on the backwards 2-pointer

Nate Atkins@NateAtkins_
When no player on either of two of the best and most well-coached teams knows to play after the whistle in this situation, it seems like a problematic rule. I’ve covered this league for 10 years and never seen it and Sean McVay said he’s never seen it either. Which is why basically no players went after the ball.

Also, what happens when you hit the player going for the ball after the whistle? Penalty?

That’s what makes it problematic IMO. If it’s not clear it was a backward pass, players can’t be expected to engage in a physical scrum for the ball if a penalty is weighing in the balance.

Both teams stopped after the whistle, so it was a factor. Charbonnet didn’t pick up the ball in an attempt at a recovery. Pretty obvious that was an after-the-play nonchalant movement that happens on a majority of them. Cooper Kupp, one of the smartest and most experienced players on the team, running away from the ball is a good example of this. It’s just not a team directive if he’s doing that.

Besides.Here’s the thing: Even if I granted you that Charbonnet knew it was live, that’s one out of 11 Seahawks players who gave any effort to do so, which goes against your argument that they’re all taught this and they all know to do it. None of the officials that worked the game could explain it either, hence why New York made the change.

The whistle should end the play. If they rule it an incomplete pass, it doesn’t turn into a live ball scenario if the whistle was blown.

Then use the same teaching point for refs as with forward pass rulings: don’t blow the whistle until the play concludes if it’s close.

This is a conversation that will happen with the competition committee in the offseason, so I’m actually way early on it. Just don’t feel like getting into it again and I’ll want to move on long before it’s time to have it.