Sound Off: Unwritten Rules Good or Bad for the Game?

[MMChrisS]

Unwritten rules.

You'll find them in most every sport. They crop up and make appearances often, and controversy ensues about how audacious someone was for breaking them or how they were just playing the game how it should be played. Cue up this past weekend and Greg Schiano's order to have his players rush Eli Manning on a kneel down. On the surface, the play was simply playing football how it should be played: to win until the very final whistle. On the other, the game was for all intents and purposes lost and you only risked injury for everyone involved in a seemingly fruitless play.

So OS, what do you think? Are unwritten rules such as not going full speed on a kneel down important? Or, like Napoleon, should they become a part of history? Could they ever?

Sound off!

[wat3]

There's no such thing as "unwritten rules". It's either a rule or it's not. I see nothing wrong with a team playing till the very end. Teams don't get "bonus plays" just because it's the end of the game and you're ahead. As soon as that ball is snapped its a live play, you're either ready or you arn't. Don't like that the other team is going to play it out, then don't kneel the ball. Nothing is expected from the opposing team when it comes to a kneel down so if your team is not ready, then that's on your team. For some a coach to get angry for the other team playing to the end says a lot about that coach. He expected the Bucs to lay down but in that game, that was not the case. So prepare your team better Coughlin.

[tril]

disagree with WAT3 said.
unwritten rules are technically rules that govern good sportsmanship. In the situation this past weekend, the game was lost. The only thing that could have happened was a player may have gotten injured.
A precedent was set this weekend, and it may change the sportsmanship philosophy in NFL football.

[TreyIM2]

I get unwritten rules and sportsmanship but I also understand that the game is technically not over. Like it's already been said by at least one former NFLer, Mike Golic, usually, the team kneeling says something to the other and their is usually an agreement...but if the other team doesn't agree AND hunkers down low and tight like the Bucs did, the Giants shoulda seen it coming been prepared.to protect the ball and QB.

[Cardot]

Then they might as well make a rule that if a winning team has the ability to run out the clock based upon downs and timeouts left for the losing team, then just end the game right there. Why go through the motions?

[PatriotJames]

I see NO problem with what the Buccs did. Nobody would be saying this was bad if Eli would have fumbled the ball and the Buccs recovered. They would be saying what a brilliant call it was. Maybe the lineman should be more prepared and the QB. Also, if the Buccs were down by more than 1 possession, yes this would be in bad taste.

[thbends]

I say... Hit Eli so hard his lazy eye straightens out. Game ain't over till its over.

[btemp]

I can't seriously believe that people are suggesting this a "cheap" play. It boggles the mind and demonstrates what's wrong with the NFL today. How can you seriously call a 100% legal opportunity to win the game, even if a long shot, cheap?

Ludicrous.

[keator]

this is that college RA RA crap that doesnt fly in the NFL. Bucs had all 2nd half to stop eli and they couldnt and their new coach forgot this aint the BIG EAST any more. STOP the giants in the fourth and you dont have to act like a fake tough guy coach during the Victory Formation.

[goh]

If Eli did drop the ball,the Bucs recovered and scored then won in overtime Schiano's a genius and everyone is doing this in 1 score games from now on.