2012 Post-Season Week 2 Clips
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:
In last week's poll, we looked at a play that included some pre-snap movement by the offense and the defense. In the play, nothing was flagged. Only 42 of our viewers chimed in but of that number, 91% opined a flag for a false start was warranted.
Injured Player and Charged Timeout There may be no correct answer "by the book" to this one. When officials recognize a team has requested a charged timeout, they will normally grant it immediately. What happens when they subsequently realize there is an injured player down on the field? Ask the team if they still want the timeout? Force the team that requested it to take it and be charged for it? Does it matter which team the injured player is from? Please view the video and take the poll below. (Please remember to scroll down and click on the DONE button after making your choice.)
Momentum Exception Rule 8-5-1-a, commonly called the "Momentum Exception", allows a player who intercepts a pass or fumble, or catches/recovers an opponent's fumble, backward pass, or kick, between his own 5-yard line and goal line, to take the ball into his own end zone with his original momentum and then stay there without a safety being awarded to the opponent. Despite the announcer's claims, the ball does not get brought out to the 20 yard line in such cases. The ball is brought out to the spot where possession was gained and the team who took the ball into the end zone is awarded a 1st and 10 at that spot. In this play, the covering official appeared to notice the player stepped out of bounds in the end zone and was preparing to signal the ball dead but inexplicably he allowed play to continue. Thankfully the video review booth stepped in before the next play could be run and corrected the serious error that would have taken place had the play stood as ruled on the field.
Simultaneous Possession The critical portion of this play happened very quickly and presented a serious challenge to the covering officials who likely had great difficulty seeing the ball and determining who had possession and when. The B was actually better positioned to see the ball and action on it than was the F. Perhaps his view was obstructed by the 2d Team B player but shouldn't he have gone to the area of the play to assist? The officials have to judge where possession was gained because if they judge possession by both players was gained simultaneously, the ball is immediately dead by rule (this might have been in the field of play before crossing the goal line.) Rule 7-3-6 If it was not until after they crossed the goal line, then a TD for A is the correct ruling.
Blocking Below the Waist and Illegal Touching We know some of you got a bit excited when you thought you saw "illegal touching below the waist", but that is not the subject of this video. The L on this play had 2 fouls or potential fouls he had to rule on, near simultaneously. The pass was to an ineligible receiver (A61) so L had to judge whether pass was forward or backward since the intentional touching of the pass would be a foul in the case of a forward pass. But he also had to rule on the left guard's block. With this year's rule change, all blocks below the waist by Team A which are back towards Team A's goal line are illegal if the block takes place BEYOND the line of scrimmage and legal if they take place BEHIND the line of scrimmage. The ball was snapped at the B-6. The block was thrown at the B-8 so it was legal. Had the block been thrown at the B-4, it would have been illegal. It is not clear how less dangerous this block was when thrown at the B-8 but under the current rules, it was a legal block. (9-1-6) Kudos to the announcer who stated "There is no such thing as a lateral. If it was a backwards pass... (it would stand) " How many times have you ever heard one say that????
Targeting For now, tacklers are permitted to use their shoulder against a ball carrier's head when making a tackle. This may change in the near future by interpretation or by rule. Although the announcer in the video seems to focus on the use of the shoulder by one tackler, the flagged foul was more likely the hit by the other tackler which was with the helmet against the ball carrier's helmet. Such contact (using the helmet) is illegal, even against the ball carrier.
Intentional Grounding and Zap 10 Some officials seem to continue to struggle with the nuances and mechanics of administering the 10 second subtraction available for some fouls. Inside the last minute of a half, intentional grounding to stop the clock is a foul that qualifies for the 10 second subtraction (3-4-4). Video 1 In this play, Team A elected to use a timeout to avoid the Zap 10. There was some delay in getting that decision. Just as they do for kickoffs out of bounds, the astute sideline officials will immediately recognize the Zap 10 potential and get a decision from their respective coaches quickly so they can report to the R. The offended team should be asked if they want the 10 second subtraction (assuming they have accepted the yardage penalty). If they do , then the opposing team can accept the runoff or request a timeout to avoid it. Video 2 In this play, the crew appears not to consult either coach before subtracting the 10 seconds. Just prior to the snap, Team A apparently realized what had happened and requested a timeout, thus getting the 10 seconds back. Also, why did the clock run down from :19 to :12 after the pass was incomplete? The video does not show but perhaps the covering official was in such a rush to get to the R to report what he had seen, he neglected to give the incomplete pass signal. Is this 7 second loss something the S could have helped the crew correct? Great officials are continually checking the clock, even if it is not their responsibility. Had someone done that, they may have realized the clock did not stop when it should have and they could have added time to the clock.