Is a fifth-grader smarter than quarterback Donovan McNabb? Is a spectator at Heinz Field wiser than wide receiver Hines Ward? Is a 5-watt light bulb brighter than an NFL referee?
Does the Scarecrow in “The Wizard of Oz” have a brain, and a sports columnist not?
This week McNabb has been called many things — but not well-informed — after admitting he didn’t realize NFL regular-season games could end in an overtime tie. Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger wasn’t aware, either, and thinks half the players in the league don’t know the rule. Now, at least half know.
Let’s see how intelligent you are.
With nine seconds remaining in the first half of the Broncos-Falcons game Sunday, the Falcons’ Harry Douglas called for a fair catch on a punt at his 44-yard line, although no Broncos were in the vicinity. Douglas was booed by the crowd. What was going on?
Atlanta coach Mike Smith was planning to take advantage of an obscure NFL rule that allows a team fair-catching a punt to immediately attempt a free-kick field goal — with the defensive team forced to stay 10 yards away from the kicker — even if time has run out in the half or the game. But Smith decided against sending in Jason Elam (who was ready on the sideline) to try a 66-yarder. Why?
If Elam had missed, the Broncos might have had enough time left to kick a (contested) 54-yarder from that spot.
Old-school Broncos followers will remember that in New England in 1980, then-coach Red Miller, in a similar situation, had kicker Fred Steinfort attempt a 73-yard field goal at the end of the half. It was short by two dozen yards. In 1999 the Cowboys could have tried a 57-yard field goal after time expired in the first half because of a fair catch, but coach Chan Gailey forgot the rule. Four kicks have been successful.
How about this one? If Jay Cutler lines up under center Sunday in the game with the Raiders, turns his body to check out the defense, and the ball is snapped past him into the backfield, and Peyton Hillis picks it up and runs for a touchdown, what’s the correct call?
False start on the quarterback. If the ball doesn’t touch his hands, the play is supposed to be ruled dead. Ref Ed Hochuli got it right in a game last season.
If Cutler rolls out, doesn’t have a receiver open, starts running, then chooses to throw the ball after his front foot crosses the line of scrimmage, what’s the correct call?
As long as the passer’s entire body (which could be in the air) and the football have not passed the line, there’s no penalty.
I thought the rule would be if any part of his body was over the line, it was an illegal forward pass. During a game earlier in the season I looked up the rule and learned I was wrong. A couple of weeks later, in the Giants-Eagles game, an illegal forward pass penalty on Eli Manning was overturned by replay.
Many seasons ago, a Broncos defensive captain was told which end of the field to take if the coin toss was lost. He got confused. The Broncos won the coin flip, and he told the referee the Broncos were choosing to defend the south goal. What’s the rule?
The visiting team received the kickoff for the first half and got to pick to receive again in the second half.
What if the Broncos’ locker room door is locked during halftime, and they can’t get back out on the field until after the scheduled start of the third quarter? They could be assessed a penalty for delay of game.
If Brett Kern’s punt is blocked by the Raiders on Sunday, and it bounces on the ground, and Kern grabs the ball and runs for a first down, what happens?
On a blocked punt, the offensive player can advance the ball, and if he picks up the first down, his team retains possession.
In overtime, a running back turns the corner, breaks free and is about to score the winning touchdown when, suddenly, the turf splits, and a sinkhole swallows him up to the waist. What’s the call?
Under the “Emergencies and Unfair Acts” section of the NFL rules, the referee must consult with a ranking league official, who must contact the commissioner.
“The commissioner has sole authority to investigate” and take appropriate measures in “man-made or natural disasters” that occur in an NFL game “which he deems so unfair or outside the accepted tactics encountered in professional football that such action has a major effect on the result of a game.”
McNabb, Roethlisberger, the other players, fifth-graders, the Scarecrow, you and I can be excused for not knowing that rule.
Roger Goodell would have a very tough call.
Woody Paige: 303-954-1095 or wpaige@denverpost.com
