Week 8 officiating video: crackback blocks, official timeouts

#457964914 / gettyimages.com NFL vice president of officiating Dean Blandino today released the Week 8 media video. Topics this week included interception/touchback rules, crackback blocks, and timing rules (video download). Low blocks and crackback blocks were a topic of discussion during the Cardinals-Eagles game. The rule is that any player that is

Quick calls from ‘Monday Night Football’ Week 8

#457964914 / gettyimages.com Impetus rule. Cowboys defensive back J.J. Wilcox intercepted a first-quarter pass in the end zone and then subsequently fumbled the ball out of bounds in the end zone (video). When a ball is dead in the end zone, it is either a touchdown, a safety, or a touchback.

Sometimes a safety is just a safety

AFC Divisional Playoff: Colts at Patriots When the snap sails over the punter’s head and out the back of the end zone, all of us have the same first reaction:  safety.  However this season we saw many instances of bizarre rulings, rare rule applications, and rule misapplications, so now more than

Quick calls: Week 1

Did you see a call in the kickoff weekend that needs our attention? Let us know in the comments or tweet us @footballzebras. We have the week 1 assignments and the crew lists available for your review. 7761