Challenge - Cincy changing the rules?

[mikeak]

Within 2 minutes.

TB gets a first, within FG range, 20 secs left and runs to spike the ball

Cincy throws the red flag. Can't challenge loses a timeout

BUT buys the attention of he booth that now decides to review the play

Very interesting tactic and not something I seen before this year.

Remember this was not legal before and Detroit even lost a game on a play that would have been reviewed regardless.

 

[Msfann]

I thought it was a penalty to throw the red flag if you cant challenge a play? Or were they flagged but got the option to use a timeout instead?

Also I think the reviews only coming from the booth in the last 2 minutes rule is unfair. Teams get screwed by that rule every week.

 

[mikeak]

They got penalized a timeout without the challenge BUT the fact that he did it made the booth review the play. They confirmed 12 men on the field.

This win Cincy the game vs a upcoming field goal to win it for TB

 

[HawkGA]

Why not just call a timeout instead? Wouldn't that give reviewers in the booth a chance to look at it or would that not be enough of a nudge?

 

[Chawks1]

TB got hosed on that. They were rushing to the line of scrimmage to un a play so it wouldn't be challenged. The challenge can only come from the booth and none of the refs gave any clue they were going to stop play. But Cincy could have also called a timeout to have the refs get their act together to accomplish the same thing so it is probably a mute point.

 

[NorCalSeahawkFan]

Refs making up the rules as they go! eff them

 

[ivotuk]

Didn't they refuse to review the Detroit game because of the illegal challenge flag? There was a big stink about it and I thought the illegal challenge flag was an off setting penalty.

In other words "12 men' on the field Tampa Bay, Illegal challenge, Cincinatti, penalties off set." ??

 

[XxXdragonXxX]

They changed the rule after the Detroit game.

 

[mikeak]

Didn't they refuse to review the Detroit game because of the illegal challenge flag? There was a big stink about it and I thought the illegal challenge flag was an off setting penalty.

In other words "12 men' on the field Tampa Bay, Illegal challenge, Cincinatti, penalties off set." ??

The rule used to be bizarre. A play that was going to be reviewed (turnover / score) could not be challenged. In fact if you did then it would 1) be a penalty and 2) no longer be reviewed.

That rule needed to change

In this case it was better than taking a timeout. By throwing the flag he made everyone aware of what his issue was. The guys in NY then reviewed during the break and made the decision to call a formal review.

Lewis said he wasn't thinking straight but the result was fantastic for Cincy

 

[rideaducati]

Didn't they refuse to review the Detroit game because of the illegal challenge flag? There was a big stink about it and I thought the illegal challenge flag was an off setting penalty.

In other words "12 men' on the field Tampa Bay, Illegal challenge, Cincinatti, penalties off set." ??

This is the reason they changed the rule so that teams would only lose a timeout and not be penalized any yardage on the field.