensive team substitutes a player, Blandino said, it doesn't matter how quickly that player gets to the line of scrimmage—the defense will also be allowed to make its substitutions. NFL referees, he said, will go so far as standing over the ball to make sure the defenders have time to get in the game.

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