Blandino- Refs would never take part in an effort to fool a team

[JW82]

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...-effort-to-fool-defense-as-to-who-is-eligible

 

[CowboyFrog]

100% the concept is flawed because the defense doesn't need to figure out who is eligible...cover the guy the refs tell you is eligible..theatrics are wasted...

 

[JBS]

100% the concept is flawed because the defense doesn't need to figure out who is eligible...cover the guy the refs tell you is eligible..theatrics are wasted...

Spot on

 

[MarcusRock]

Meh. It wasn't an effort to employ the refs to deceive, it was the Lions using past reporting to try to fool the Cowboys in a present reporting situation and muffed it up by being too demonstrative in their acting. How can the refs go and tell the Cowboys and announce a player that's not actually reporting? What they did was perfectly legal but wasn't carried out properly.

 

[Reality]

It’s not about the officials knowing about the play. It’s about the officials knowing about the pre-snap effort to confuse the Cowboys as to which of three different linemen were reporting as eligible. The Lions haven’t said that they reviewed the pre-snap shell game with the officials. So we asked Blandino if, in his experience, officials would ever go along with an effort by a team to confuse the defense as to which lineman will be eligible.​

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“If a coach told officials that, the officials would tell them they couldn’t do it,” Blandino said. “The referee would never go along with that and would make sure the defense knew exactly who was reporting.”​

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In other words, the insistence that coach Dan Campbell went over the play with the officials doesn’t matter. The problem arose from what happened before the play. And the Lions surely did not try to share that part of the plan with officials.​

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[DasTex]

There isn't a "proper" way to carry it out, when the ref tells the defense and announced to everyone who is eligible.

Dumb play design

What would be the outcry if they had announced 70 and didn't throw the flag when 68 caught it? Probably not a dang peep....

 

[Rayman70]

Getting too cute in football often gets you beat and backfires. Thats what happened here. They didn't need to do it. They drove at will down the field, with a bad call from the refs to help them. All they needed to do was kick the extra point to send it into OT. DC lost the game, not the refs. BTW, MM won the game by kicking the FG on our last drive. It proved to be just enough.

 

[Creeper]

The article is really about whether the NFL should have someone to come out after games and give the NFL's perspective on any controversial calls. The article argues that it would avoid the rush to conspiracy theories, like the refs had it out for the Lions, etc. But when Blandino had that job he was viewed as a shill, and there were some cases when it sure looked like he was a shill for the NFL and the refs. I think the NFL should come out and speak about controversial calls after games, but it has to be objective, not just to cover up for the refs. After all everyone can see the plays from 5 different angles in slow motion, high definition. There is not point in telling people their eyes have deceived them.

If they put someone in that position again, give him the full freedom to speak the truth as he sees it free of fear of consequences if he goes against the NFL. They can start with the tripping call on Hendershot and explain what happened there.

 

[Proximo]

As I’ve said all along-

It’s such a dumb concept for a “trick” play.

So the whole idea was to have #70 report as eligible throughout the game, and then at the very end switch it to #68 to surprise the Cowboys and catch them off guard.

But the referee has to announce who reported as eligible anyway, which then negates the “trickery”. It’s so dumb on Dan Campbells part-
Either the ref announces #68 as eligible and the Cowboys account for it and he’s likely not open in the end zone, or it confuses the ref and we end up with what happened Saturday night.
Campbell must’ve thought he was so slick and clever coming up with this, lol.

 

[nightrain]

So, Mike Florio is now Blandino's Agent?

 

[Hawkeye19]

So sick of Detroit’s whining. Even after the “controversy” they had two more tries to get it done and FAILED!

Lol… grow a pair of balls and admit you didn’t execute well, take the L, and move on.

 

[rocknrobcowboy]

Which brings me back to a point I’ve made before, and will keep making. The NFL should bring Blandino back, for the sole purpose of providing consistent and complete explanations as to any and all controversial calls. And the NFL should properly value Blandino’s knowledge of the rules and his unique ability to communicate in a concise, clear, and persuasive way.

What’s it worth? Considering the overall revenues the NFL is generating (and in light of what they pay the Commissioner), $10 million per year is not unreasonable.

