"Upon Further Review"

                TECHNICAL NOTE:  For those not aware, when viewing these videos in the You Tube window, you can adjust the resolution for a sharper view.  Notice in the lower right hand corner of the video player window a setting icon that looks like a gear.  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.

                        Poll Results:

                        Week 11's poll involved a hit close to the sidelines which one official flagged as a late hit but which as subsequently waved off.   This is one of those areas which is still left to the crew on the field to work through, with no help from video review booth.   147 of you answered the poll, with  95% concurring with the wave off while 5% thought the flag should stand. 

   Play at the End Line    This play from last week created some conversation about the video review process and just what it should take before the review booth overturns a call, especially one this critical.  We have spent the past several years really getting into the fine points of what is or is not a catch.  While in some cases it appears the Rules Committee wants the definition of a catch tightened considerably, from time to time we see plays where many do not believe it was a catch based on that developing definition, yet we are told it WAS a catch.  Some points to remember while watching the video..an airborne receiver who does not have control of the ball until he is on the ground has not completed the catch until he is on the ground and if any part of that player's body is out of bounds when he does gain control of the ball, it is an incompletion as he is out of bounds.  Please view the video and then take the poll that follows.

Grasping a Helmet Opening   Good work by the crew here to get this dangerous foul (although the "confession" by the offending player certainly helped sell it).  9-1-8-b prohibits players from grasping and twisting, turning or pulling.. not just the facemask, but ANY helmet opening.  The area in the back of the helmet at its base is a helmet opening.  So, yes sir, you did not even touch his facemask, but you fouled by your actions on the helmet opening.  

Personal Foul After the 2d Period   Just because the period has ended and halftime is starting, players do not get free shots.  In this play, the crew correctly flags a player for his dead ball foul after the 2d period has ended.  The penalty for that foul carries over to the start of the 2d half.  There is no extension of the 2d period (3-2-3) as the foul happened after the period had ended.  A dead ball foul like this is enforced from the succeeding spot, which is the spot where the next free kick is from in this situation.

I am a Tackle, I can block low   Normally there are very few restrictions on how offensive interior linemen can block.  But that is because normally they are lined up within 7 yards of the middle lineman.  In this play, they are spread wide.  When they align like this (observe the tackle at the top of the screen), they become restricted blockers just like an eligible wide receiver would be in a normal set.  (9-1-6) A related issue on this play is who should see this illegal block and flag?  The normal rules for keys may not apply so crews should be prepared by discussing formations like this in advance and agreeing on who will observe what.