November 17, 2008

NFL overtime rules? Don't ask McNabb: "No, I didn't know that," Donovan McNabb said at his postgame press conference, saying he was not aware that one overtime is all you get in the NFL in the regular season. Then McNabb compounded his error by not knowing the postseason overtime rule. Those games do play to a conclusion for obvious reasons, but McNabb said, "I hate to see what happens in the Super Bowl or I hate to see what happens in the playoffs. You have to settle with a tie." A real student of the game.

posted by dyams to football at 07:41 PM - 17 comments

Hard to believe that a veteran QB could not be aware of such a basic rule.

Then again, the officials totally mucked up the Pittsburg/San Diego game with their lack of understanding of the rules so maybe I'll let Donovan slide on this one

posted by dviking at 09:52 PM on November 17, 2008

That call in the Pit/SD game was unbelievable. Even after review, they muffed it. I think the refs were so confused, they said, "Aw, screw it, Pit wins either way...just call it a forward pass and end this thing."

posted by jmd82 at 11:26 PM on November 17, 2008

McNabb at the end of games...whether regulation or overtime...things have not gone well more than a few times. Not just the Super Bowl. Don't know if there's a trend there or not.

Last week's game against the Giants - strange way for the Eagles to end their chances. Andy Reid's clock management and the play calling haven't helped the cause any in some of the stumbles. The Eagles on offense in crunch time: sometimes a fog rolls in, the lights dim. Maybe there's a scientific explanation.

Maybe it's the Curse of Joe Pisarcik, unfolding over the Eagles' nest in a slow, gradual, twisting manner. On the 30th anniversary of "The Fumble", no less. The Pisarcik curse is currently taking care of Herman Edwards too, it would seem.

Donovan, splash some cold water on your self. Grab an energy drink. Pump up your en-tire collection of Rush Limbaugh and Terrell Owens motivational tapes. Put your helmet on and get ready to play every down of all four or five quarters.

After you've taken care of business, you can go across the river to Camden and climb into a hot tub full of Campbell's Chunky soup. It's not LT's hot tub. It's yours. You were doing the Chunky when LT was doing the Enfamil.

posted by beaverboard at 11:36 PM on November 17, 2008

If you look at the fact that another Steeler touchdown was disallowed and the penalties was 13/2 against them( point spread was 5 pts), maybe the ref took S?D and the points!!!

posted by Doehead at 08:01 AM on November 18, 2008

I am sure the always compassionate Philly fan will let this error slide.

posted by Debo270 at 11:39 AM on November 18, 2008

I agree with beaverboard that McNabb really seems to need to pump up the energy level. He's a talented athlete, but he seems to just drift along during games, almost seeming bored with the whole game-thing. His comments about not even knowing the overtime rules as they relate to the post season makes me thing he's just kinda biding his time until retirement. That plus his play (and the team in general) in one of the most uninspired games (the Cinci game) I've ever seen. If the team looks to Donovan as the model they pattern their play after, it's no wonder they seem to go through the motions the majority of their games. Oh well, that division needs one doormat in it, and the Eagles seem up to the challenge!

posted by dyams at 06:20 PM on November 18, 2008

That definitely didn't help to fight the stereotype that football players are dumb jocks I thought you had to be somewhat intelligent to play quarterback in the NFL? What's this dude's Q-score?

Is he saying that he would have played harder if he knew the game could end in a tie? Who cares how much time is left in the game? If you're out there, you should be playing at 100% effort, all the time. More so even when you're being paid multi-millions to be out there, PLAYING a game.

"McNabb at the end of games...whether regulation or overtime...things have not gone well more than a few times. Not just the Super Bowl. Don't know if there's a trend there or not." It seems McNabb has his game backwards. You should be playing harder in the 4th quarter and even harder in Overtime. I agree that he seems like he is in slow motion at the end of games. It's one thing to have ice water in your veins; it's another to freeze-up. McNabb has been one of the most prolific passers of the last decade or so, but he just can't seem to win the big the one, especially when he needs to win it. Not that this was a big one...

It may be an ominous sign for Eagles fans that he can't even get it done against the Bengals any more...

posted by docshredder at 08:11 PM on November 18, 2008

According to a Yahoo Sports article Steelers Wide Receiver Hines Ward didn't know that ties were still possible. Ward was a player in the now next to last tie game (Steelers-Falcons, 11/10/2002, 34-34).

posted by Newbie Walker at 05:30 AM on November 19, 2008

The McNabb G-Funk era is over.

posted by Newbie Walker at 05:32 AM on November 19, 2008

Not knowing the tie rule in a regular season game is one thing; his comment about playoff games and/or the Super Bowl ending in a tie, though, was one of the stupidest things I've ever heard fall out of a professional athlete's mouth.

No wonder Terrell Owens doesn't like the guy.

posted by The_Black_Hand at 10:25 AM on November 19, 2008

Good point about T.O. TBH. I in no way know McNabb, and I'm sure practically all of the people on this site don't know him either, but his public personality has always left me unimpressed. Everyone is so quick to shoot down everything T.O. ever says or feels (often with good reason), but maybe McNabb isn't the fabulous individual TV and commercials have made him out to be.

I just can't believe a guy in his position, having been in the league as long as he has, and having played in a Super Bowl and many playoff games, never made it a point to understand such a basic NFL rule. What has the guy been doing with all his time for all these years? Not only for this ridiculous situation, but for others also, I can't help but think Andy Reid is coming to the end of his tenure in Philly. McNabb, too.

posted by dyams at 06:24 PM on November 19, 2008

Good point about T.O. TBH. I in no way know McNabb, and I'm sure practically all of the people on this site don't know him either...

Not one to name drop but I actually do know Donovan. He's not my best friend but we are friends thru Troy Vincent and Kevin Johnson. Donovan is a hell of a guy and funny as shit. What happened with this whole overtime/tie fiasco is being way overblown. I mean, is it his fault that Andy Reid didn't gather the troops and let them know that they needed to score before time expired in overtime? This is just ridiculous.

I never have been an Eagles fan and I never will be. I'm not defending Donovan by any stretch here but let's be honest here, the very moment that McNabb was drafted out of Syracuse, he was being booed by Eagles fans that wanted Philly to draft Ricky Williams (how that work out?). It seems to me that no matter what this guy does, the fans just never really took to him, which I really don't get.

This is a future Hall of Fame QB (check out his career stats and tell me otherwise) that I can proudly say is my friend.

In my opinion, he should've known that the game ends in a tie if both teams are still tied at the end of overtime....but that's just me

posted by BornIcon at 03:17 PM on November 20, 2008

To be fair to Donovan, the high school and college rule are to play it out until you get a winner. That's what he would've learnt first.

Also, knowing the rule doesn't change the way you approach overtime; the first time that scores wins. So score on your possession.

posted by dfleming at 02:04 PM on November 21, 2008

It seems to me that no matter what this guy does, the fans just never really took to him, which I really don't get.

Mike Schmidt?

posted by BoKnows at 09:15 PM on November 21, 2008

As one of those Eagle fans who booed McNabb's selection (first impressions aren't always true), I have one question: aren't the overtime rules discussed when the captains meet at midfield? I believe they are.

posted by jjzucal at 08:41 PM on November 25, 2008

Mike Schmidt?

But we're talking about McNabb, not last generation players.

posted by BornIcon at 09:04 AM on November 26, 2008

Are you just dying to keep this thread going, BI?

I realize who you are talking about, but this isn't unusual for Philly, and has happened before, so what is it that you don't get? I've come to expect this out of the City of Brotherly Love.

posted by BoKnows at 01:34 PM on November 26, 2008

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