NFL: The run-off rule must be fixed
In preparation for this piece, I attended the Detroit Lions vs. Atlanta Falcons game on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at Ford Field, in Detroit, Michigan. The game started at 1:00 p.m. ET, and going into the game, both teams were undefeated, 2-0, and each of the two reached the playoffs last season.
I'm sure most of you have heard, and have probably seen the infamous play already, but here it is again, just to make sure you see it. The Detroit Lions got hosed. It's simple, and it's far from the first time something like this has happened in recent memory. In 2010, Calvin Johnson caught a touchdown pass that would have given the Lions a 20-19 lead over the Chicago Bears in the final seconds, but it was overturned and called incomplete even though Johnson got two feet down (twice) and both knees hit in bounds, before his hand took the ball to the ground, where it came loose.
The 2014 Wild Card Game against the Dallas Cowboys also ended controversially. The Lions were up 20-17 with 8:25 to go in the game, and it was 3rd & 1 for Detroit. Matthew Stafford tried to hit Brandon Pettigrew for a first down, and a flag was thrown and announced for pass interference. And then all of a sudden, the flag was picked up. If you look at it, there was obvious holding and pass interference, and neither ended up being called. The Cowboys would eventually win 24-20 and advance to the Divisional Round.
In 2015, the Lions had the ball near the goal line, trailing the Seattle Seahawks, 13-10, with less than two minutes to go, when Johnson had the ball punched out from behind him, and then swatted out of the end zone, which is illegal and should have awarded the Lions with the ball inside the one-yard line. Instead? The Seahawks took over and won. Later that year, Detroit led the Green Bay Packers, 23-21, with no time left on the clock, and the Packers were lateraling the ball, trying to find some space to score.
Aaron Rodgers got the ball and started scrambling, and was tackled, seemingly ending the game. And then a flag was throw, for a face mask. However, when you look at the replay, it doesn't look like Rodgers' face mask was grabbed and pulled. It looks like the face mask was grazed and then he was pulled down by his shoulder pads. But obviously the Packers got another shot, and it became known as the Miracle in Motown, as Green Bay won on an improbable hail mary.
Then on Sunday, the Lions had 3rd & Goal at the one-yard line, trailing 30-26, with time quickly running out. Matthew Stafford hit Golden Tate on a pick play - slant from the outside, and he rolled into the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. The crowd exploded, a scene I've never seen before. But then the officials announced they were going to review it. And most people expected a touchdown to be confirmed or stand, or at least, the Lions would have another shot if he was called down before reaching the line to gain.
But no one, expect one Atlanta Falcons fan screaming "He's short! That's the ballgame," behind me, expected what was to come. After a couple minutes of review, the officials revealed that not only was Tate short, but since there was a review, it signaled a 10-second run-off that would erase 10 seconds from the clock, and given that there were only eight seconds remaining, that was in fact, the ballgame. If Jim Caldwell and the Lions had a timeout left, they could have used it to stop the run-off, but they'd previously used all of their stoppages.
So the Falcons sideline erupted, most of the players jumping with joy, spreading out over the field. And the Lions were left confused. Their sideline, as well as the fans, seemed more shocked than upset. Ford Field fell silent, and on the way out, all I heard was discussions over the rule - confusion over the rule. Now, let me get this out of the way, I'm actually in favor of the 10-second run-off, just not in this scenario.
The rule was put in place to eliminate offensive players from purposely committing a minor penalty, just to stop the clock, which would give the offense time to get to the line, and getting another play off that they wouldn't have been able to. But that's not what happened at all. In fact, the Lions didn't commit a penalty or even make a mistake. It was the referees that made the incorrect call, forcing a review. If they had called the play on the field correctly, which was short of the goal line, then the Lions could have quickly gotten to the line and ran a final play. Who knows if they would have scored, but at least they would have had an opportunity.
What should have happened, in my opinion, is one of three things: 1) The Lions should have had an untimed down, with triple zeroes on the clock, and one chance to win the game (i.e. Rodgers' Hail Mary), or 2) The clock should have started on the referees go, and the Lions would have the get a play off, with the time running down from eight seconds, where it was stopped, or 3) The call should have just stood. Let's be honest, how many times have we seen a controversial call stand because there wasn't inconclusive evidence? And you're telling me that this one was so obvious that he was short, that it couldn't have stood? I don't buy it.
It looks like Tate's knee could have been barely off of the ground, depending on the angle and who you ask, when he crossed the goal line. But of course, it was clear enough to be overturned. I'm not saying the NFL should get rid of the run-off altogether, because it should be in place to limit the aforementioned strategy of getting a penalty on purpose, but in this type of scenario, when it's the officials fault the clock was stopped, the team should get one more shot at the end zone.
No this isn't the first time, and certainly won't be the last time, that the Lions lose a controversial game, but this one stings a lot, maybe because it could have moved Detroit to 3-0, or maybe because it's the most recent in a long line of similar finishes. But either way, we learned a couple of things on Sunday at Ford Field. Firstly, the 10-second run-off should be tweaked. Secondly, the Lions can play with just about anybody in this league.
Photo Credit: Associated Press.
