Timeout!

Three weeks ago Denver Broncos Coach
Mike Shanahan called a timeout a split
second before Oakland Raiders kicker
Sebastian Janikowski kicked an apparent
game winning field goal. Upon retry, after
the timeout the kick hit the upper left upright
and went wide left. The strategy worked, and
the Broncos won.

A week later the Raiders were faced with
the same dilemma after the Cleveland Browns
had driven to within field goal range at the end
of the game to attempt a game ending and
winning field goal. Raiders Coach Lane Kiffin
taught a lesson a week earlier, tried the same
thing, he called a timeout a half second before
the snap and though the attempt would have
been good, it didn't count. Upon retry it was
blocked and the Raiders were the victors this
time.

Last night Dick Jauron, the Buffalo Bills
head coach showed he too was paying attention,
and did the same thing to the Dallas Cowboys
kicker Nick Folk, and after hitting what
appeared to be a 53 yard game winning field
goal, that too didn't count. Upon retry though
he did connect once again and the strategy
failed for the first time in it's most recent birth.

There you have three recent instances were
an edge is trying to be gained by rattling the
kicker. This isn't new however, icing the kicker
is an age old tradition in our beloved NFL, but
only in the past three years has the coach been
able to call the actual timeout, as opposed to a
player on the field. It seems that this is leading
to a trend that may stick around, though many
rumblings are already being heard around the
sports community, especially the burnt fans.
Sports talk radio has already made many a call
for the league to take away the coaches ability to
call these types of time outs or time outs all
together and leave it to the captains on the field.

Whatever the end result, it is obvious that
has found another way to keep it interesting.