NFL considering de facto or de jure Hail Mary replay exemption

upstater1 said:

They are making a mockery of the game though with this stuff. No more than 3 receivers in the end zone! OK, I will put 4 receivers at the 1 yard line ready to bat the ball into the end zone! Or, instead of going for a FG with under a minute before the onside kick, I will go for a Hail Mary now because it's still reviewable prior to :30 seconds being left on the clock!

Madness.

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Where does it say any of this?
I think what they are saying is if you review PI on a Hail Mary you have to review with the understanding it’s not a typical play.

AndyJohnson said:

Where does it say any of this?
I think what they are saying is if you review PI on a Hail Mary you have to review with the understanding it’s not a typical play.

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We were discussing how they are going to define what a Hail Mary is.

upstater1 said:

We were discussing how they are going to define what a Hail Mary is.

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Why do they have to? It’s kind of clear.
I don’t think anyone is saying identify a Hail Mary and make separate rules. Just that the nature of the Hail Mary means review has to look at it differently because it is different.

Palm Beach Pats Fan said:

I have no problem with this right here NOT being pass interference, since everyone in the picture was making a play on the ball, and had equal right to do so:

What was unacceptable, though,was Hogan not being in the play because he was blatantly "taken out" by being blasted to the turf, 35 yards upfield. OBVIOUS PI.

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Why was nothing called for Hogan on that play?

The current rule is not broken, so do not fix it...

Consider the unintended consequences of a D team just knocking down receivers in the End Zone.. a Hail Mary is exciting enough, no need to try to make it into a NFL cage match..

Triumph said:

Hail Marys, Onside Kicks, Kick Off returns are some of the most memorable and exciting plays in the NFL. I was just watching when Auburn ran back the kickoff on Alabama to win the cup a few years ago.

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Actually it was a field goal attempt...but I agree with your point...

Patsfanin Philly said:

Actually it was a field goal attempt...but I agree with your point...

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My bad

I caught the run back.

AndyJohnson said:

Why do they have to? It’s kind of clear.
I don’t think anyone is saying identify a Hail Mary and make separate rules. Just that the nature of the Hail Mary means review has to look at it differently because it is different.

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???

So if it looks like a Hail Mary, only then do the Hail Mary rules come into play? But if it doesn't look like one, it's not a Hail Mary?

25 seconds left on the clock, 4th down, a QB rainbows a pass from the opponent's 37 yard line, 2 WRs converge in the end zone.

Is that a Hail Mary?

You need to define what it is if you're going to legislate it.

upstater1 said:

???

So if it looks like a Hail Mary, only then do the Hail Mary rules come into play? But if it doesn't look like one, it's not a Hail Mary?

25 seconds left on the clock, 4th down, a QB rainbows a pass from the opponent's 37 yard line, 2 WRs converge in the end zone.

Is that a Hail Mary?

You need to define what it is if you're going to legislate it.

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Well first of all we are talking about one guys comments, not a plan, so I don’t think defining a word is necessary.

But, and I thought it was very clear, if your send all your receivers toward the end zone and throw the ball up hoping one might come down with it, that’s what he is talking about.

I don’t think it’s about semantics, it’s about the nature of the play. What he said was he wants it officiated the same way it always has been and doesn’t want replay used to call a ticky tack penalty that might be PI in a normal situation but has always been overlooked due to the nature of the play. Do you really have a problem with that?

AndyJohnson said:

Well first of all we are talking about one guys comments, not a plan, so I don’t think defining a word is necessary.

But, and I thought it was very clear, if your send all your receivers toward the end zone and throw the ball up hoping one might come down with it, that’s what he is talking about.

I don’t think it’s about semantics, it’s about the nature of the play. What he said was he wants it officiated the same way it always has been and doesn’t want replay used to call a ticky tack penalty that might be PI in a normal situation but has always been overlooked due to the nature of the play. Do you really have a problem with that?

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Yes.

Because what is all your receivers? 5?

What if you have 2 on the field?

Then it's not?

What if only 1 goes in the end zone?

You have to define it. You can't not define it.

