Section 2, Article 2 of the NFL Rule Book states that “In the event of certain administrative stoppages or other delays, a team will have 25 seconds, beginning with the Referee’s whistle, to put the ball in play next by a snap or a kick.”
That didn’t happen for the Seattle Seahawks with Clete Blakeman’s officiating crew with 1:01 left in the first quarter of their Thursday night game against the Dallas Cowboys. Seattle kicker Jason Myers was set to try a 37-yard field goal, but the Seahawks were pushed back five yards for a delay of game penalty. Myers subsequently missed the 42-yard attempt wide right.
There were two issues with Blakeman’s call. First, in re-setting the ball for the field goal try, the officials didn’t give Seattle enough time to kick, because they didn’t reset the play clock.
The difference in this game currently: Jason Myers' missed field goal form 42 yds after a #Seahawks penalty for delay of game following officials re-spotting the ball from the center of the field to the right hash mark & not re-setting the play clock.
No, I'm not making that up
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) December 1, 2023
Then, there’s the matter of Pete Carroll screaming for a time out before the play clock hit zero, to no avail.
Did Pete Carrol start calling timeout in time? He doesn't get it and the Seahawks get pushed back 5 yards and then miss the field goal. #SEAvsDAL pic.twitter.com/tVIK8hvN1F
— Rate the Refs App (@Rate_the_Refs) December 1, 2023
We’re more than used to NFL officials making mistakes this season, but when an experienced referee like Blakeman can’t even get the simple procedural stuff right, it does make one wonder.