NFL Divisional Round weekend thread

That's the high school rule on defensive pass interference. It's 15 yards, but no automatic first down, so most coaches now teach their players to tackle the receiver if they get beat on deep passes, especially on third down and longer than 15 yards. Or even on passes into the end zone. Better to give up the yards than a touchdown. It kind of sucks when you see it actually play out, particularly around the goal line.
I've seen a few coaches get tripped up on play calling because there was a DPI call in a goal-to-go situation and they either didn't know the rule or simply got confused. They thought they had gotten a first down and wound up calling a play on fourth down thinking it was earlier in the sequence.

 

He got bulldogged more than anything.

 

Then they should call holding. First down.

Defensive PI is the worst call in sports.

 

You are to protect the ball when you have it. If you want to risk that going for the big reward, then pay your penalty.

 

That's a fair response. It was a dumb mistake by Higgins. Even if you disagree with the rule, everybody knows it exists. It just isn't worth that risk when all he has to do is cover up and the Browns at least have first-and-goal at the one.

 

I feel like the all-out-stretch-for-the-goalline thing has become more popular recently.

But maybe I'm just mis-remembering.

If you're going to stretch the ball out in a vulnerable position, you reap what you sow.

 

Sure, but that's true all over the field. The penalty is you fumble and give the other team a chance to recover it.

But if the ball goes out of bounds you keep it. So why does that change if you fumble and it goes out of the end zone?

If the rule elsewhere on the field was that fumbling out of bounds gives the ball to the other team, it would make sense. The change of possession for it going out of bounds past the goal line does not make sense.

This is speaking strictly from a logical standpoint. As already noted, I am good with the rule as it is, in part for the reason you stated.

 

Agreed, and yes, the goal-line reach is a relatively recent phenomenon.

 

Hey good news!

There are 320 yards of perimeter surrounding a football field, and for 200 of those yards, we give the benefit of the doubt to the offense.

 

My favorite instance of that touchback call is when John Fox challenged whether his runner was short of the goal line, but it turned out the runner fumbled it out of the end zone. He actually challenged himself into a turnover.

 

A problem that viewers have is they watch games on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. High school, college and pro have different rules. Most people don't know the difference in some of them. I wonder if the refs -- especially high school -- get confused, too, because those guys are watching games on TV when they're not reffing.

 

That's because of another rule I hate (that will never be changed).

Touchdown should mean what it says. You literally "touch down" in that rectangular area beyond the goal line. Elbow. Knee. Foot. Ball itself. Whatever. Something needs to touch down.

None of this "the nose of the ball broke the plane while his entire body was out of bounds" crap.

We make such a serious issue of a receiver not only having to "touch down", but having to touch down with both feet, dammit. Somebody running the ball across the end zone should be subject to the same expectation.