Rules on Eligibility Reporting

[Silverz1972]

 

[Stak78]

70 was runnung in to tell 68 what side they were running the play from..

That should be done in the huddle. Absolutely no reason to have three lineman in front of the referee and not in the huddle.

 

[Jake]

10 pages trying to rationalize that "the refs" made a mistake that benefitted the Cowboys.

After all, if you admit then you can't make anti-Cowboys ref conspiracy threads anymore.

 

[Lutonio]

I think it’s also interesting to take note of the interviews post-game and #70’s outburst after the flag.

He was screaming “I didn’t say a f-ing word!” over and over.

It looks like the setup of the play was to have 68 report as eligible verbally at first. I think this is what is specifically required with the verbal report.

Then have 70 run on the field towards the ref waving his hands and patting his chest without verbally reporting, making it LOOK like he’s correcting an error by 68. Motioning like “no, no, I’m actually guy” without saying it. He hasn’t formally declared himself as eligible at this point, but it looks like it.

All to try to create confusion. Let’s throw 58 out there, a number conveniently close to 68, for a little extra mayhem.

I don’t remember which lineman it was postgame, but all he said was “I did everything I was told to do.” I know all of this reading into it, but that sounds to me like he played his part in the scam play but it backfired.

The ref made a mistake announcing the wrong player. Campbell should have done something at that point. They tried to play tricky, borderline dishonest, and they got what they deserved. The eligibility rules were designed avoid crap like this. I expect the rule will be revisited and clarified now.

 

[DandyDon52]

So much talky talk about this, so little of it citing the rules.

Here's an article, unfortunately from 2015.
https://www.footballzebras.com/2015/01/everything-you-need-to-know-about-eligibility-reporting/
I haven't seen *anyone* mention this yet:
The referee will make an announcement of the ineligible player who is reporting, then signal by sweeping his hands vertically in front of his chest (as if “erasing” the number) and point to the newly eligible player.

I'm not in the mood to check the video on this right now, but it would be a double check on the Ref's *intention* of reporting 70 as eligible.

Here's the 2023 NFL Operations Manual. Doesn't really say much. I think there is a more detailed NFL rulebook that expands on the rules with scenarios.
https://operations.nfl.com/media/tvglh0mx/2023-rulebook_final.pdf

thanks, he didnt do any of that lol, he didnt even stay and talk to #70 who was running his way fro the sidelines.
It was if he wanted to not talk to him. The 2 guys standing by him he was ignoring one was 68 decker, and he only said one word and didnt look at him.
Then he quickly ran over to the cowboys to tell them who was eligible.
He had plenty of time to do all this, but seemed to be in a big hurry, and not concerned about doing it right, just fast.
the other thing is cambell says he talked to that ref before the game about this very play and how they were going to do it.

 

[Sarge]

IT DOESNT *** MATTER IT WAS AN ILLEGAL FORMATION ANYWAYS!!!!

Something that is lost it seems on 90% of the people discussing the matter. Including the nitwit Rex Ryan.

 

[DandyDon52]

I think it’s also interesting to take note of the interviews post-game and #70’s outburst after the flag.

He was screaming “I didn’t say a f-ing word!” over and over.

It looks like the setup of the play was to have 68 report as eligible verbally at first. I think this is what is specifically required with the verbal report.

Then have 70 run on the field towards the ref waving his hands and patting his chest without verbally reporting, making it LOOK like he’s correcting an error by 68. Motioning like “no, no, I’m actually guy” without saying it. He hasn’t formally declared himself as eligible at this point, but it looks like it.

All to try to create confusion. Let’s throw 58 out there, a number conveniently close to 68, for a little extra mayhem.

I don’t remember which lineman it was postgame, but all he said was “I did everything I was told to do.” I know all of this reading into it, but that sounds to me like he played his part in the scam play but it backfired.

The ref made a mistake announcing the wrong player. Campbell should have done something at that point. They tried to play tricky, borderline dishonest, and they got what they deserved. The eligibility rules were designed avoid crap like this. I expect the rule will be revisited and clarified now.

cambell says he talked to that ref before the game about this very play and how they were going to do it.

