Cool article: http://www.espn.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/292250/the-depths-of-the-nfl-rulebook-five-confusing-odd-rules-to-know
Would love to see a team win a game on No. 5.
Would love to see a team win a game on No. 5.
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Searching the NFL rulebook for the next confusing call (2 Viewers)
- Thread starter zftcg
- Start date
Twenty-Four Eighty-Four
Footballguy
Some of those, especially 5 like you stated, are real bizarre to think about.
Just in regards to #5...isn't there something in the rulebook that says the game cannot end on a defensive penalty and the offense gets to run one extra play? Usually referring to regular time I know and usually involves the clock, typically on a hail marry if there's DPI. Wondering why that wouldn't apply in this scenario?
#1 makes no sense to me, how many times have you seen the refs huddle up to discuss an intentional grounding call and then throw a flag? Why would looking at a reply affect the ability to do this? I think the use of replay should be used to determine if there's been a penalty.
#2 actually makes sense to me the way it was applied in the scenario.
#3 you'd probably see the play blown dead if it played out like the scenario, but if not I guess it makes sense.
#4, I would assume Tomlin would accept the penalty so the game wouldn't be sudden death, Pitt goes down to kick a FG then the Ravens march down for a TD and win the game.
#1 makes no sense to me, how many times have you seen the refs huddle up to discuss an intentional grounding call and then throw a flag? Why would looking at a reply affect the ability to do this? I think the use of replay should be used to determine if there's been a penalty.
#2 actually makes sense to me the way it was applied in the scenario.
#3 you'd probably see the play blown dead if it played out like the scenario, but if not I guess it makes sense.
#4, I would assume Tomlin would accept the penalty so the game wouldn't be sudden death, Pitt goes down to kick a FG then the Ravens march down for a TD and win the game.
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Footballguy
Most of these scenarios have a certain logic behind it, so I wouldn't be too upset if my team lost because of them.
But #5 is effed up. You're basically rewarding teams for giving a guy the Nancy Kerrigan treatment.
I also wonder if the NFL rules around "palpably unfair acts" would come into play. Could the officials rule that because the foul was designed to avoid a score, Baltimore should just be awarded a TD, the way they did in the infamous play in the 1954 Cotton Bowl?
I'm reminded of the Panthers-Broncos Super Bowl where Aqib Talib admitted he deliberately facemasked Philly Brown at the 3 yard line, knowing that the worst that would happen was that he would get a half-the-distance penalty of 1.5 yards. But it sounds like Talib was just doing it to be a jerk, not to prevent a score.
ETA: Was Googling around and found this article about Flacco at the end of the Ravens-49ers SB:
I'm reminded of the Panthers-Broncos Super Bowl where Aqib Talib admitted he deliberately facemasked Philly Brown at the 3 yard line, knowing that the worst that would happen was that he would get a half-the-distance penalty of 1.5 yards. But it sounds like Talib was just doing it to be a jerk, not to prevent a score.
ETA: Was Googling around and found this article about Flacco at the end of the Ravens-49ers SB:
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Anarchy99
Footballguy
As I see it . . .
#5) Since possession switched twice during the play, I believe the penalty negates the "do over" play clause or the game can't end on a penalty caveat. The hypothetical would likely never happen, as the Steelers player would immediately take a knee after the interception and PIT would win by a FG.
#1) The key here is that intentional grounding was not called on the field. When refs huddle and discuss a potential grounding call, that's when they throw a flag. They don't get a booth review first. I believe a flag for intentional grounding could be reviewable only to see if the ball made it back to the line of scrimmage, but elements of a receiver in the area or if the QB was still in the pocket are not reviewable.
#2) This rule needs some adjusting. In a Cowboys game a few weeks ago, IIRC, the Cowboys returned a kick and fumbled the ball. Three Eagles fell on the ball. After that a scrum ensued and eventually a Cowboy ended up with the ball. The refs ruled they could not determine which Eagles player made the initial recovery, they said that meant there was no "clear recovery," and they gave the ball back to Dallas.
#4) Hard to tell what the right decision would be unless we have more information. For example, if the Steelers were already in the red zone but lost 60 yards of field possession in the exchange of possession, they would take the penalty. If they were already in the red zone and didn't lose any yardage, they would let the play stand and kick a FG to win. If they were pinned deep in their own side of the field, they would accept the penalty to get closer to midfield.
Doug B
Footballguy
More realistically, scenario #5 pretty much never happens. As the play is described in the article, Joe Haden needs only to give himself up after the interception to ensure the victory. No need whatsoever to try to advance the ball with a three-point lead in OT.
