Seahawks onside kick: Illegal Formation? (1 Viewer)

[Workhorse]

Pretty interesting: pic.twitter.com/TbAbzUrkuO

Rule is described here: http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/2009-03-24-safety-rules_N.htm

Also on kickoffs, the kicking team can't have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick. That will cost a team 5 yards.

I count 6 for the Seahawks.

 

[Anarchy99]

That's it. Fines, suspensions, lost draft picks, lifetime bans all forthcoming. SEA should have to forfeit! CHEATERS!!!!!

And for anyone that had any doubts, I am not being serious.

 

[RUSF18]

I'm not sure why the rule indicates something subjective like "bunched". If the intent is to only have five guys go after the ball, require five on each side of the kicker.

Either way, I'm not sure how you can argue that those 6 aren't "bunched", all being between the numbers and the goal line, and all appear to go towards the ball in pursuit.

 

[TobiasFunke]

I saw this on the twitters, but I don't think they got the rule right. I think the rule is at least 4 on either side. The "bunching" thing is for when they line up directly behind the kicker- it requires them to line up out by the numbers so they can't skirt the rule by having four guys on one side and six on the other but all ten within a few feet of each other.

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

everyone does it, nothing to see here.

it is up to the refs to catch it, this is on them.

it isn't cheating, just pushing the envelope.

didn't change the outcome of the game.

 

[Workhorse]

I saw this on the twitters, but I don't think they got the rule right. I think the rule is at least 4 on either side. The "bunching" thing is for when they line up directly behind the kicker- it requires them to line up out by the numbers so they can't skirt the rule by having four guys on one side and six on the other but all ten within a few feet of each other.

So did the USA Today article get it wrong or did they change the rule?

 

[Anarchy99]

I saw this on the twitters, but I don't think they got the rule right. I think the rule is at least 4 on either side. The "bunching" thing is for when they line up directly behind the kicker- it requires them to line up out by the numbers so they can't skirt the rule by having four guys on one side and six on the other but all ten within a few feet of each other.

The rule states you can't have more than 5 guys bunched together . . .

"Also on kickoffs, the kicking team can't have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick. That will cost a team 5 yards."

 

[BroadwayG]

Scrap the Super Bowl. Seahawks hand out adderall like candy and the Patriots just cheat at everything.

 

[BroadwayG]

I saw this on the twitters, but I don't think they got the rule right. I think the rule is at least 4 on either side. The "bunching" thing is for when they line up directly behind the kicker- it requires them to line up out by the numbers so they can't skirt the rule by having four guys on one side and six on the other but all ten within a few feet of each other.

The rule states you can't have more than 5 guys bunched together . . .

"Also on kickoffs, the kicking team can't have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick. That will cost a team 5 yards."

That's what usa today states, not what the rule states.

 

[BroadwayG]

FREE KICK FORMATION

Article 3

When the ball is kicked on a free kick down:

(a) After the ball has been made ready for play, all kicking team (Team A) players other than the kicker must be lined up
no more than five yards behind their restraining line; and

(b) All kicking team players must be inbounds and behind the ball when it is kicked, except:

(1) the holder of a placekick (3-23) may be beyond the line, and

(2) the kicker may be beyond the line, provided that his kicking foot is not beyond the line.

© At least four players of the kicking team must be on each side of the kicker. At least three players must be lined up outside each inbounds line, one of whom must be outside the yard-line number.

Note: A holder for a free kick counts as one of the required four players, regardless of where he is positioned.

(d) All receiving team (Team B) players must be inbounds and behind their restraining line until the ball is kicked.

Penalty: For a player being beyond the restraining line when the ball is kicked (offside), a player being out of bounds
when the ball is kicked, a kicking team player other than the kicker being more than five yards behind his
restraining line, or the kicking team being in an illegal formation when the ball is kicked: Loss of five yards.

(e) After the ball is kicked, no more than two receiving team players may intentionally form a wedge in an attempt to
block for the runner. An illegal wedge is defined as three or more players lined up shoulder-to-shoulder within two
yards of each other.

Note: This does not apply when the kicking team lines up in an obvious onside kick formation.

Penalty: For players intentionally forming an illegal wedge: Loss of 15 yards from the spot of the foul.

 

[bostonfred]

Looking forward to Packers - colts next weekend

 

[Freelove]

No wonder Bostick let that ball bounce off his face.

