This week's TMQ

[merlin]

TMQ - Gregg Easterbrook

 

 

Sweet Play of the Week No. 2: As Buffalo's Roscoe Parrish broke into the clear on a wild punt return, he began to stumble and seemed about to fall. Kiwaukee Thomas, running behind Parrish, reached out and grabbed him by the jersey, steadying his teammate -- then let go and Parrish, footing regained, continued for an 82-yard touchdown against Jacksonville. Should Thomas have been flagged for the rarely called "helping the runner" rule? (Rule 12, 1, 1: "No offensive player may assist the runner except by blocking opponents.") Maybe, but the play sure was sweet.

 

I didn't know about that rule ... good thing the officials on Sunday didn't either!

 

Jax, Giants -- Are Either for Real? (Part Two): Last week's column asked whether either Jacksonville or Jersey/A was for real; as Jax lost to the Bills and the G-Persons collapsed in the fourth quarter at Tennessee, this question becomes more pertinent. In its past six games, Jacksonville has lost twice to Houston and once to Buffalo, which makes it difficult to take the Jags seriously. Jacksonville boasts of great defense, but couldn't stop a last-second victory drive by the low-voltage Buffalo offense.  Tuesday Morning Quarterback has often noted lack of boldness in coaching decisions by Jack of the River, especially kicking decisions in opposition territory, and this was a factor again Sunday. Trailing 24-14 on the first snap of the fourth quarter, Jacksonville faced fourth-and-1 on the Bills' 9. TMQ's immutable law, Kick Early Go For It Late, dictates go for it -- because now it's late and the endgame scoreboard has come into focus. Plus, on the day Jacksonville rushed for 207 yards and a 5.9 yards-per-rush average against Buffalo's suspect run defense. Run the ball! Instead Jack of the River sent in the field goal unit, and went on to lose the contest by three points. Another timid Del Rio call: After scoring to tie the contest with 28 seconds remaining, he had the Jags squib-kick, resulting in Buffalo getting the ball on its 40. But the Bills held all three timeouts! Twenty-eight seconds can be enough to score if you have good field position and three timeouts. Note Buffalo's last-gasp-to-avoid-overtime situation was much more promising than the Giants', as the Bills had better field position and home-crowd energy.

[cantankerous]

If that's true, then that is one of the dumbest penalties there is.

[Fewell733]

They were talking about it on the tv broadcast a bit. It was funny cause they had just been complementing one of the Jax rbs for pushing Gerrard from behind to get a first down. I've never seen it called and assume it exists to prevent extreme situations like throwing a guy over a pile or jumping on the back of someone as they run down the field.

 

That and in the event that it would benefit the Pats in the playoffs, ala tuck rule.

[ganesh]

TMQ - Gregg Easterbrook

I didn't know about that rule ... good thing the officials on Sunday didn't either!

851193[/snapback]

 

I was following the game on NFL.com play-by-play and in fact they first listed that the Touchdown was called back and it was 1st and goal at the Jax 15 for Buffalo due to the penalty. Then they changed it and said it was Touchdown.

[Pyrite Gal]

They were talking about it on the tv broadcast a bit.  It was funny cause they had just been complementing one of the Jax rbs for pushing Gerrard from behind to get a first down.  I've never seen it called and assume it exists to prevent extreme situations like throwing a guy over a pile or jumping on the back of someone as they run down the field.

 

  That and in the event that it would benefit the Pats in the playoffs, ala tuck rule. 

851258[/snapback]

 

I've seen it called on a team for one player using another player's help to elevate to block a field goal attempt. I think cases such as this were the case that generated the rule.

[Buftex]

The most famous example of this rule (not) being enforced, was in the 2005 NCAA game between USC and Notre Dame...Matt Leinart was pushed through the line, and into the endzone, by Reggie Bush, on a QB keeper that appeared to be going nowhere...the Irish were not happy about it not being called...obviously!

[Chilly]

I couldn't be happier, cause we got to mess that USC team up

[The Dean]

They were talking about it on the tv broadcast a bit.  It was funny cause they had just been complementing one of the Jax rbs for pushing Gerrard from behind to get a first down.  I've never seen it called and assume it exists to prevent extreme situations like throwing a guy over a pile or jumping on the back of someone as they run down the field.

 

  That and in the event that it would benefit the Pats in the playoffs, ala tuck rule. 

851258[/snapback]

 

 

I'm pretty sure I've seen it called on the offense once or twice in my life, but it's possible that it was just discussed and not actually called (I drink ya know). When Gerrard was pushed by Maurice Jones Fletcher Baker Drew, I was screaming for the penalty (and explaining to my dad and brother in law that it was illegal).

 

Of course, I was almost certain they would call it on the Bills during Parrish's return. I'm glad you also noted the announcers made NO mention of the rule when the Jags did it.

 

Should it have been a penalty? Probably, but Berman noted that Parrish looks like he had already regained (or at least was in the process of regaining) his balance on his own. So, perhaps, there was no "aiding" of the runner on that play. Perhaps.

 

Did anyone else notice how few replays CBS showed during that game? What was up with that?