 

[sacase]

I think it’s also interesting to take note of the interviews post-game and #70’s outburst after the flag.

He was screaming “I didn’t say a f-ing word!” over and over.

It looks like the setup of the play was to have 68 report as eligible verbally at first. I think this is what is specifically required with the verbal report.

Then have 70 run on the field towards the ref waving his hands and patting his chest without verbally reporting, making it LOOK like he’s correcting an error by 68. Motioning like “no, no, I’m actually guy” without saying it. He hasn’t formally declared himself as eligible at this point, but it looks like it.

All to try to create confusion. Let’s throw 58 out there, a number conveniently close to 68, for a little extra mayhem.

I don’t remember which lineman it was postgame, but all he said was “I did everything I was told to do.” I know all of this reading into it, but that sounds to me like he played his part in the scam play but it backfired.

The ref made a mistake announcing the wrong player. Campbell should have done something at that point. They tried to play tricky, borderline dishonest, and they got what they deserved. The eligibility rules were designed avoid crap like this. I expect the rule will be revisited and clarified now.

This is exactly it, the whole point was to cause confusion to get around the reporting requirement so Dallas was unsure who was legit. To make it work they needed the refs to participate. That's what makes this messed up. Look at how careful they are with what they are saying, they know they were trying to circuvent the rule. Serioulsy reporting is such a normal thing this is not hard for the refs. Heck there is not a reason to have to explain the refs your play design. This is a normal play. They did it multiple times in the game without issue, until they tried to be sneaky and circumvent the rule.

 

[Runwildboys]

You have no idea what you’re talking about. He looked at 70, 70 pointed to himself, ref pointed to 70 and then went directly to tell dallas. What am i missing?

Yeah, I got the numbers mixed up.

 

[Runwildboys]

If this were reversed, Dallas fans would be hyper-blaming the refs as crooked and out to get them, the opposite of vehemently defending them like they're doing now.

True, but they'd be wrong. It'd be another case of "Why do these obscure things always happen to Dallas???"

 

[Runwildboys]

cambell says he talked to that ref before the game about this very play and how they were going to do it.

Then Campbell should have been paying attention to make sure the ref got it the way he wanted it.

 

[HillCountry]

And NONE of them said anything about the more egregious call against Hendershot and tripping. So they are FAR from infallible. Also, I did not see them mention how utterly unfair it would have been to the Cowboys since they and the whole world was told only 70 was eligible not 68. And thirdly, I remember Aikman and Buck saying that there was multiple flags that could have been called on that play not just the infamous one in question.

Believe it or not, Alex Smith acknowledged that was a fake tripping call on the pregame show. He mentioned it and said it wasn’t even on Hendershot.

 

[MarcusRock]

This is exactly it, the whole point was to cause confusion to get around the reporting requirement so Dallas was unsure who was legit. To make it work they needed the refs to participate. That's what makes this messed up. Look at how careful they are with what they are saying, they know they were trying to circuvent the rule. Serioulsy reporting is such a normal thing this is not hard for the refs. Heck there is not a reason to have to explain the refs your play design. This is a normal play. They did it multiple times in the game without issue, until they tried to be sneaky and circumvent the rule.

To be honest, you cant circumvent a rule when the officials go tell the defense who's eligible and announce it over the PA to the entire stadium. They were trying to catch the Cowboys sleeping on defense with a weird-looking reporting scheme (that the defense would have been told about), shifting alignment and then snapping the ball quick to get them to panic.

 

[MarcusRock]

I think it’s also interesting to take note of the interviews post-game and #70’s outburst after the flag.

He was screaming “I didn’t say a f-ing word!” over and over.

It looks like the setup of the play was to have 68 report as eligible verbally at first. I think this is what is specifically required with the verbal report.

Then have 70 run on the field towards the ref waving his hands and patting his chest without verbally reporting, making it LOOK like he’s correcting an error by 68. Motioning like “no, no, I’m actually guy” without saying it. He hasn’t formally declared himself as eligible at this point, but it looks like it.

All to try to create confusion. Let’s throw 58 out there, a number conveniently close to 68, for a little extra mayhem.

