Apparently Field Goal Defense Must Shut Mouths
October 22nd, 2012
So now we are getting clarity about the mysterious unsportsmanlike conduct call against the Bucs when the Saints were lining up to attempt a 51-yard field goal.
The Saints, instead of kicking, were gifted a first down and five plays later scored.
In a manner of speaking, the Bucs (and other teams), must, in the immortal words of former Tampa Bay Lightning coach John Tortorella, “shut your yap.”
Per eye-RAH! Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune, Lavonte David claimed someone on the Bucs yelled to shift, which the defense did (apparently, also illegal), and the zebras heard the foul word(s).
“According to the official, we said something we shouldn’t have,” Bucs rookie LB Lavonte David said. “All we said was, ‘Move,’ and they said we can’t do that. It was a crucial moment for sure.”
Now late Sunday night on WFLA-TV Channel 8 news, Dan Lucas, by way of Woody Cummings of The Tampa Tribune, claimed Roy Miller stated the Bucs yelled “shift,” and that’s why they were flagged.
Saints guard Jahri Evans, per Kaufman, claimed he heard someone on the Bucs yell “Go.”
There is a common denominator here. For all Joe knows, the Bucs could have yelled, “Goodell!” and have been penalized.
To sum it up, shut up when the other teams is attempting a field goal, please.
October 22nd, 2012 at 11:43 am
It was Mason Foster, I think. But the play was a designed play, not the fault of the players. Just one of those things that a college coach has to learn.
October 22nd, 2012 at 11:48 am
Must be another new rule for the Bucs! I’ve seen the Ravens jumping up and down screaming at the top of their lungs before a field goal attempt and nothing was called on them. As a matter of fact; there have been dozens of game winning attempts that I’ve seen the opposing D do all kinds of crazy shifts and hand waving as well as screaming. Looks like the refs do not like or respect Schiano. Kind of like the Gruden years where we’ll never catch a break even on our home turf. Kind of sad really that we can’t get SOME kind of home field advantage.
October 22nd, 2012 at 11:51 am
Pete,
Most of these are creative plays called to change the course of the game. I’m sure they did their home work. The shift was more than likely to get an advantage to block the kick instead of getting them to jump offsides.
October 22nd, 2012 at 11:57 am
3 Lamest Bucs Plays:
“Leaping” on Simeon Rice (How dare you be athletic!)
Unsportsmanlike Conduct- “Talking” wow what a crappy call
Bert Emanuel’s “no-catch” in the NFC Championship game, Emanual caught that ball, but instant replay wasn’t available to work it’s magic until the following year.
October 22nd, 2012 at 11:58 am
Good poin Pete,
Schiano is a rookie in the NFL too, as a head coach atleast.
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:02 pm
Another stupid NFL rule. It’s getting ridiculous. Barron’s penalty on Bob Griffin for unnecessary roughness. A receiver is pushed out of bounds and can’t come back in. Can’t talk while the field goal kicker is concentrating. And the dumbest has to be moving the kickoffs to the 35. It’s no wonder Benn wanted to run one out yesterday, even though he shouldn’t have. They might as well just skip the stupid play and give the team the ball at the 20.
It’s no wonder people don’t want to go to the games. The game took 3 and half hours. Is it my imagination or are there more TV timeouts than ever?
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:21 pm
Remember back when Talib threatened the ref after a game. After he did that our penalties increased to a large degree…not because we were playing differently, but because Talib actions ticked off the refs and they started watching more closely.
With Schiano getting in the faces of refs so much, we’re in danger of seeing the same thing happen again.
Don’t get me wrong…I love Schiano as head coach. But the Belief, Trust and Accountability applies to him as well. I’m not judging him, just raising a concern that maybe he should relax a little bit.
At the same time though…I love seeing our head coach being aggressive. There’s just a price to pay for it.
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:24 pm
Since when can you not talk pre-snap??!! Is there a list of ‘football profanity’ on certain words the cant be spoke… I call BS. Whats next they tell the fans to zip it?
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:26 pm
“It’s no wonder people don’t want to go to the games. The game took 3 and half hours. Is it my imagination or are there more TV timeouts than ever?”
– lightningbuc
I don’t care that the game took 3 1/2 hours. It was a really, really good game.
And these are not new rules…we just rarely see them applied. If Freeman had not been flushed out of the pocket, for example, the final play would have been legal.
I thoroughly enjoyed the game. And had we won, I don’t think you would be complaining about the length of the game.
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:30 pm
Fans should bring yellow flags to the next game and throw them in the air each time a ref makes a call. Just a thought… maybe the NFL will get the message the fans are tired of the BS calls.
On the other hand, why are refs not subject to fines for BS calls?
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:03 pm
On Mike Williams catch
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1379467-tampa-bay-bucs-vs-new-orleans-saints-controversial-call-ends-game
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:24 pm
So calling and audible during normal conditions is ok, but calling an audible during a FG attempt is not.
Essentially, there isn’t any difference – designed play or not. They are spoken word(s) to realign the defense.
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Why isn’t it “unsportmanlike conduct” when a QB tries to get the D to jump with hard count cadence? It’s part of the game, for Gods sake. The NFL is truly going the route of the Dodo bird.
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:57 pm
Dutcher,
I was at the game, and I’m assuming you were again watching on your HD TV in the AC. And, despite what the forecasters said, it wasn’t very cool in there again, it was hot. During commercial breaks you get to flip around to other channels, go to the fridge, etc. We have to sit on a 2 foot by 2 foot piece of plastic. Joe is right – this is why people don’t want to go to games anymore.
October 22nd, 2012 at 1:59 pm
bucyea,
I was just getting ready to say the same. With 2 minutes left the Saints went out there and danced and pranced and did hard counts on 4th down with the sole purpose to get the Bucs to jump offsides. But the defense can’t do it?
October 22nd, 2012 at 2:27 pm
So a QB can come into the game for the sole purpose of trying to draw the defense offsides with a hard count, but the defense cannot talk or shift prior to a play without getting flagged…where the hell is the sense in that?
October 22nd, 2012 at 3:50 pm
I am extremely confused. Why can’t the defense call out signals? Since when? And has this penalty ever been called before? This smells of BS. I was at the game yesterday and these excess TV timeouts really detract from the in-game experience. That being said, it was a fun game to be at!
October 22nd, 2012 at 5:17 pm
Again, the reason the offense can do it while the defense cannot is that all defensive players can see with their own eyes when the ball is actually snapped. OTs and TEs lined up outside the OTs cannot watch the ball get snapped — their attention is elsewhere. Their cue to move is the QB’s snap count. An attempt by a defender to imitate the QB’s cadence and get the OTs to jump is illegal.