Fake-conceding a safety

[TecnoGenius]

Objectionable conduct is not a kill play, the play goes on despite the objectionable conduct. It?s just like if a player swears obscenaties at the ref, he gets flagged but the play goes on. It just so happens most objectionable conduct penalties happen after the play is dead, but in cases where the play is still live, the play plays out then yardage applied.

Good point.  So unless the new rules stipulate something about blowing the play dead, Proulx should have let the play continue.

I don't see how the league can not clarify these situations.  It would seem to me that, from a safety standpoint, both a QB or kicker faking this and getting this OC penalty should result in the play being blown dead.  If you let it continue, how is it any safer, other than discouraging said fake in the future?

Found the actual rule in the 2023 rulebook:

Rule 7 - Fouls & Penalties
Section 4 - OC
  (f) a qb or p or k faking giving themself up by faking a slide

So, a few interesting points:

1. They do have the change to add p or k, which is the new 2022 change.  This is correct.

2. They use the verbiage "faking a slide".  Clearly a dancing p/k are not going to slide.  No p/k ever slides, they either run out of bounds or finally take an awkward knee while their body still has momentum and usually topple over.  This verbiage will have to change.  It also doesn't take into account a qb trying to fake a knee (say in victory or if he's the guy in the EZ on 3rd down?).  I would just change (f) to "a qb or p or k faking giving themself up" period.  No mention of "how", because it doesn't matter.

3. It says nothing about blowing the play dead.  That too will have to be added, or Proulx will forever be embarrassed he botched it.

I don't see how the league can sit there and not clarify soon, and/or amend the rule in the off-season.

[TBURGESS]

Good point.  So unless the new rules stipulate something about blowing the play dead, Proulx should have let the play continue.

I don't see how the league can not clarify these situations.  It would seem to me that, from a safety standpoint, both a QB or kicker faking this and getting this OC penalty should result in the play being blown dead.  If you let it continue, how is it any safer, other than discouraging said fake in the future?

Found the actual rule in the 2023 rulebook:

Rule 7 - Fouls & Penalties
Section 4 - OC
  (f) a qb or p or k faking giving themself up by faking a slide

So, a few interesting points:

1. They do have the change to add p or k, which is the new 2022 change.  This is correct.

2. They use the verbiage "faking a slide".  Clearly a dancing p/k are not going to slide.  No p/k ever slides, they either run out of bounds or finally take an awkward knee while their body still has momentum and usually topple over.  This verbiage will have to change.  It also doesn't take into account a qb trying to fake a knee (say in victory or if he's the guy in the EZ on 3rd down?).  I would just change (f) to "a qb or p or k faking giving themself up" period.  No mention of "how", because it doesn't matter.

3. It says nothing about blowing the play dead.  That too will have to be added, or Proulx will forever be embarrassed he botched it.

I don't see how the league can sit there and not clarify soon, and/or amend the rule in the off-season.

Looking at the penalty, I don't see why they blew the play dead and gave us the extra seconds to work with. Mistake #1.

You're right that the verbiage doesn't include faking taking a knee. That in itself means it shouldn't have been called. Mistake #2.

[The Fresh Prince Of Belair, MB]

I'm just guessing here, but I would assume a player who attempts a fake slide would be considered down by contact at the point of the fake slide, which would stop the clock.

[TecnoGenius]

I'm just guessing here, but I would assume a player who attempts a fake slide would be considered down by contact at the point of the fake slide, which would stop the clock.

But the refs are trained to blow the whistle when they see actual DBC, like the QB butt hitting the turf, or the P's knee.  I'm not sure a ref has ever blown it dead on the fake itself, because nothing touches the turf.

But you make an interesting point in that even if they don't blow it dead, the ref would probably ask the clock official to set the clock to the time of the fake.  However, there are also rules governing that: we'd have to see if the definition of dead ball is when the fake occurs or not.  The upshot is, if Proulx let the play run, he may have given us the clock back anyhow.