The BB/Vrabel clock loophole: A scenario

[adambr2]

Let's say the Packers going into the 4th quarter on Sunday lead the Seahawks in a defensive struggle, 16-7. But the Seahawks have the Packers' backed up in their own territory with plenty of time left. On the first play of the 4th quarter, Rodgers is sacked on 3rd down at his own 1.

 

Suddenly, MLF gets an idea. Since any presnap penalty here is just half the distance to the goal, they're all inconsequential. The Packers take the delay of game and proceed to false start every play all the way down to 5 minutes left in the game. Now Seattle is down 2 possessions with just 5 minutes left.

 

Is this something that could actually occur within the current rules?

[OldSchoolSnapper]

After 3 delays it's unsportsmanlike and ejections follow. When it's obvious like this the officials get quite a bit of discretion to protect the game, i.e. ejecting Rodgers, awarding points, etc. They can award touchdowns and DQ teams if things are really egregious. It never happens but they can. They get a bunch of discretion under the palpably unfair act rule.

[adambr2]

Ah. So you might be able to shave 2 minutes but you're not going to really be able to run away with the clock.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I only know this because years ago when I played Madden it would happen if you delayed over and over. I looked it up then and it was a real thing on the books. That's why the loophole involved committing two different infractions. Once it gets obvious the officials will do something about it. What's tricky now is that they're going to look for it, but they probably can't call it as it's been used twice without penalty. It'll definitely get scrubbed this off-season.

[Fear The Chorizo]

I only know this because years ago when I played Madden it would happen if you delayed over and over. I looked it up then and it was a real thing on the books. That's why the loophole involved committing two different infractions. Once it gets obvious the officials will do something about it. What's tricky now is that they're going to look for it, but they probably can't call it as it's been used twice without penalty. It'll definitely get scrubbed this off-season.

 

Yes, I can see them changing the rule that after a delay of game call, the clock is just stopped and won't wind again until the ball is snapped - regardless of the time left in a quarter/half/game and of the down a delay of game gets called. That would be a pretty simple way to get rid of this. Or give the opposing team the option to both decline presnap penalties or stop the clock before the next down.

[lcbj68c]

I spent the last few minutes trying to figure out who Grabel was and what it had to do with Bret Bielema before opening the thread.

[adambr2]

I spent the last few minutes trying to figure out who Grabel was and what it had to do with Bret Bielema before opening the thread.

 

Oops, that was supposed to be Vrabel, not Grabel. Edited the title.

[LouisEly]

I believe the rule now is that the clock won't start on consecutive false starts under 5 minutes, and that an illegal motion/formation becomes a false start if after a false start.

 

The reason they were able to do it three times was because New England jumped offsides after the second one. IIRC, the New England penalty took it under five minutes, so they couldn't false start again after that.

[FVBrewerFan]

Right, almost. Titans could have delay of game again, since Patriots had offsides . But it wouldn't make sense, because clock wouldn't have started running under 5 minutes.