ASK THE OFFICIAL: MAY/JUNE 2008

JUNE 10, 2008

What if the last play of a game results in a safety and the defensive team is down by three points. Do they then at least get to return the kick or is the game simply over? Thanks. – Michael B.

The response to your question is not a straight-forward one. If a safety occurs as a result of the play (i.e., the QB runs back into the end zone and kneels down) and time runs out during the play, the Safety counts (i.e., 2 points) and the game is over. There is no subsequent free kick required by the offense. If, on the other hand, the safety is a result of a foul by the offense (i.e., the OT holds in the end zone while the QB is attempting to pass or while he is running around) and time runs out, the defense may request that a free kick be made as an untimed down. (Rule 4-8-2 (j)). Although it is unlikely that if the offense were ahead, they would be attempting to pass on the last play of the game, stranger things have happened.   

June 3, 2008

I'm writing concerning who gets home field advantage in the Wild Card games.  I do know that the NFL looked at this issue and decided to keep the current rule. 

This has nothing to do with any crabbing about the Giants/Bucs game this past playoff season.  The Giants had to play hard just about to the end of regular season.  But the Bucs essentially took off their last two games.  As I recall, they lost those games.  Wouldn't it have been better, for the sake of competition, if the Bucs had been required to gain a better or equal record with the Giants?  I just get concerned when I see so many non-competitive games at the end of the season because a team has its playoff spot "clinched." – Jim V.

I agree with you that it might be better if a team has to play hard through the last game of the season to ensure its spot in the play-offs and the opportunity to have play-off games at home. However, if you look at the other major sports (i.e., MLB, NBA, NHL), I believe that you will see that the division champions in each of these sports are always seeded at the top with the "wild card" or other play-off teams seeded after the division champions, whatever their records. As a result, you often have non-division winning teams with better records playing as the visitors in play-off situations.

As best I can tell, the feeling among the owners is that each division or conference is a different situation with different levels of competition and the winners should be rewarded whether or not they have the better record. In the NFL, a team's final record counts for something (i.e., the draft position) unless the team ends up in the Super Bowl. I typically get more concerned that a team losing the last game or two can often move up 5-10 slots in the draft even though they have won their division. That is the reason that the NBA put in a lottery situation.

There are a number of different philosophies about how you play your last 1-3 games if you have already clinched a play-off berth or division championship. Some feel that it is an opportunity to rest your stars and get everyone healthy. Others feel that the games build momentum into the play-offs. The Giants obviously pursued the latter philosophy last year. The previous year, the Colts did the opposite. There is no one "right" way.  

As I have said regarding a number of other issues, the owners do not feel that the system is broken so there is no urge to "fix" it. If and when some team (or teams) complain, they may take action. Right now, I suspect they have bigger issues, like the labor negotiations, to worry about.      

May 31, 2008
We know that it was illegal to tape the opposing coaches on the sidelines. However, is it illegal to use non-electronic means to "record" what the opposing coaches did?  In other words, what if the Pats simply hired people to watch with their own two eyes what the opposing team was signaling and write it down.  Then, later they could correlate that with completely legal game tapes of the play on the field and accomplish the same goal of knowing the other team's signals.

In a related vein, is it illegal to steal signs in the first place? – Lawrence E.

As an official, I am interested in the rules regarding what happens on the field rather than the administrative matters that are typically addressed by the league or conference (in the NCAA) management. However, I believe that it is considered to be "unsportsmanlike" to attempt to steal signs/signals in the manner that you mention using any means, mechanical or otherwise. That does not mean that it is not done but with multiple people signaling from the sideline, it would be difficiult to make any correlation and use the information in the limited amount of time available between plays.

 

In any event, with the new NFL rule allowing a defensive player to have a radio receiver in his helmet to receive oral signals from the sidelines, the entire issue should be moot starting in the 2008 season. 

May 6, 2008
Why does a team get penalized when they make a challenge and win? They then lose a challenge. Obviously it was not the team that made the mistake so why take a challenge away from them. I think only if they lose a challenge should one be taken away. Also why can't we challenge penalties? I understand they are judgment calls but I’ve seen so many games change on a hold or P.I. that was questionable. Why not just challenge it to make sure the call was right? -- Mark J.

To answer the second part of your question first, a team may not challenge a penalty call because the Rules makers feel (and rightly so, I believe) that the game is played by human beings and it should be officiated by human beings. Both groups will make mistakes and that is part of the game.

As for some penalties being "judgment" calls, who is to say that the judgment of the official in the booth is any better or worse than the judgment of the official on the field. It is interesting that in all of the debates on rules over the past few years, the question of reviewing penalties has only been brought up once and it was directed to a single situation, pass interference. The issue was tabled after less than 15 minutes of discussion.

As for the loss of a "challenge" when the "challenge" was correct, the concern is that there will be too many challenges that will unnecessarily delay the game. Again, the is a decision by the Rules Committee. In college, every play is reviewed by the Replay Official. However, even in college, judgment calls such as penalties can not be overturned. 

Right now, the Rules Committee is fairly happy with the rules as they stand. Sit back and enjoy the game as it is.      

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