NFL Playoff Games

First, I hope this is the ding dong the witch is dead moment for the Patriot's dynasty.  I'm the first to acknowledge their unprecedented and perhaps never to be repeated domination of a sport but enough already.

Second, I have a question about the Buffalo game.   Buffalo was running out of time to kick a field goal at the end of regulation, with about 21 seconds left and running, but then the refs stopped the clock to take a first down measurement.  Notwithstanding the stopping of the clock, the coach frantically gestured for the team to spike the ball, wasting a down before kicking the field goal.  Maybe I missed something but it seemed pointless.

A measurement is conducted during a referee’s timeout. The referee restarts the clock after the measurement is completed. If the Bills hadn’t spiked the ball, the clock would have kept running after the restart.

The game clock was still stopped as far as I could tell but maybe the play clock was running down and they couldn't set up in time to avoid a delay of game penalty?   

• 1st & 10 at HOU 29

  (0:21 - 4th) (Field Goal formation) C.Bojorquez spiked the ball to stop the clock.

At the 15:00 mark of this video, you’ll see the game clock go from 21 to 20 as the ball is spiked.

All I can tell you is that the clock wasn't moving when they spiked the ball (unless the network got the clock status wrong) .  Maybe the refs were about to start it running again.  Maybe it was the play clock.

Whatever.  If they weren't going to risk another play to see if they could get a TD, it didn't matter. They kicked the field goal.  Then lost in OT.

I don’t know what else to tell or show you. It was your question, after all.

FWIW, after the spike, they did take two shots at the end zone:

• 2nd & 10 at HOU 29

  (0:20 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass incomplete deep right to D.Williams [V.Hargreaves].

• 3rd & 10 at HOU 29

  (0:15 - 4th) (Shotgun) J.Allen pass incomplete deep right to D.Williams.

Had company over.  Wasn't exactly watching with great focus.  I'm trying to find a clip to see if it confirms my memory that the clock was stopped when they spiked.

From a newspaper article:

With less than 30 seconds left the Bills almost ran out of time. Allen

completed a pass over the middle to Cole Beasley for 10 yards on

third-and-10 but Buffalo didn't have any timeouts remaining. The Bills

rushed to get their field goal unit on the field and might not have had

time to snap the ball but officials stopped the clock for a measurement

which gave Buffalo time to regroup. Punter/holder Corey Bojorquez spiked

the ball since the Bills special teams was still on the field. Stephen

Hauschka made a 47-yard field goal to send the game into overtime.

Been a while.  A song for you, Dave.

Last word I hope.  Despite what my eyes saw, another article said the refs did start the clock up.  Since the field goal unit was on the field, rather than scramble to run the offense out there with clock running and risk a delay of game five-yarder, they had the FG unit spike the ball and waste a down.  

bub said:

Last word I hope.  Despite what my eyes saw, another article said the refs did start the clock up.  Since the field goal unit was on the field, rather than scramble to run the offense out there with clock running and risk a delay of game five-yarder, they had the FG unit spike the ball and waste a down.  

Bingo. (The 15:00 mark of the video I posted shows the clock running.) Glad you finally found a source you believed.