DropKick
Footballguy
Which reminds me of the seldom seen Fair Catch Free Kick:
The fair catch kick is a rule at the professional and high school levels of American football that allows a team that has just made a fair catch to attempt a free kick[A] from the spot of the catch. The kick must be either a place kick or a drop kick, and if it passes over the crossbar and between the goalposts of the defensive team's goal, a field goal, worth three points, is awarded to the offensive team.
The fair catch kick has its origins in rugby football. The rule is considered to be obscure and unusual, as most fair catches are made well out of field goal range, and in most cases a team that has a fair catch within theoretical range will attempt a normal drive to score a touchdown. The fair catch kick is generally used when a team has fair caught a ball within field goal range and there is insufficient time to score a touchdown. At the professional level, the last successful fair catch kick was made in 1976.
If you watch a replay of the waning moments of regulation in the Falcons/Patriots Superbowl, Atlanta punted with very little time left. Prior to the punt, I remember seeing Edelman focusing on the Patriots' side line excessively.
"There considering a Fair Catch Free Kick" I hollered. Of course, none of the drunks at this good sized gathering had any idea what I was talking about. You know Belichick was aware of the possibility. I believe Edelman fair caught the ball at the 35 - setting up the possibility of a 75 yard kick to end a Superbowl. That would have been an unbelievable moment for this rarity. It would have made the Tuck Rule look like a picnic. 75 yards is long but it is executed like a kick-off. Obviously, NE did not take the chance but I bet BB had a yard line in his mind to make the attempt.
The fair catch kick is a rule at the professional and high school levels of American football that allows a team that has just made a fair catch to attempt a free kick[A] from the spot of the catch. The kick must be either a place kick or a drop kick, and if it passes over the crossbar and between the goalposts of the defensive team's goal, a field goal, worth three points, is awarded to the offensive team.
The fair catch kick has its origins in rugby football. The rule is considered to be obscure and unusual, as most fair catches are made well out of field goal range, and in most cases a team that has a fair catch within theoretical range will attempt a normal drive to score a touchdown. The fair catch kick is generally used when a team has fair caught a ball within field goal range and there is insufficient time to score a touchdown. At the professional level, the last successful fair catch kick was made in 1976.
If you watch a replay of the waning moments of regulation in the Falcons/Patriots Superbowl, Atlanta punted with very little time left. Prior to the punt, I remember seeing Edelman focusing on the Patriots' side line excessively.
"There considering a Fair Catch Free Kick" I hollered. Of course, none of the drunks at this good sized gathering had any idea what I was talking about. You know Belichick was aware of the possibility. I believe Edelman fair caught the ball at the 35 - setting up the possibility of a 75 yard kick to end a Superbowl. That would have been an unbelievable moment for this rarity. It would have made the Tuck Rule look like a picnic. 75 yards is long but it is executed like a kick-off. Obviously, NE did not take the chance but I bet BB had a yard line in his mind to make the attempt.
Ok here's a (slightly) more realistic scenario where a team might employ the same tactic as in No. 5:
Final seconds of the Super Bowl. Chiefs trail Rams by 6 but Mahomes lasers a pass to Kelce for a TD. Now Butker just has to kick the XP to win the championship. But Aaron Donald steams through the line, blocks the kick, and then scoops it up and takes off down the field. If he scores, Rams win the game.
Tyreek Hill, who's on the PAT team for some reason (just go with it), turns on the jets and closes in on Donald. He realizes there's as much of a chance of Donald getting taken down by a straight tackle as there is an elephant being taken down by a, well, cheetah. So he blatantly grabs Donald's facemask and wrestles him to the ground at the 1.
There will be a penalty on the OT kickoff, but for the time being Hill just saved the Chiefs' season.
Final seconds of the Super Bowl. Chiefs trail Rams by 6 but Mahomes lasers a pass to Kelce for a TD. Now Butker just has to kick the XP to win the championship. But Aaron Donald steams through the line, blocks the kick, and then scoops it up and takes off down the field. If he scores, Rams win the game.
Tyreek Hill, who's on the PAT team for some reason (just go with it), turns on the jets and closes in on Donald. He realizes there's as much of a chance of Donald getting taken down by a straight tackle as there is an elephant being taken down by a, well, cheetah. So he blatantly grabs Donald's facemask and wrestles him to the ground at the 1.
There will be a penalty on the OT kickoff, but for the time being Hill just saved the Chiefs' season.
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