Know Your Game

Donovan McNabb once stunned us all when he came out of a tie game in 2008 more than a little confused.

"I've never been in a tie. I never even knew it was in the rule book."
    -Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb

After his Eagles played a scoreless overtime against the Cincinnati Bengals, McNabb was looking forward to leading his team on a game-winning drive in the second overtime. He learned that day that he only had that one overtime. The overtime rules were much more straightforward in 2008. Now, there are a couple of extra twists.

The Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers played to a 26-26 tie on Sunday. Like McNabb of five years ago, there were some confused Packers after the fifteen extra minutes.

"I thought we was gonna go to another overtime. I never knew."
    -Packers tight end Andrew Quarless

Sounds familiar. The Vikings and Packers captains met at midfield after their teams completed four quarters of football tied at 23-23. Before the coin was tossed, the official clearly stated that only one overtime period will be played. Actually, I do have one problem with the NFL and their officials. Before the overtime coin toss, each official explains the rules differently. It's their chance at an open mike and they wing it with their own words. The league needs to get it together and have one set explanation of the rules. This variety that each official brings may add to the confusion that some players apparently have with the rules of their game.

While the league could better explain the supposedly complicated rules of overtime, this really is on the players. I can't believe that there are players that don't know some of the basic rules of the game that is their career. I realize that they just go out there and play football and let others take care of most of the logistics but there has to be some accountability. They should know basic stuff like yards to gain for a first down. The number of points for a touchdown. Whether they should let a kickoff bounce around on the ground. Whether they get more time to settle a tie. That's the kind of stuff might that be good to know. McNabb, as the quarterback, might have played that 2008 overtime a little different if he knew that it was his only shot.