WhoDat!656

At a time when the NFL is otherwise trying to reduce the number and severity of collisions on the field, Schiano’s approach to kneel-downs — and the NFL’s endorsement of that approach — could lead to some violent collisions on a play that has traditionally been treated by players on both teams as nothing more than a formality before shaking hands and heading to the locker room.

NFL sides with Buccaneers on kneel-down controversy | ProFootballTalk

Kosoma

im with schiano on this too. i think the kneel down is one of the most unsportsman like plays in all of sports. just because in the past teams lay down and die and accept defeat when teams kneel doesnt mean you should. i like that the bucs tried to catch the giants off guard and somehow get posession of the ball so they could win.
i find it hard to believe that coughlin is crying because a coach wants his team to play to final whistle. only two things to say to coughlin.
1 if you dont want a player hurt, play someone else
2 there is no crying in football

burningmetal

I agree, Kosoma. It pains me to defend any coach in our division, but I can't help this one. Since when has this been considered bad etiquette? I've always wondered why more teams don't try to disrupt the Center to see if they can cause a fumble.

I thought for sure Coughlin would be called a baby by everyone, but the media - including all of their former players who like to call themselves analysts - were all whining and saying "the game is over, just shake hands and accept it"... WHAT? The game is NOT over until the clock runs out, so why should anyone accept defeat? Is Herman Edwards gonna start saying "You play the game to lose!"? It's bad enough the league office has almost turned the game into touch football, and now players and coaches are going to cry about contact?

Soon the feminists will have their wish and be allowed to play football at every level, if this doesn't stop.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard that, the NFL would fine and suspend me.

Mardigras9

I agree, you never know. Games have been won on something you never expected. Manning could have dropped back and laid down.

Tobias-Reiper

The headline is misleading. The NFL didn't side with Schiano, the NFL simply stated no rule was broken.

As for the play itself, stupid of the Bucs. If they really wanted to get to the ball, they should've sent players to jump over the line, not dive at the knees-feet of the center and guards.

Danno

Yep, and this type of play can come back on you too.

Its funny that Josh Freeman got his panties twisted when Harper tried to tackle him (legally) as he was going out of bounds.

burningmetal

There's no time to get to the quarterback on a kneel down. That's why you have to try to disrupt the center to try to cause a fumble. It would take absolutely perfect timing, but you have to try anything you can to win the game. It's funny how these guys maul each other the entire game, but on the last play, they think it's bad form to be physical. I hate the Bucs, but this isn't something I can hold against them.

WhoDat!656

If there were a decent amount of time left then I could see trying something like this.

But there were FIVE SECONDS left. If the Bucs managed to cause a fumble and recover it, the time would have expired.

ChrisXVI

Agreed. If there was 1:30 left on the clock then I would have understood. When there's 5 seconds though... Come on.

SloMotion

... but with 1:30 left on the clock, NYG wouldn't have been 'kneeling' either. This is kinda' like 'Handshake-gate' last year between the Lions/49ers ... WTF?!?!? ... I'm gonna' refer to it from here on out as 'Kneeling-gate', .

My understanding of the whole 'kneeling-to-end-a-game' thing is that it's a sportsmanly way of ending a game where there is no possible way for your opponent to come back and win. You've kicked their ass and don't want to inflict further embarrassment upon your opponent. It does kinda' suck to be on the opposite side of the 'kneel' because you do get the feeling that you are being slightly dissed in that the kneeling team doesn't even have the respect for you to run one more play ...

... but therein lies the rub ... it was only a 7pt game. Technically, TB could have caused a fumble, recovered and ran it in for a TD ... stranger things have happened in an NFL game, eh?

New York thought the game was over, Tampa Bay didn't ... I really can't fault the Buccaneers for doing what they did. It may have been bad manners, but if there is even the slightest chance at winning a game, don't we expect our teams to take it?

And if I'm a NYG offensive lineman, don't I look across the line of scrimmage and see that Tampa Bay is coming? IDK, I think they should have just brawled after the game if they all had that much energy left over, .