TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Icing The Kicker A Hot-Button Issue

ADVERTISEMENT

By IRA KAUFMAN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 17, 2007

Updated: 10/17/2007 12:11 am

TAMPA - For coaches, players and fans alike, the few seconds it takes to launch a football from the ground through the uprights can seem like an eternity.

Now, they're messing with eternity.

The traditional practice of icing the kicker has taken on a new layer this season as NFL coaches raise (or lower) gamesmanship to another benchmark.

On three occasions, timeouts called by head coaches on the sidelines were relayed to the field so late in the field goal process that it was impossible to stop the ball from being snapped.

Florida's Urban Meyer used the ploy in a collegiate game Oct. 1 against Auburn.

'I think when you're at this level, nothing like that should matter,' Bucs kicker Matt Bryant said. 'If it does, you probably don't belong here.'

Freezing a kicker with a timeout has long been part of NFL strategy, but a rule change adopted before the 2006 season has prompted some observers to question the spirit of this new wrinkle.

Because coaches have now joined team captains in the ability to call timeouts, officials are struggling with the timing of the sequence, especially during dramatic field goal attempts.

In Week 2, Oakland's Sebastian Janikowski appeared to nail a game-winning field goal, only to be ordered to re-kick when it was ruled Denver coach Mike Shanahan had signaled for a timeout just before the snap.

Janikowski's second try ricocheted off a goal post and the Broncos eventually won in overtime.

A week later, it was Raiders coach Lane Kiffin who employed the same tactic. His stealth timeout nullified a potential game-winning field goal by Cleveland's Phil Dawson, who had his retry blocked as Oakland held on for a 26-24 triumph while the Black Hole roared its approval.

'It's part of the game,' Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. 'It's a nice tool to pull the official aside and say, 'Look at me right after this play because I may want to call a timeout.' It's very unusual, but it is part of the game now.'

Don't be surprised if Kubiak changes his opinion when he finds himself involved in one of these brinksmanship contests.

It happened to Dallas coach Wade Phillips in the Monday night game at Buffalo Oct. 8 as Nick Folk set up for a 53-yard field goal attempt with the Cowboys trailing 24-22 in the final seconds.

As the ball tumbled through the uprights, a stunned crowd didn't know Bills coach Dick Jauron had called timeout before the snap. Folk composed himself and nailed a second field goal, leaving Phillips elated with the victory and livid with the late theatrics.

'I don't think it's fair,' Phillips said. 'I think No. 1, safety. To call a timeout on the sidelines where nobody can hear it and nobody knows about it, they just run right over you on the first play. The guy's got to kick a 50-yard field goal, which takes a lot of energy. I think it's unfair to the kicker to have to kick it twice, no matter what happens.'

Auburn's Wes Byrum overcame Meyer's ploy after his initial 43-yard field goal was waved off. Byrum made his second kick for a 20-17 victory and Meyer felt no need to apologize for his tardy timeout.

'Do I think it's fair? Sure, it's part of the game,' Meyer said.

Since 2004, college coaches have had the authority to call a timeout. Next month, the last-second timeout issue will be included in an annual coaches survey that is traditionally given weight by the NCAA rules committee.

The NFL Competition Committee is sure to consider the matter heading into the March meetings at Palm Beach.

'I don't like it, but by the same token, you can do it,' Bucs tight end Anthony Becht said of the NFL's controversial field goal antics. 'Sportsmanship's one thing, but we're all in this business to win games and if that's going to help your chances, then, hey, it's here to stay.'

As usual, timing is everything.

The catalyst for the debate involves the lateness of the timeout call. Once the kick is launched, fans have every reason to believe the field goal try is legitimate.

'They're trying to get in the guy's head and take him out of his focus,' Texans long snapper Bryan Pittman said. 'I think it's a rule that needs to be changed. Once the center puts his hands on the ball, I think the play should go on. There shouldn't be a timeout allowed.'

The strategy could play itself out naturally in upcoming weeks.

Can you imagine the ensuing uproar if the home team is winning by two points in the final seconds and the visiting kicker misses a 50-yarder, only to see officials nullify the result because the home coach signaled a sneaky timeout?

If the subsequent kick is successful, that home coach would be vilified by fans, perhaps even by his own players.

Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora doesn't quite understand what all the fuss is about.

'He's a kicker,' Umenyiora said. 'He gets paid pretty much to go out on the field four or five times a game. I don't see any problem with putting him out there twice - unless they do it to the Giants and we lose a game. Then, I'd be very upset.'

Like Phillips, he'd be carping from here to eternity.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT