In a divided nation, NFL officials are a unifying factor, because everyone seems to disagree with them.Quarterbacks say they take too many dirty hits. Receivers complain they are targeted. Defensive backs say they cant touch anyone without getting a flag. And coaches say their teams never catch a break.Fans want games to move along without endless reviews and flags.The leagues head of officiating even found himself tweeting during Monday nights Bills-Seahawks game when the crew bungled a series of calls at the end of the first half on a field goal try that would prove crucial to the outcome.Time to bring back the replacement Refs! Jeremi Melendrez, owner of Js Barber Lounge in Las Cruces, New Mexico, wrote on Facebook while watching the leagues latest officiating fiasco.And this was from a Packers fan still salty over the Fail Mary in Seattle, the botched call in the end zone in 2012 that sped the return of the regular officials.Melendrez describes himself as an avid but angry fan. He has NFL Sunday Ticket but says the proliferation of penalty flags over the last few years are making games harder to watch.Its no fun anymore because its flag football, Melendrez said. Im sure players and coaches are upset, too.That they are.Two weeks ago, the Raiders overcame an NFL-record 23 penalties to beat the Buccaneers, and Oakland coach Jack Del Rio wasnt about to pin the blame solely on his players.Penalties are up throughout the league, Del Rio said. I think at some point it will settle down as they put viewers to sleep.Del Rio is just the latest to argue that one of the forces driving down TV ratings is the flurry of flags slowing the rhythm of games.Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden said fewer quarterbacks are throwing downfield because of a lack of protection, but on the few times they do go deep, flags are flying either for holding or pass interference.Some defenders complain the newer rules require them to make super-human, split-second decisions in midair so as not to hit a guy too late or too hard, or too high or too low.Others, like reigning MVP Cam Newton, are calling for more flags.Newton took his case directly to Roger Goodell after no whistle was blown when Cardinals pass rusher Calais Campbell crashed into him below the knees two weeks ago.Through Week 9, penalties are down slightly (16.93 per game) over the same period as last year (17.21), but up from 2014 (16.55). And the average length of games (3:07:49) is down by 92 seconds over the first half of the 2015 season, but up from `14 when it was 3:06:23.All these penalties are down from this time last year:-Illegal contact (41 vs. 44)-Defensive holding (157 vs. 174)-Offensive pass interference (68 vs. 75)-Illegal use of hands (63 vs. 97)-Unnecessary roughness (121 vs. 135)-Roughing the passer (42 vs 66)Taunting is up (24 vs. 17) and the 42 unsportsmanlike conduct fouls are the same as in 2015.During one Monday night game this season, the Cardinals beat the Jets 28-3 in a yawner that featured 23 flags. By the third quarter, play-by-play man Sean McDonough had seen enough.If were looking for reasons TV ratings are down all over the place, this doesnt help, McDonough said on the air that night. No. The way this game has been officiated is not something anybody wants to watch.Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce grew so irate over not getting a pass interference call on Prince Amukamara after the Jaguars cornerback hooked him in the end zone last week that he threw his towel at the official.Ejected and dejected, Kelce later said he felt like an idiot. It was a terrible decision. ... I cant throw my flag at the ref. He can throw his all day long.The next day, Richard Sherman, who criticized NFL officiating last week for incorrect calls, found himself at the center of another officiating flap in Seattle, the third in five seasons.Walt Andersons crew flagged Sherman for being offside but not unnecessary roughness after he crashed into Dan Carpenter attempting to block his 48-yard field goal at the end of the first half -- an incorrect call according Blandino.Buffalo was assessed an injury timeout after trainers ran on the field believing Carpenter was injured, and forcing the Bills to spike the ball with 1 second left as Carpenter had to leave the field. That was followed by officials mistakenly not resetting the play clock and Buffalo being assessed a delay of game, and the half finally ending with Carpenter missing a 54-yard attempt.Whenever it comes to player safety, we want to look at these fouls, Blandino said. Its something that we stress with our referees when it comes to the quarterbacks and the kickers with roughing the kicker and roughing the passer, so we certainly dont want to miss calls like that.Player safety was not in their mind, Buffalo linebacker Jerry Hughes complained. He was offside and dove at our kickers leg while he was in motion. Thats a dirty play.Non-calls. Wrong calls. Too many calls.Its making players and coaches mad and driving fans from football.In one of their games this year, all five of Denvers offensive linemen were whistled for critical penalties, but their quarterback didnt complain: Its not for me to tell guys (to) stop holding, Trevor Siemian said. Truthfully, Id rather them hold than me get hit pretty good right there.Other Broncos were joining the chorus of complaints after Denver drew a dozen flags in a loss at Oakland last week, however.Its frustrating, said safety T.J. Ward, when youve got to go against two teams.