2011 Post-Season Week 6 Clips
TECHNICAL NOTE: For those not aware, when viewing these videos in the YouTube window, you can adjust the resolution for a sharper view. Notice in the lower right hand corner of the video player window a setting such as "240p". Click on that and you can adjust the setting up to 360p, 480p or even 720p in some cases. This will give you a sharper image.
Previous weeks have featured plays with polls. If you answered the polls, you should be able to see the results now.
Illegal Block Below the Waist? Observe the actions of A18, the 2d receiver from the top of the screen. Does he commit an illegal block below the waist? Since the receiver is on the left side of the formation and in the backfield (and clearly outside the tackle box) he is restricted on his blocking below the waist. He can block low towards the adjacent sideline (that is the one at the top of the screen) and can block low in a North-South line. He is prohibited from blocking low towards the sideline at the bottom of the screen as well as prohibited from low blocks at any angle off the North-South line in the general direction of the non-adjacent sideline. (9-1-6 Exception 2-a-2). Also observe the actions of the blockee. If he has neither foot on the ground when he is blocked, can there even be a foul for an illegal block below the waist? Please view the video and then take the poll that follows.
Contact on the Fair Catch Receiver This play has generated discussion regarding what is a valid fair catch signal (one hand extended clearly above his head and waving that hand from side to side more than once.) The Rules Editor was in attendance at the game and publicly stated this was a valid fair catch signal. The covering officials had to judge whether there was a valid or invalid signal, if there was kick catch interference, and if there was a tackle made of a player who had completed a valid fair catch. A13 seemed to know he was crossing the line and committing an illegal act. He did not wrap up and seemed to be trying just to be making some sort of contact. The foul was announced as a personal foul for unnecessary roughness. This announcement is confusing as that suggests there was not a fair catch. But if there was no fair catch, then surely this contact would not have been unnecessary roughness. A player who completes the catch of a kick after giving an invalid fair catch signal is not protected from ALL contact, but is protected as he would be after any other dead ball (AR 6-5-5-III).
Kickoff Touched by B and Then into the EZ A commonly misunderstood rule on the part of fans and even some coaches and players concerns kickoffs that are touched by Team B in the field of play before going on into the end zone. Even though the kick was touched by B, the responsibility for the ball's progress is charged to the kicker (8-7-2-a). B must still cover the ball for if they fail to do so, Team A can recover it in the end zone for a touchdown. However, B does not have to bring the ball out of the end zone. And even if they try to do so, but fail, the ball is judged to be in the end zone as a result of the kick so a touchback will be awarded to Team B. No safety will be awarded to Team A. In this play, the H's movements are perplexing. Why does he give up the goal line? Even if the kick threatens the end line, the R is responsible for that line, not the H. The H would be better served to hold his position and officiate while standing still rather than moving. Why isn't the R on the end line as soon as he sees the potential for that line to be threatened? Some officials have judged the action of A23 to be a foul when he blocked/pushed B20 in the back. A23 is permitted to block/push in the back if he is legally trying to get to the runner to a loose ball (9-3-4-a, 9-3-4-d, 9-3-4-f). Viewers can decide for themselves if there was a foul here.
"Get Away" Signal This is a good example of AR 6-5-3-V. B4 clearly signaled "get away" before recovering the kick and starting to run. The covering official correctly shut the play down as soon as the kick was recovered. Interestingly, that saved Team B yardage they would have lost had B's "return" been allowed. Some officials may believe a flag was warranted for illegal delay by B4 as he took several steps after recovering the ball. However, in this case there seemed to be no problems caused by the extra steps and the game was not delayed by B4's act.
Zap 10's Inside the last minute of a half, when the game clock is running and a team commits a foul that causes the snap to be prevented, the foul carries a potential penalty of a 10 second subtraction from the game clock. (3-4-4-a-1). In this 1st play, the offending team (Team A) was ahead in score so it is likely Team B would have declined the 10 second subtraction. There is no announcement heard in the clip so perhaps the crew simply chose to assume the subtraction would not be desired by Team B. The crew correctly kept the clock stopped until the snap since the delay of game was by the team in a scrimmage kick formation (3-3-2-d-11). If Team B had elected to have the 10 second subtraction, then the clock would start on the READY FOR PLAY. In the 2d play, Team A committed a false start in the last minute of the half. However, the game clock was not running prior to the snap so the foul did not carry a 10 second subtraction penalty. In this last play, the game clock was running so the false start prevented the snap and stopped the clock. This foul would carry a 10 second subtraction, which is precisely what the R announced would happen. However, Team A had a timeout remaining and chose to exercise their option of expending the timeout to prevent the 10 second subtraction. ( 3-4-4-d) Although this is not something officials are accustomed to doing after a foul, in these situations we often must check with both the offended AND offending team before completing penalty enforcement.
Fouls After a Change of Possession in Extra Periods 3-1-3-g details how we handle fouls after a change of team possession during extra periods. Penalties for such fouls are declined by rule unless the foul is deemed a flagrant personal foul, or is an unsportsmanlike conduct foul, or is a dead-ball personal foul or a live-ball foul treated as a dead ball foul. Those fouls will see the penalty enforced on the succeeding play, assuming there is one, by either team. B36 committed a very late and unnecessary block, possibly even in the back, far behind the play. The crew deemed the act was a live ball foul and the penalty was declined by rule, but could have easily called it a dead ball foul and enforced at the start of the next possession.
TD or Incomplete Pass In order to complete a catch, an airborne receiver must have the ball in firm grasp when he comes back to ground or must get it in a firm grasp after he lands. 2-4-1, 2-4-3-a-3 and 2-4-3-c. The ball is not permitted to move and touch the ground as this demonstrates a lack of firm grasp. Viewers can judge for themselves what happened in this play. Inexplicably, the game was not stopped for an instant replay review of the play either.