Tag: Taunting Rule

Giants center fined for ‘flexing’ against Commanders

The penalty was a key play in last week’s game.

Washington’s Week 13 game against the New York Giants had a lot on the line for both teams. Unfortunately, it ended in a 20-20 tie. The good news is the two longtime rivals will see one another again next week on Sunday Night Football.

Looking back, several moments late in the Week 13 battle could have changed the outcome of the game.

One occurred in the fourth quarter, with the Giants leading 20-13. Washington just punted from deep in its own territory, and New York returner Richie James returned it 12 yards to the Washington 47-yard line. On first down, Giants quarterback Daniel Jones hits wide receiver Darius Slayton for a 12-yard gain, and suddenly New York was in field position with less than six minutes remaining.

Wait a minute. There’s a flag.

As it turns out, Giants center Jon Feliciano runs to Slayton after the catch, around several Commanders — and flexes. The officials immediately throw the flag, and the Giants are penalized 15 yards for taunting. New York punted three plays later. A field goal would have meant a 10-point lead for the Giants, possibly ending the game.

The Commanders took the ball and drove 90 yards in less than two minutes to tie the game.

That flag turned out to be an expensive one for Feliciano. This week, Feliciano was fined $10,609 for the taunting penalty.

It’s doubtful we’ll see Feliciano flexing again.

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Two rules that need to be adjusted for the 2022 season

These two rules need to be re-worked in college football.

The game of college football is one of the best atmospheres. The fans, the student sections, the electric entrances to the stadium.

There is so much to love about the game but there are a few parts of the game that make you scratch your head. We can all complain about officiating but it isn’t just one conference that is worse than another. It feels that way at times because more often than not the SEC has the national stage.

While there is no clearcut answer to fix officiating at the collegiate level, there are two areas of the game that I would like to be fixed immediately. Let’s start with the one rule that I think everyone can agree on.

Fix The Targeting Rule

Auburn Tigers safety Smoke Monday (21) reacts to being called for targeting at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala., on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2021. Georgia Bulldogs lead the Auburn Tigers 17-3 at halftime. Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK

The rule itself is a good one. Players should be penalized for targeting but there needs to be some modification. Any player that is confirmed by instant replay is ejected from the game. Regardless of the believed intent was there or not. The team is penalized 15 yards and they lose that player for the rest of the game. If the guilty player is ejected in the second half, they have to sit the first half of the next game.

I think that is a bit much. The suggestion here would be to have targeting penalties put into two categories, much as they do with flagrant fouls in basketball.

Targeting 1: The player is penalized for targeting but remains in the game.

Targeting 2: The player is immediately ejected from the game and sent to the sideline. This ruling would be for clear malicious intent based on instant replay.

That rule change is better for the game of football.

Next, a rule that needs an overhaul

Pages: Page 1, Page 2

Ron Rivera a guest on the Dan Patrick Show

Ron Rivera was a guest on the Dan Patrick Show Monday.

Following the WFT defeating his old team the Carolina Panthers 27-21, head coach Ron Rivera was a guest Monday on the Dan Patrick Show.

Patrick in his personable approach, asked the following questions to Coach Rivera:

“How’s the morale, Coach?”

“What was it like drawing up a game plan to go against Cam?”

“Tougher coming up with the game plan for Cam or the previous week with Tom Brady?”

“What were you trying to get Brady to do?”

“When you face someone like Brady, is there anything you could possibly do that he has not seen before?”

“What do you tell your guys about the taunting rule?”

“Where do you think this (taunting rule) came from?”

“How’s your quarterbacking situation?”

“What is the best team you have faced this year?”

What is the best piece of memorabilia you have in the office?

“Where is the Super Bowl Ring?”

“You had 7.5 sacks in your career, can you name all the quarterbacks you sacked?”

“How (are) you feeling?”

“Would you rather that people ask, or that they didn’t ask?”

It’s only 10 minutes and 14 seconds in length; you will be glad to listen in and learn from Coach Rivera’s responses.