Thread: John Harbaugh: Pats' substitutions deceptive, illegal

the real problem is that the NFL continues to allow Billicheat to do this time and time again. They need to send a message.

more explanation here.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/1...ugh-mad-ravens

Deceptive? Yes. Illegal? No. Just a clever coach who knows about semantics in the rules. Forward thinking. If anything, it's the ref's fault for not being clear enough to the defense that Vereen was ineligible. But it's not illegal.

P.S. **** the Patriots

Originally Posted by aberdien

Deceptive? Yes. Illegal? No. Just a clever coach who knows about semantics in the rules. Forward thinking. If anything, it's the ref's fault for not being clear enough to the defense that Vereen was ineligible. But it's not illegal.

P.S. **** the Patriots

No, it's absolutely not illegal. But just because I can seduce your wife doesn't mean I'm not going to hell. Just sayin'.

"NFL rulebook, rule 5, section 3, article 1

An offensive player wearing the number of an ineligible pass receiver (50–79 and 90–99) is permitted to line up in the position of an eligible pass receiver (1–49 and 80–89), and an offensive player wearing the number of an eligible pass receiver is permitted to line up in the position of an ineligible pass receiver, provided that he immediately reports the change in his eligibility status to the Referee, who will inform the defensive team."

Vereen clearly reported that he was ineligible to the ref. Based on Harbaugh's reaction, and based on the Ravens defense continuing to cover Vereen, it would make sense that the referee did not inform the defensive team that Vereen was ineligible.

Originally Posted by ShaneFalco

more explanation here.

http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/1/1...ugh-mad-ravens

I read the explanation in the link, & I'm more confused about the rule then before. My conclusion, BB found a technicality in the rule book that he was able to exploit. Ds from here on out are going to have to start paying close attention to jersey #s for now on.

Probably a diversion, check their videographer again.

Originally Posted by FanInAZ

I read the explanation in the link, & I'm more confused about the rule then before. My conclusion, BB found a technicality in the rule book that he was able to exploit. Ds from here on out are going to have to start paying close attention to jersey #s for now on.

D's will have to STOP paying attention to jersey numbers now.

Originally Posted by NightTrainLayne

D's will have to STOP paying attention to jersey numbers now.

I'm still so confused by the video & explanation given in the link that I've no idea as to which of us is right.

Brady to Ravens: 'Study the rule book and figure it out'

http://www.csnne.com/blog/patriots-t...bcs&ocid=yahoo

I guess that's what I'll to do, too bad I don't have time.

Not illegal but clearly BB's typical skirting of the rules and violating the spirit and intent of the rules.

Originally Posted by FanInAZ

I'm still so confused by the video & explanation given in the link that I've no idea as to which of us is right.



I guess that's what I'll to do, too bad I don't have time.

In the clip, #34 lines up wide right. His number signifies him as an eligible receiver. However, in this case he is a "lineman" and ineligible. Meanwhile, the player lined up at the normal left tackle position is actually an eligible receiver instead of an ineligible tackle.

So basically the refs never told the ravens who was ineligible and give not give them time adjust defense.

That is BB bending a rule but 100% on the ref for not doing their job.

Originally Posted by NightTerror218

So basically the refs never told the ravens who was ineligible and give not give them time adjust defense.

That is BB bending a rule but 100% on the ref for not doing their job.

Ref are required to inform the D if a player wearing an ineligible # is eligible, but I my understand that the player who lined up in a T position was wearing a WR's #. Therefore, that would make him an eligible receiver, even though he was lined up in a position that's usually occupied by a play wearing an ineligible #. Because of this, the Ravens automatically assumed that the guy lined up in this T position was a T wearing a T's #, this player couldn't be eligible because he wasn't declared to be so. If they would've recognized that this player was wearing a WR's #, they would've known that he didn't need to declare himself eligible because his jersey # automatically made him so.

Therefore, my original statement was correct that you need to pay attention to the jersey # because that's more important than the spot they line up in.

Originally Posted by Northman

Its really not that surprising, they had done it throughout the year and the Ravens secondary is actually the weakest point of the team. What really happened was for 2 and half quarters BB was being outcoached by Harbaugh. When BB and company made their adjustments they had the Ravens reeling. Today's game was a perfect example of what a coaching chess match is.

LOL.

Harbaugh was just trying to make excuses for why he had failed to prepare his guys for the situation. NE confused them about which players were eligible in certain formations. And he thinks because he never saw the formations before, it was up to the Patriots to explain to him what they were doing....? LoL

The officials even tried to help his guys out by telling them who wasn't eligible, apparently. What a crybaby.

Here we go again with unethical vs illegal. No one cares if their team is being unethical as long as they win and it's technically not illegal. Some call it great coaching, some call it the biggest POS cheating on the planet.

I guess there are many areas in life that being "legal" but technically not morale are OK, and in America if you ain't breaking the "rules", it's all good, right I mean the refs - the official officials exonerated the pats by not calling it, and they are the NFL law. So what they say, is all good, because they are the LAW of the NFL. We shouldn't ever question their decisions. Because they are official.