---AP Sports Writer Tim Booth contributed.---For more NFL coverage: http://www.pro32.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP-NFL---Follow Arnie Melendrez Stapleton on Twitter: http://twitter.com/arniestapleton Cheap Authentic Jerseys . -- The St. Johns IceCaps weathered a wild first period with the help of goaltender Jussi Olkinuora, before finding offensive inroads in the second. Jerseys From China . The Nashville Predators were glad their captain was still on their side. Weber had a goal and two assists, and Roman Josi scored the shootout winner to lift the Predators to a 4-3 win over the Flyers on Thursday night. http://www.cheapnflchinajerseys.net/ . Belfort (24-10) needed just 77 seconds to down Henderson in the headlining bout of Saturdays "UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs. Henderson" event at Goiania Arena in Goiania, Brazil. The fight served as a rematch of the pairs 2006 meeting, which Henderson won by decision. Cheap NFL Jerseys China . PAUL, Minn. Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys .J. Jefferson has been charged with assaulting his girlfriend. KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Royals starter Yordano Ventura returned from an eight-game suspension for his role in a benches-clearing fight, only to get slapped around by the St. Louis offense on Tuesday night.It wasnt even the worst thing to happen to Kansas City, either.That was the moment All-Star outfielder Lorenzo Cain reached for his hamstring while trying to beat out a single in the seventh inning of an 8-4 loss. Cain immediately left the game and declined to speak to reporters in the clubhouse, though he appeared to be walking without much of a limp.I wish I had an answer for you but it doesnt happen that quick, Royals manager Ned Yost said. Well have an MRI soon as they can get him in. Well determine how much fluid is on it and what the extent is.As for Ventura -- well, Yost didnt have much of an answer for that performance, either.I thought he was OK. I was really pleased he stayed with himself, Yost said. He was inconsistent at times with his arm slot, but a lot of good signs out there for me.Just about everybody in the Cardinals lineup contributed to their offense, while Michael Wacha (4-7) allowed four runs over six bumpy innings -- he served up nine hits and three walks.We could have helped him with a couple plays we need to make, Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said.His bullpen nearly gave away the win, too: Seung Hwan Oh loaded the bases with one out in the ninth before getting pinch-hitter Alex Gordon to pop out and inducing Eric Hosmer into a routine fielders choice.I dont want to put the team in that situation, Oh said through a translator.The cross-state series shifts to St. Louis for two more games beginning Wednesday night.Ventura actually breezed through the first inning on just 12 pitches, but trouble came promptly in the second. He gave up three hits, walked two and Yadier Molina, Kolten Wong and Greg Garcia drove in runs.He appeared to settle down over the next couple innings before more trouble hit in the fifth.Matt Carpenter started it with a homer to center, the 48th allowed by a Kannsas City pitcher this month -- the club record is 51 in May 2006.dddddddddddd Matt Adams added a sacrifice fly later in the inning to make it 5-2.Venturas night was done in the sixth, when another hit and walk brought Yost ambling from the dugout. He was charged with seven runs on seven hits, three walks and a hit batter in 5 1/3 innings.Theres no excuse to the outing, but I felt a little weird at times just because of the layoff, he said. Its not an excuse. Ill continue to work hard in-between starts and get back after it.Carpenter provided an RBI double and Brandon Moss and Matt Holliday made it 8-2 later in the sixth inning before reliever Brian Flynn finally got Kansas City out of the jam.The Royals tacked on two runs in the bottom half before its comeback collapsed in the ninth.We had some opportunities. We capitalized in the second inning, Yost said. We had a couple of more opportunities. We made it exciting in the ninth inning, but couldnt make anything happen.YOURE OUTTA HEREPlate umpire Tim Timmons tossed Royals RHP Edinson Volquez from the bench during the third inning, though it was unclear what prompted the ejection. It was the second time Volquez has been ejected in his career.ROSTER MOVESThe Cardinals activated C Brayan Pena (left knee surgery) from the DL and designated C Eric Fryer for assignment. Pena signed a $5 million, two-year deal to backup Yadier Molina but has not played this season.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals SS Aledyms Diaz had no structural damage after fouling a ball off the ground Monday night that ricocheted back off his forehead. He experienced blurry vision in his right eye and visited the hospital after the game, but Matheny said Tuesday that Diaz should be back in a few days.UP NEXTRHP Carlos Martinez takes the mound for the Cardinals while Kansas City counters with Volquez on the mound at Busch Stadium. Martinez is 3-0 in his last five starts. Cheap NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Jerseys From China Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap Jerseys ' ' '