NEW YORK – New England coach Bill Belichick was confused about a decisive field goal he thought was off-target. Detroit's Jim Schwartz couldn't understand a 27-yard penalty walk-off for unnecessary roughness. Philadelphia's Andy Reid felt ignored while trying to decline a penalty.

The outrage over the work of NFL replacement officials reached something of a fevered pitch during Week 3, when even deciphering downs and distance became a challenge.

In Sunday's Ravens-Patriots game, shoving matches followed even insignificant plays. One TV analyst called it the substitute-teacher syndrome: See how much you can get away with before the real thing returns.

"Nature says for us that we're going to go out there and push the limit regardless," Minnesota linebacker Chad Greenway said. "If they're calling a game tight, if they're calling a game loose, it's going to be pushed to the limit.

"If things are going to be called easier – and in some situations I feel like they've been less lenient, too – you've just got to play and see how (it's being called)."

If you can figure it out.

Denver coach John Fox was fined $30,000 and defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio $25,000 for verbal abuse of the officials last Monday against Atlanta.

More fines are likely for Belichick and Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, who Monday accepted responsibility for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after he berated an official Sunday against Cincinnati.

Fox and Del Rio were hit for their sideline histrionics, particularly when Fox was told he couldn't challenge a call of 12 men on the field – he was correct that he could challenge, although replays showed the Broncos were guilty.

Before grabbing the arm of an official, Belichick wanted to know why Justin Tucker's field goal was called good in Baltimore's 31-30 victory Sunday. He couldn't tell from his angle on the sideline, he said.

"So when the game was over, I went out, and I was really looking for an explanation from the officials as to whether the play was under review," he said. "And I did try to get the official's attention as he was coming off the field to ask that, but I really wasn't able to do that."

Most confusing was the mark-off for a Detroit penalty in overtime against Tennessee. Officials wound up penalizing the Lions from their own 44-yard line rather than from the original line of scrimmage, the Titans' 44. Soon after, the Titans' Rob Bironas kicked a go-ahead field goal.

Schwartz noted the alternate official who helps the replacements with administrating penalties was on the Detroit sideline.

"We said, 'You're enforcing it from the wrong spot.' He was adamant that they weren't doing so," Schwartz said. "At that point, we just needed to play."

The Lions didn't play well enough to avoid losing 44-41, and Titans coach Mike Munchak wasn't apologizing for how his team won.

"I don't feel any guilt," Munchak said. "For us, really the obvious answer is there's nothing we can do about who's officiating games. It's the same for everybody, so go out and don't get caught up in all that."

The league and the officials' union met Sunday without reaching any agreement on ending the lockout that began in June. The players' union also called on the 32 team owners to end the lockout because it is compromising the integrity of the game.

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