I don’t remember which lineman it was postgame, but all he said was “I did everything I was told to do.” I know all of this reading into it, but that sounds to me like he played his part in the scam play but it backfired.

The ref made a mistake announcing the wrong player. Campbell should have done something at that point. They tried to play tricky, borderline dishonest, and they got what they deserved. The eligibility rules were designed avoid crap like this. I expect the rule will be revisited and clarified now.

This seems the most plausible. If true, it was a good scheme. Wish we were that innovative. But again, as I've been saying all along, the refs suck for EVERYONE and they proved it here. The rule is posted below. It says that the player must immediately report and 68 was in the face of the ref well before 70 jogged on the field. The only way I can think of to clarify it is to have one player on offense be responsible to reporting to the ref and the ref only takes direction from that one offensive player. Could be the QB, RB, or whoever, just like they do the coin toss at the start of the game.

RULE 5 PLAYERS, SUBSTITUTES, EQUIPMENT, GENERAL RULES​

SECTION 3 CHANGES IN POSITION​

ARTICLE 1. REPORTING CHANGE OF POSITION.​

An offensive player wearing the number of an ineligible pass receiver (50–79 and 90–99) is permitted to line up in the position of an eligible pass receiver (0–49 and 80–89). An offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver is permitted to line up in the position of an ineligible pass receiver, provided he lines up within the normal five-player core formed by ineligible players and is not more than two players removed from the middle player of a seven-player line.​

​

In both cases, the player must immediately report the change in his eligibility status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team. He must participate in such eligible or ineligible position as long as he is continuously in the game, but prior to each play he must again report his status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team. The game clock shall not be stopped, and the ball shall not be put in play until the Referee takes his normal position.​

 

[buybuydandavis]

Someone had on one of the post the ref’s audio declaring #70 as eligible. You can’t have multiple people declaring on the same play.

I just watched Dan Campbell say "2 people can't report".

70 was walking ahead of 68 and the ref walked past them on 70s side.

Even people saying "68 pointed to his chest", which was sorta true, 70 was visually shielding 68 from the ref. The ref had no line of sight to that hand motion.

 

[buybuydandavis]

So were the refs right or wrong????????????????????

Most charitably to the Lions, there was an honest failure to communicate between the Lions and the ref on the play.
70 was *closer* to the ref than 68. The ref passed them both on 70s side.
The ref announced *his* interpretation of that communication *prior* to the play to the *world*. What else is supposed to do?

One thing I had heard, which I don't know is true, is that the Lions could have called timeout at the point the ref announced that 70 was eligible, and would have gotten their time out back.

 

[buybuydandavis]

It is 100% on Detroit if the Ref made a mistake. No way they should have run the play when 70 was declared eligible.

My feeling as well. The only people in a position to know that the ref had announced a different player than the Lions intended as eligible was the Lions.
You can't have a play go forward with the *wrong* player announced as eligible to the defense. That would much more clearly be a rigged play.

 

[Cowboys22]

Detroit got everything they wanted except the ref falling for it and not enforcing a penalty. They wanted 70 announced so that Dallas would cover 68. They created all the confusion to specifically make that happen. What they wanted was the refs to 2nd guess themselves after the fact and not call the penalty thinking they made a mistake. They didn’t fall for it and Detroits cheating scheme has been exposed. There was no mistake made by any official on that play.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

When Dallas wins, they're right. When Dallas loses, they're crooked.

of course. just like fans of any other team. what's the matter with that? what's wrong with you? unhappy the cowboys won?

 

[MarcusRock]

Most charitably to the Lions, there was an honest failure to communicate between the Lions and the ref on the play.
70 was *closer* to the ref than 68. The ref passed them both on 70s side.
The ref announced *his* interpretation of that communication *prior* to the play to the *world*. What else is supposed to do?

One thing I had heard, which I don't know is true, is that the Lions could have called timeout at the point the ref announced that 70 was eligible, and would have gotten their time out back.

The Lions didn't have any timeouts left. It was way early in the playclock cycle and they snapped at 0:16 but part of the play design appeared to be to snap it quick to add to Dallas' panic so they went ahead with it. That part IS on the Lions.