50 Shades of Illegal

[XLIX]

OK there aren’t 50 things here, only 9, but I have to vent about all the illegal things from this play, hopefully providing you good folks with some amusement. For the sake of discussion purposes, please be aware that when I say “the center,” I am referring to the player who snapped the ball (#17) even though he wasn’t in the middle of the formation.

All of the following are illegal:

1. There is absolutely nobody to the left of the center, therefore the center is lined up as an eligible receiver
2. #17 (the center) never reported as ineligible
3. #49 never reported as ineligible
4. #45 never reported as ineligible
5. #83 never reported as ineligible
6. #49 lined up as a right guard, then shifted way the heck out to the right. This made him an ineligible lineman with an eligible number lined up outside the tackle box. This violates the NEW Ravens-Patriots rule which is illegal.
7. Ditto number 45, who originally lined up as center
8. Ditto number 83, who originally lined up as left guard
9. Of course, none of the aforementioned idiots in points 6, 7 or 8 were even on the line of scrimmage in the first place after splitting out to the right.

You know what I think the Dolts were doing? They deliberately lined up all those fools split out to the right way behind the line of scrimmage because they were hoping that the Patriots defense would all get right up nose to nose, which would have put the Patriots offsides. Of course, if the Patriots then lined up nose to nose so they were offsides, it would have been offsetting penalties, not a first down, so maybe that wasn't the plan.

 

[Haley]

I think they tried to run the swinging gate formation but had no idea how to line up or run it and snapped direct to their safety for god knows what reason. I'm not sure how they ever thought this was workable.

 

[ALP]

This is what happened:

Pagano thought up a brilliant way to get the other team to call a timeout: pretend you're punting, then shift to a formation unrecognizable in sports (even if it is illegal, lets be honest keeping track for what is a legal offensive formation in the NFL is intricate!!), and this way would make the D call a timeout and then punt the ball away after timeout normally!!!

its Brilliant!!!, it would work like magic!!! and since the ball would never get hiked, it would not be a penalty!!!

...Pagano is not perfect though, so he didnt consider it an option that the other team would simply adjust and NOT call a timeout...

 

[Hoodie]

OK there aren’t 50 things here, only 9, but I have to vent about all the illegal things from this play, hopefully providing you good folks with some amusement. For the sake of discussion purposes, please be aware that when I say “the center,” I am referring to the player who snapped the ball (#17) even though he wasn’t in the middle of the formation.

All of the following are illegal:

1. There is absolutely nobody to the left of the center, therefore the center is lined up as an eligible receiver
2. #17 (the center) never reported as ineligible
3. #49 never reported as ineligible
4. #45 never reported as ineligible
5. #83 never reported as ineligible
6. #49 lined up as a right guard, then shifted way the heck out to the right. This made him an ineligible lineman with an eligible number lined up outside the tackle box. This violates the NEW Ravens-Patriots rule which is illegal.
7. Ditto number 45, who originally lined up as center
8. Ditto number 83, who originally lined up as left guard
9. Of course, none of the aforementioned idiots in points 6, 7 or 8 were even on the line of scrimmage in the first place after splitting out to the right.

You know what I think the Dolts were doing? They deliberately lined up all those fools split out to the right way behind the line of scrimmage because they were hoping that the Patriots defense would all get right up nose to nose, which would have put the Patriots offsides. Of course, if the Patriots then lined up nose to nose so they were offsides, it would have been offsetting penalties, not a first down, so maybe that wasn't the plan.

Baltimore probably called them last week and told them to do it.

 

[nabwong]

Just watch after the season, the nfl is gonna make this formation legal....in little league.

 

[Wheelman]

I have a question? Can anyone snap the ball? eligible or ineligible players? I assume so since Pagano says the formation was legal? Otherwise the guy who snapped the ball was uncovered.

 

[Breadkey]

I agree that they were trying to get us to call a timeout. But regarding the OP's point on all sorts of illegalities that were going on, I wonder if that is the reason less than 7 guys were on the LOS. I think if you have 7 guys at the LOS the refs would blow the play right away. If you have less than 7, you can do all sorts of crap with the formation until gus set. There is no way those guys didn't know to line up properly on the LOS.

 

[RayClay]

All that to make us call a time out? What if we didn't want to? I guess that happens.

El Presidente

 

[QuantumMechanic]

The center had #17, which is an eligible number. And you noted, he was at the end of the line, which means he's an eligible receiver. So no need to report as anything -- eligible number lined up as eligible receiver equals no reporting needed.

 

[FrodoBagginz]

That play was Jets level of buffoonery. Colts must have a case of gangrene. Better get cured before it spreads.

 

[XLIX]

The center had #17, which is an eligible number. And you noted, he was at the end of the line, which means he's an eligible receiver. So no need to report as anything -- eligible number lined up as eligible receiver equals no reporting needed.

The guy snapping the ball is, by definition, ineligible.

 

[RayClay]

I still don't get it. Doesn't a fake punt have to look like a punt? The punter is about twenty yards away, while a safety is under the center, who'ds a 190 lb receiver.

I think, even if the whole defense had their gatorade spiked with acid, you'd just tackle the guys with the ball, who shouldn't be there, you know, because they had the ball and no actual blockers.

 

[DaBruinz]

The center had #17, which is an eligible number. And you noted, he was at the end of the line, which means he's an eligible receiver. So no need to report as anything -- eligible number lined up as eligible receiver equals no reporting needed.

But can an Eligible receiver be the center is another question he asked..

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Pagano watched tape of NE playing DAL last week and thought 5 on 1 was a favorable matchup. But it's only favorably if you have Dion Lewis.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

OK there aren’t 50 things here, only 9, but I have to vent about all the illegal things from this play, hopefully providing you good folks with some amusement. For the sake of discussion purposes, please be aware that when I say “the center,” I am referring to the player who snapped the ball (#17) even though he wasn’t in the middle of the formation.

All of the following are illegal:

1. There is absolutely nobody to the left of the center, therefore the center is lined up as an eligible receiver

For the record, the rules allow anyone on the line to deliver the snap, so long as it goes to a player who was not on the line at the snap.

 

[NormZauchin]

Pagano did it thinking that the teams remaining on the Colts schedule would have to devote practice time on a scheme to stop it.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

The guy snapping the ball is, by definition, ineligible.

Unless there's a special NFL-only version of the rule, the center is eligible if he's at the end of the line in all levels of football, from peewee to NCAA to the NFL.

 

[XLIX]

For the record, the rules allow anyone on the line to deliver the snap, so long as it goes to a player who was not on the line at the snap.

OK I'l take your word for it. Guess they were only illegal in 8 ways.

 

[Bobsyouruncle]

Pagano didn't get the memo that they were done executing mission "suck for luck."

 

[ctpatsfan77]

OK I'l take your word for it. Guess they were only illegal in 8 ways.

To be fair, I had to look it up, since I figured that wasn't legal, either.

But the NESN article on the swinging gate had a video showing that it was legal for the snapper to be the last man on the line (which also makes him an eligible receiver).