That was a rough game to watch, because I wanted both coaches to lose. Harbaugh getting the unsportsmanlike conduct call was a thing of beauty though.
The best part in the story you quoted is Harbaugh saying “That’s why I had to go and take the penalty to get their attention, so that they would understand what was going on because they didn’t understand what was going on"
You mean the plays where the Patriots player reported himself as ineligible to the ref, and the ref then announced over the stadium PA that #34 was ineligible? Those plays John? Yeah, thank God you were there to tell the officials what was going on.
Packers 7, Dallas & Officials 7.
I’m not sure whether Harbaugh had a point about the Patriots ineligible receiver games. The offense is not allowed to ‘quick substitute’ without giving the defense time to substitute as well:
[QUOTE=NFL Rulebook]
DEFENSIVE MATCHUPS FOLLOWING SUBSTITUTIONS
Article 10
If a substitution is made by the offense, the offense shall not be permitted to snap the ball until the defense has been permitted to respond with its substitutions. While in the process of a substitution (or simulated substitution), the offense is prohibited from rushing quickly to the line of scrimmage and snapping the ball in an obvious attempt to cause a defensive foul (i.e., too many men on the field). If, in the judgment of the officials, this occurs, the following procedure will apply […]
Article 11
Using entering substitutes, legally returning players, substitutes on sidelines, or withdrawn players to confuse opponents, or lingering by players leaving the field when being replaced by a substitute, is unsportsmanlike conduct. See 12
-3-1-k. The offense is prevented from sending simulated substitutions onto the field toward its huddle and returning them to the sideline without completing the substitution in an attempt to confuse the defense.
[/QUOTE]
My feeling is the legality of the tactic depends on the timing.
If the Patriots were announcing who was ineligible only at the last second as they were lining up for the snap, that certainly seems like against the spirit of Article 10, and arguably against the letter of it, too. Even if barely legal currently, I’d call it a loophole that should be addressed by the league.
If there was plenty of time for a defensive substitution after the eligibility announcement, it seems like a perfectly legal move, though admittedly pushing the envelope a bit. And certainly if the league didn’t like that tactic, I couldn’t see a particular problem with rule changes to prevent it in the future.
Everybody knows that deception plays no part in the game of football. Nosirree.
Not a stellar start by Rodgers. This could be troubling. I need to R-E-L-A-X.
The player told the ref before lining up that he was ineligible, and the ref made the announcement. This was 6 to 8 seconds before the snap. If there was a substitution issue, the ref could have delayed the snap, as they sometimes do. The ref knew what was going on, and allowed it.
Even better is that in the pre-game today Jimmy Johnson said he used to run that play when he was a HIGH SCHOOL coach - which really makes Harbaugh look like an idiot.
Anyway, three times yesterday the Pats lines up in a strange, but legal formation. The Ravens could have responded by either calling time out if they were confused, or called into a “safe defense” at the line, which essentially means go into a zone so it doesn’t matter who comes out as a receiver as no one is in man coverage. They did neither, and paid for it.
Rodgers looks immobile, which is going to be a real problem.
Effin idiots.
Double effin’ idiots.
Neither team looks like a match for the Seahawks.
Why on earth didn’t the packers go for 2 there? (21-19 with 1:30 left in the 3rd).
Announcers went off about them being OK not going for 2 there-an inconceivable decision to me, with 15 minutes to go.
Coaches basically never get flack for losing a game where they “played the numbers” (not really) and went for the conventional strategy. On the other hand, if they do something that seems at all risky, and then they later lose the game by a point, they take the blame.
NFL coaching decisions are primarily motivated by covering their own asses first and not giving the media and fans a single decision point on which to blame them for a loss. Actually winning the game comes in second for most coaches.
Trent Richardson to be inactive for the game against the Broncos. Wow, what a fall from grace. He was working out with special teams earlier this week, but apparently couldn’t even help out there.
Well, that’s made up for now.
Never a doubt.
Now excuse me while I defibrillate myself. And no, that’s not an euphemism.
Let me start with I’m a Niners fan, and hate both teams. With that said…
If taking two steps and leaping for the goal isn’t considered a football move I don’t what is. Cowboys got jobbed.
Ditto here. Could not care less who won, but I’d be crushed if I were a Cowboys fan. Looked good to me, despite the explanation why it wasn’t.
I don’t think “falling down” counts as a football move. Definitely a very close call, but I think I end up agreeing with Mike Perreria that it wasn’t a catch. Could have gone either way, though.