I just finished watching that odd Giants-Cowboys game, and I saw something I have a question about. Inside the two minute mark, on the Giants' final drive, they ran a first down play. There was a flag, and they stopped the play, calling an "illegal formation" penalty. On the next play, their running back lost six yards. By my reckoning, that was first down and the next play was 2nd and 16. On TV, they showed it as 3rd and 16 and Beckham made a catch for 17 and a first down. Nobody questioned it, since it was a first down. I could have sworn I heard the official say "replay first down" when he made the formation call on first down and stopped play. As I understand it, an "illegal formation" call costs a five-yard penalty but not loss of down, so since play was stopped it should have been 1st down again. If true, the six-yard loss should have happend on the replayed first down, and Beckham's catch should have been on 2nd down, not third. It might not have affected the outcome, but it might have affected the timing and so affected the game. Did I miss something or misunderstand the call or the rule?

Rick



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2015 07:11PM by dolphan4545.

"Illegal Pass" penalty carries a loss of down. If they meant Illegal Pass rather than illegal formation, then maybe that's what happened.

Rick,

I dug up the play-by-play on the ESPN site as I didn't see the game. becuase you really got me curious. The description for that drive you mention shows that the down counted because the defense declined the penalty. Which goes to the opposite of the referee announcing "repeat first down" but who knows. Log also says it was 2nd and 10, not 2nd and 16, although coincidentally at the 16 yard line (maybe that was the '16' you were thinking)?

Saw something similar on nfl.com's play by play which is probably the same feed as espn's.

dolphan4545 Wrote:
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> So, I did miss something. Thank you for the
> clarification.


You're welcome, and I missed something too--that entire game.

I read earlier today that Manning told his RB not to score, in order to burn more time off the clock, thinking the Cowboys only had one timeout left.

See? We're not the only team accused of mismanaging the clock!

I personally can't stand the "don't score" philosophy regarding touchdowns towards the end of the game. You have an opportunity for a TD and you dont' take it. This is an example of what can happen if you don't get another chance.

If this is true then manning is an idiot.

ChyrenB Wrote:
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> LOL, JC. Mismanaging the clock and calling
> timeouts to help the other team are two very
> different things.


How about telling your own RB *NOT* To score a touchdown, to help the other team?

????????????

I didn't see the game.