No huddle: spirit of the rule to be enforced

I thought it was interesting that they are deciding to enforce the "spirit of the rule" which is different from the explicit wording of the rule.

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061006/SPORTS03/610060451/1100


NFL gives clarification on no-huddle rule
colts notebook

By Mike Chappell
[email protected]


Normalcy has been returned to the no-huddle offense. Choose to substitute, and the defense gets a similar opportunity.

That became an issue in the Indianapolis Colts' 31-28 win over the New York Jets last Sunday. Jets quarterback Chad Pennington directed a no-huddle attack, and on a few occasions the Jets substituted personnel. But instead of giving the Colts an opportunity to switch defensive personnel, Pennington picked up his pace, forcing the Colts to call a timeout.

That, Tony Dungy said, was counter to the spirit of the rule.
The Colts coach acknowledged that more than a decade ago, a portion of the rulebook dealing with the no-huddle offense was rewritten, technically allowing the Jets' maneuver. On Wednesday, though, Mike Pereira, the NFL's vice president of officiating, sent all teams a videotape and memo informing them the spirit of the rule will be enforced from here on out.

If an offense substitutes, then tries to catch the defense with too many players on the field while it is trying to sub, the play will be voided and the offense will be warned. Do it again, and the offense would draw an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty.

"In a nutshell, for the last 20 years when you substituted, you weren't supposed to be able to go fast," Dungy said. "And in a nutshell, that's what they're saying now.

 

Agreed, that is interesting. I agree with what they're doing, but it's still something of a dangerous precedent. In any case, I'm sure they'll officially change the wording once the season is over.

 

Yeah, the precedent issue was what concerned me. It's a good thought for equality, but breaking a rule subjectively opens up to other questions of breaking other reasons.

 

This might be a little out of the box, but what if you're on offense, with no timeouts, and hardly any time left on the clock, and you need to get down field quickly to get of FG or game winning TD? You sub and pick up the pace to get there and your opponent's defense gets caught whith too many men on the field because of their substituion in your effort to win or tie the game, are the refs going to penalize you for that? Or, are they going to let it go because of the circumstances? That would make their ruling subjective. Any thoughts?

 

do they have enough time to grab a quick smoke?

 

Looks like if they don't sub anyone no problem.