A Needed Rule Change

[Hoofbite]

Since it doesn't involve giving the impression of a concern for player safety I doubt you will see it happen but the league really needs to put an end to this last second timeout crap during FG attempts.

It is completely Bush League for a game to even be partially decided by stuff like this. The players play for a couple of hours and put themselves in a position to win only to have a head coach stall out until the last second and make the kicker re-kick the ball.

I have no problem with icing the kicker but making a kicker re-kick the ball is just ridiculous.

I think once the kicking team is lined up and kicker is done stepping out his position and becomes set, timeouts should be off the table. If you wanna ice the kicker then you need to do it before he lines up and becomes set.

 

[jswalker1981]

Maybe enforce it by penalizing a team that calls a timeout with 5 or less seconds on the play clock.

 

[Hoofbite]

Maybe enforce it by penalizing a team that calls a timeout with 5 or less seconds on the play clock.

I was thinking time based but when theres less game time than play clock time you'd have a free pass and the rule change may be useless. If you put it on the kicker being set the rule applies in all situations.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

I see your point, but then why stop there? Why not say that time outs can only be used to stop the clock within the last 2-5 minutes of every half?

The point of freezing the kicker is to disrupt the call, which is really no different than when an offense or defense does it - forexample, by calling a timeout because they see they don't have the right play call in place based on the other unit's allignmnet.

 

[speedkilz88]

I think they would have to make it a gentleman's agreement not to do it anymore. I don't think you want to take the right to call a timeout away because there might be a real reason to call one right before the snap.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

Nein! Ist verbotten, mein frau.

I for one like that respite to visit the fridge or the mens room.

It is part of football. let it be, let it beee...

 

[cowboyeric8]

I don't see a problem with it. If a team has timeouts to use, they have earned the right to do what they wish with them. Kickers need to be clutch.

 

[Hoofbite]

I don't see a problem with it. If a team has timeouts to use, they have earned the right to do what they wish with them. Kickers need to be clutch.

Repeatedly clutch?

Imagine Romo throwing a TD only to have the ref come in and say that Shanahan called a timeout an instant before the snap.

It's weak.

If you want to freeze the kicker, do it before he sets himself. I have no problem with icing the kicker but this isn't icing, it's exploiting the rules.

I just think it's a garbage move.

 

[Everlastingxxx]

I think it’s the only sport in the world that you have to win the game twice. The flip side is kickers these days can benefit from having a second kick. I think calling time outs right before the kick is snapped is poor sportsmanship. Wade did it once and i felt embarrassed he did.

 

[Hoofbite]

I think it’s the only sport in the world that you have to win the game twice. The flip side is kickers these days can benefit from having a second kick. I think calling time outs right before the kick is snapped is poor sportsmanship. Wade did it once and i felt embarrassed he did.

At the same time, does that add pressure or relieve it?

Additionally if adding another kick was the way to go, wouldn't kicker just bang a few more into the net before hitting the field?

I gotta agree with you though, it's almost like winning the game twice.

 

[THUMPER]

I think once the kicking team is lined up and kicker is done stepping out his position and becomes set, timeouts should be off the table. If you wanna ice the kicker then you need to do it before he lines up and becomes set.

I would be OK with this rule change/addition. It is pretty lame for a coach to call time just before the ball is snapped. I also think it DOES involve player safety as the players then run a play that doesn't count only they don't know it so they go full speed, risking injury.

I don't know who the first HC was to pull this crap but it wouldn't surprise me a bit to find out it was Belicheat.

 

[jimmy40]

But when the kicker misses it and gets a second chance and makes it the coach looks like a complete fool. gotta love that.

 

[jimmy40]

I don't know who the first HC was to pull this crap but it wouldn't surprise me a bit to find out it was Belicheat.

I was thinking Shanahan

 

[peplaw06]

I think they would have to make it a gentleman's agreement not to do it anymore. I don't think you want to take the right to call a timeout away because there might be a real reason to call one right before the snap.

Yep. I can't think of any other reason you would tell a team that they can't call one of their timeouts in a certain situation. If they did something like this, and the defense had too many men on the field, then they're just out of luck after the kicker gets set? Does it only apply to the defense? Can the kicking team call a timeout after their kicker gets set if they're not going to have enough time to get the snap off? I think it would be just too hard to craft a rule that works. But then again, they've crafted some rules that I didn't agree with in the past, so who knows?



Oh, and.... in before the Hos post saying that kickers deserve whatever they get and shouldn't be coddled.

 

[viman96]

It is a coordinated effort between the ref and coach calling the timeout. When a coach does this BS freeze the kicker timeout he calls the ref over to the sideline to stand with him so the timeout can be called exactly at the last second. At the very least make it so the coach calling the timeout has to get the refs attention like any other play.

 

[Kevinicus]

Timeouts are what they are, you can't dictate that's it's okay to call them on this play, but not that one. The officials cannot determine what play will be ran. A field goal attempt is not a field goal attempt until the kicker's foot hits the ball. Until then it is just a play like any other. And as any other play, timeouts can and should be allowed up until the snap of the ball.

This is just people getting their panties in a wad over something pretty tiny, and just like "icing the kicker" (which never works and many say gives the kicker an advantage), this technique can also go both ways. It is what it is. There are plenty of other plays that have to be ran twice for various reasons (including last second timeouts), why not kicks?

 

[TX_Yid]

If they were to change just one rule I'd pick the Pass Interference spot of the foul rule.. I'd rather there was a maximum yardage penalty of 15-20 yards.

I hate seeing ticky tack calls against a CB on a 50yd bomb resulting in field position at the 5.

Trouble is CB's may use it as a way out of giving up any long plays.. WR would really have to earn those long completions.

 

[Hoofbite]

It is a coordinated effort between the ref and coach calling the timeout. When a coach does this BS freeze the kicker timeout he calls the ref over to the sideline to stand with him so the timeout can be called exactly at the last second. At the very least make it so the coach calling the timeout has to get the refs attention like any other play.

That was another thing I noticed.

I can't imagine the ref is standing in his normal spot.

What happens if the coach calls the ref over and lets the play run? You have the ref out of position and unable to do his job.

 

[peplaw06]

I think the coaches are getting in the linesman's ear to call the timeouts. That guy is right on the line of scrimmage on the sideline. I don't think they're calling the referee over.

 

[SSGMIKE]

Have no issue..... the last second timeouts could back fire on the coach also.... Coach called timeout and kicker miss the FG, but get a 2nd chance to win the game?