I was watching Boomer and Wyche on the NFL channel

[The Dean]

Teams often line up as if they are going for it on fourth down to draw a penalty on the defense.

 

IIRC, the defense can only be allowed to make substitutions if the offense does. If a team huddles but makes no substitutions the D still can if the time allows them to. The Bills no huddle was so great because they didn't need to make substitutions in big part because of McKeller who put the K in K-gun. His abilities kept the team from having to make substitutions.

 

 

I believe you are correct.

 

EDIT: As you note teams attempt to draw the opposition offsides all the time, and are not flagged for a penalty. But, it is illegal to use certain ploys and deception to draw the other team into penalties. Here is an example of a relatively recent complaint on the issue:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3024755

[scribo]

Yes, the Bills helped create some rules to make the no-huddle fair and within the spirit of the game. And then the Bills kicked some serious ass playing within those rules, whereas the Bungles went down the drain when their illegitimate gimmicks were outlawed.

 

The Bungles ran more of a hurry-up offense than an a no-huddle. They actually huddled on the line toward their sideline so they could make quick and sometimes hidden substitutions, keeping the defense from its right to substitute.

[Steely Dan]

I believe you are correct.

 

EDIT: As you note teams attempt to draw the opposition offsides all the time, and are not flagged for a penalty. But, it is illegal to use certain ploys and deception to draw the other team into penalties. Here is an example of a relatively recent complaint on the issue:

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3024755

 

I remember that! Just another example of a Bill Belichik disciple.

[Bullpen]

I watched it last night as well. I have to admit I laughed a little bit when Wyche said something about a team using it the next year, "when the Bills invented it."

 

Boomer (not Berman, Dean... Esiason), to me comes across as a bitter, cynical, condescending, jealous man. I've never been able to put my finger on what exactly it is that rubs me the wrong way with him, but I just don't like the guy. He does a lot of charity work for cystic fibrosis because of his son's diagnosis, which is admirable, but other than that, I 'taint got a bit a use for 'im.

 

Dean, did you know that at one time Dean Cain was a member of the Bills?

[NorCal Aaron]

There was another offense that originated in Cincinnati as well:

 

Offense.

 

Great find. Walsh was ahead of his time (nods to Sid Gillman).

[JasoninMT]

That article on Cook is a gem.

 

How bout the fact that Walsh designed the "West Coast" around a Bill's QB! I never woulda guessed that, I'd heard he designed it in Cincy and detested it's moniker as West Coast... but not the rest of that story.