In Other Words,Roger Goodell Took Blandino Salary..You're Fired​

 

[MarcusRock]

As I’ve said all along-

It’s such a dumb concept for a “trick” play.

So the whole idea was to have #70 report as eligible throughout the game, and then at the very end switch it to #68 to surprise the Cowboys and catch them off guard.

But the referee has to announce who reported as eligible anyway, which then negates the “trickery”. It’s so dumb on Dan Campbells part-
Either the ref announces #68 as eligible and the Cowboys account for it and he’s likely not open in the end zone, or it confuses the ref and we end up with what happened Saturday night.
Campbell must’ve thought he was so slick and clever coming up with this, lol.

Nah, I actually liked the attempt. And it did fool one of our players unintentionally. You have 58 and 68 go together to report so the numbers look the same and sound the same when announced. Then you run in 70 late who's reported all game long as if he's reporting but not. Then line up 58 and 70 on the same side and line up the actual reporter on the other side. At that point, if the Cowboys cover the actual reporter, you know your backup options. If not, you carry through. The issue for the Lions is they had 70 run on like he usually does but also using the sign for reporting which he should not have because the ref saw that (and probably who it was) and went with it (but there was no verbal sign like the video they released said there needs to be). Our players heard 70 and put Bell on him. Then they shifted alignment and 70 became ineligible but Bell stayed with him unnecessarily so it took a man away from the defense. What they probably wanted was for confusion on Dallas to stay with either 70 or 58 and then throw to 68 on the other side, which is why they snapped quick with like 0:16 left on the play clock. They just fooled themselves in somehow not hearing that 70 was announced.

 

[jazzcat22]

So here is what should happen.

When a player reports as eligible. He is the only player to approach the ref. All other players must be at least 5 yards away. The player go to the official and gets his attention and makes a clear signal. This can even be accomplished in a hurry up situation without the risk of losing any ticks off the clock.

 

[jazzcat22]

How about a soccer style player substitution light up board. A coach on the sideline tells the official who is reporting eligible, and they hold up a sign ... that shows ... 68 ...and that sideline official makes the announcement. The ref acknowledges it and announces it again.

 

[G2]

Campbell crapped the bed gambling. Again.

 

[Starstruck22]

100% the concept is flawed because the defense doesn't need to figure out who is eligible...cover the guy the refs tell you is eligible..theatrics are wasted...

Yes and if the opposing coach isnt named Campbell who is trying to subvert established nfl rules all is good.

 

[JW82]

So, Mike Florio is now Blandino's Agent?

Lol. Already negotiating his salary.

 

[Doomsday77]

100% the concept is flawed because the defense doesn't need to figure out who is eligible...cover the guy the refs tell you is eligible..theatrics are wasted...

Which is why their HC ran another guy in at the last second to...deceive.

 

[Proximo]

Nah, I actually liked the attempt. And it did fool one of our players unintentionally. You have 58 and 68 go together to report so the numbers look the same and sound the same when announced. Then you run in 70 late who's reported all game long as if he's reporting but not. Then line up 58 and 70 on the same side and line up the actual reporter on the other side. At that point, if the Cowboys cover the actual reporter, you know your backup options. If not, you carry through. The issue for the Lions is they had 70 run on like he usually does but also using the sign for reporting which he should not have because the ref saw that (and probably who it was) and went with it (but there was no verbal sign like the video they released said there needs to be). Our players heard 70 and put Bell on him. Then they shifted alignment and 70 became ineligible but Bell stayed with him unnecessarily so it took a man away from the defense. What they probably wanted was for confusion on Dallas to stay with either 70 or 58 and then throw to 68 on the other side, which is why they snapped quick with like 0:16 left on the play clock. They just fooled themselves in somehow not hearing that 70 was announced.

Nah, I thought it was dumb.
Hopefully they reclarify or rewrite the rule/procedure to prevent these shenanigans in the future.

The procedures exist to make sure the defense knows who is or isn’t eligible. Trying to exploit or manipulate those procedures so that the defense doesn’t know who’s eligible shouldn’t be allowed.

Glad it blew up in Detroits face. It’s just a corny strategy all the way around.