Hail Mary is just a word we use to describe a desperation play. All plays in the final seconds when you're down are desperation plays.

So... you have to define it. There is absolutely no way around it. Or you'll get people saying, "He had no right to tackle him, that wasn't a Hail Mary; it was a 33 yard pass directed at a single receiver!!!!"

upstater1 said:

Yes.

Because what is all your receivers? 5?

What if you have 2 on the field?

Then it's not?

What if only 1 goes in the end zone?

You have to define it. You can't not define it.

Hail Mary is just a word we use to describe a desperation play. All plays in the final seconds when you're down are desperation plays.

So... you have to define it. There is absolutely no way around it. Or you'll get people saying, "He had no right to tackle him, that wasn't a Hail Mary; it was a 33 yard pass directed at a single receiver!!!!"

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You are caught up in semantics.

There isn’t going to be a rule defined as for “Hail Marys”.

There will be a point of emphasis that when a bunch of players are grouped together waiting for a ball blindly thrown up for grabs that more jostling and fighting for position is allowable than a normal pass play. Which of course is how it should be.

I can’t tell if you are just trying to be difficult or if you really think it’s reasonable to officiate that play the same as a regular deep
pass.

Suspending rules to provide a more exciting finale is the WWE's formula as well.

This 'Rumble in the Endzone' will last one trial before reasonable people determine this clown show creates more problems than its worth.

The cynic in me sees this as a means for Vegas to manipulate an outcome:

Vegas calls Mr. Integrity
Fraudger calls the replay booth
Replay both notifies a certain end zone official
Ball in the air
Permitted assaults fill up the end zone
Flag gets thrown on a play supposedly regarded as unflaggable

Funny how that works

MGM avoids a big hit
Mr. Integrity told to check his Cayman account

AndyJohnson said:

You are caught up in semantics.

There isn’t going to be a rule defined as for “Hail Marys”.

There will be a point of emphasis that when a bunch of players are grouped together waiting for a ball blindly thrown up for grabs that more jostling and fighting for position is allowable than a normal pass play. Which of course is how it should be.

I can’t tell if you are just trying to be difficult or if you really think it’s reasonable to officiate that play the same as a regular deep
pass.

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I just can't believe you're serious.

How many players?
Grouped where?
In the end zone?

You think they won't define this?

Please.

upstater1 said:

I just can't believe you're serious.

How many players?
Grouped where?
In the end zone?

You think they won't define this?

Please.

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They haven’t defined it before. All they are talking about doing is calling it the same way they always have. How did they call it before without a specific, detailed definition? Everyone knows what a Hail Mary is. You seem to just want to be obstinate for no reason.

borg said:

Suspending rules to provide a more exciting finale is the WWE's formula as well.

This 'Rumble in the Endzone' will last one trial before reasonable people determine this clown show creates more problems than its worth.

The cynic in me sees this as a means for Vegas to manipulate an outcome:

Vegas calls Mr. Integrity
Fraudger calls the replay booth
Replay both notifies a certain end zone official
Ball in the air
Permitted assaults fill up the end zone
Flag gets thrown on a play supposedly regarded as unflaggable

Funny how that works

MGM avoids a big hit
Mr. Integrity told to check his Cayman account

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There have been Hail Mary plays for 40+ years.

The "what is a hail mary" discussion has me dying.

Hail Mary plays are different in that lots of players are going for the ball, but the rules state that anyone has a right to go for the ball, on any play. Thus I do not see the need for a new set of rules for it.

If 2 receivers and 3 defenders are tracking the ball and are all aggressively going for it, that is not pass interference, whether it is a hail Mary play or not.

If, however, one of the defenders or one of the receivers is pulling bodies out of he way and knocking people down to keep them from making a play on the ball, that IS pass interference, whether it is a Hail Mary or not.

Palm Beach Pats Fan said:

What was unacceptable, though,was Hogan not being in the play because he was blatantly "taken out" by being blasted to the turf, 35 yards upfield. OBVIOUS PI.

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Was the QB in the pocket? Once the QB leaves the pocket, it's legal (and it makes sense!) to block anyone downfield.