Vikings exposed last-second loophole in loss to Lions

In an alternate Vikings universe, after officials curiously put one second back on the clock at the end of the game, Sam Darnold threw a 55-yard touchdown pass to beat the Lions last week. It nearly happened thanks to an often-misunderstood rule and it’s certainly something smart offensive coaches could use to their advantage.

Even Jared Goff, Detroit head coach Dan Campbell and one of the NFL’s best color commentators, 14-year NFL veteran Greg Olsen, seemed to misunderstand the rule on live television. Here’s what happened:

• The Lions left 15 seconds on the clock after Goff orchestrated a last-minute drive that set up a go-ahead field goal from Jake Bates. Then, on the first snap from his own 30-yard line with no timeouts and trailing 31-29, Darnold completed a 20-yard pass over the middle to Jalen Nailor. The Lions dropped him inbounds at midfield and Minnesota sprinted to the line before Darnold spiked the snap with zeroes showing on the clock.
• But officials threw a flag; the Vikings did not have seven men on the line of scrimmage, a foul for illegal formation. As Olsen and partner Adam Amin mistakenly told viewers that an automatic 10-second runoff would guarantee a Lions win, FOX cameras showed Goff and Campbell prematurely celebrating a hard-earned victory.
• It was premature because the Vikings were set at the snap, and their only illegal act was having five men off the line of scrimmage. Officials correctly administered the play. Illegal formation is a live-ball foul, meaning officials are instructed to throw their flags but allow the play to finish before blowing their whistles, stopping the game, marking off the 5-yard penalty and replaying the down. As FOX rules analyst Dean Blandino said on air, because the Vikings were set at the snap and not in motion, the foul was illegal formation, not illegal shift. And, as referee Clay Martin announced, Darnold spiked the ball with one second remaining. Officials marked off 5 yards and, instead of that alternate-universe ending, linebacker Trevor Nowaske sacked Darnold to end the game.

Smart coaches likely have scripted packages for this end-of-half situation. In the final 10 seconds of a half, as long as all 11 players are set at the snap, there won’t be a 10-second runoff. In other words, as defenses try to take away the sideline pass and leave the middle of the field open – something Detroit did on the completion to Nailor – offenses could attempt to duplicate the scenario that played out for Minnesota.

FootballZebras.com analyzed the play in its blog and weekly 1^st & 25 podcast on Tuesday. By rule, the offense needs only two players – any players – to snap the ball and, as long as all nine other players are set anywhere on the field, that team would not lose the automatic 10 seconds. It would be illegal formation, not an illegal shift. Football Zebras editor Ben Austro speculated that teams in theory could script a play in which the two deepest offensive receivers on a prior snap would hustle to the line and snap the ball to each other with the other nine players frozen wherever they are at that moment.

Austro guessed the referee would disallow that play due to the nebulous clause known as a palpably-unfair act. But that clause was inserted to prevent plays such as a player coming off the bench to make a tackle. It’s a fascinating gray area, certainly something creative offensive minds can exploit.

The powerful Competition Committee, which includes Rams head coach Sean McVay, might want to examine this one. But before they meet at the scouting combine in February and begin the process that would thicken the rulebook, expect smart coaching staffs to try to swim through this misunderstood loophole.