 

[TobiasFunke]

I saw this on the twitters, but I don't think they got the rule right. I think the rule is at least 4 on either side. The "bunching" thing is for when they line up directly behind the kicker- it requires them to line up out by the numbers so they can't skirt the rule by having four guys on one side and six on the other but all ten within a few feet of each other.

So did the USA Today article get it wrong or did they change the rule?

The link to the article isn't working for me, but since it's written in 2009 I assume it didn't discuss this particular formation. I think the mistake is the people who are wrongly interpreting the phrase "bunching" in an article to mean something other than what the rule addresses, which is a requirement that guys spread out from the spot of the kick towards the sidelines.

 

[Anarchy99]

I saw this on the twitters, but I don't think they got the rule right. I think the rule is at least 4 on either side. The "bunching" thing is for when they line up directly behind the kicker- it requires them to line up out by the numbers so they can't skirt the rule by having four guys on one side and six on the other but all ten within a few feet of each other.

The rule states you can't have more than 5 guys bunched together . . .

"Also on kickoffs, the kicking team can't have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick. That will cost a team 5 yards."

That's what usa today states, not what the rule states.

USA article is 6 years old. Not sure if they were right at the time or if the rule was amended. What was the year of the rule book did you copied the rule from?

 

[njherdfan]

2011 Rule Book is here, and it only requires a minimum of 4 people on each side.

 

[Niles Standish]

Looking forward to Packers - colts next weekend

Packers overinflate their balls.

I think we're looking at Panthers/Colts.

 

[The General]

WRONG

 

[The General]

2011 Rule Book is here, and it only requires a minimum of 4 people on each side.

Yup.

 

[BroadwayG]

I saw this on the twitters, but I don't think they got the rule right. I think the rule is at least 4 on either side. The "bunching" thing is for when they line up directly behind the kicker- it requires them to line up out by the numbers so they can't skirt the rule by having four guys on one side and six on the other but all ten within a few feet of each other.

The rule states you can't have more than 5 guys bunched together . . .

"Also on kickoffs, the kicking team can't have more than five players bunched together pursuing an onside kick. That will cost a team 5 yards."

That's what usa today states, not what the rule states.

USA article is 6 years old. Not sure if they were right at the time or if the rule was amended. What was the year of the rule book did you copied the rule from?

Linked straight from the nfl.com website, I'd assume the latest rulebook

 

[Baloney Sandwich]

So the media got it wrong?

 

[proninja]

Lol at all of this. One dude on twitter gets something wrong and everyone gets in a tizzy.

 

[jon_mx]

I just care if those 6 players had properly inflated balls.

 

[FUBAR]

Looking forward to Packers - colts next weekend

Packers overinflate their balls.

I think we're looking at Panthers/Colts.

Colts got blown out, clearly the Ravens did better.

Panthers / Ravens

 

[Bad_Mo]

Onsidekickgate

 

[amnesiac]

Onsidekickgate

Packers vs. Colts for the Super Bowl, only logical outcome.

 

[Doctor Detroit]

New England fans trying to deflect pump gate?

 

[PatsWillWin]

*

 

[PatsWillWin]

Inexcusable that the NFL has not commented on Bunchgate this many days after the game.

 

[Banger]

Can a team not just win a game anymore? Does every game have to have something completely blown out of proportion?

 

[The General]

Inexcusable that the NFL has not commented on Bunchgate this many days after the game.

they did.

 

[KarmaPolice]

Lol at all of this. One dude on twitter gets something wrong and everyone gets in a tizzy.

have you been in the other thread? Oh, wait...

 

[TDorBust]

I just care if those 6 players had properly inflated balls.

Well Adderall allows you to concentrate more so I think they likely got the balls inflated properly.

 

[Ned]

I just care if those 6 players had properly inflated balls.

That is 12 balls.

:mindblown:

 

[GregR]

I just care if those 6 players had properly inflated balls.

That is 12 balls.:mindblown:

Only 11 actually... And on a related note games of rochambeau are no longer allowed during Seahawks training camp.

 

[Neofight]

I just care if those 6 players had properly inflated balls.

That is 12 balls.:mindblown:

Only 11 actually... And on a related note games of rochambeau are no longer allowed during Seahawks training camp.

Was Marshall Faulk suited up?