Clocks ?

[TXMike]

The 3d down play ends  at the A-10 (short of line to gain)  and there are 45 seconds on the game clock (4th period) , game clock is running, B has no timeouts, score is A 24 – B 22.

The 40 second clock starts with 43 seconds showing on the game clock.  The play clock is at 18 (game clock shows  21) and the umpire has just set the ball down and stepped away.  What do you do next?

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And a variation...
The 3d down play ends  at the A-10 (short of line to gain)  and there are 45 seconds on the game clock (4th period) , game clock is running, A has no timeouts, score is A 22 – B 24.

The 40 second clock starts with 43 seconds showing on the game clock.  By the time the crew gets the pile unpiled  and the umpire has just set the ball down and stepped away the play clock is at 18 - game clock shows  21 .  What do you do next?

[Legacy Zebra]

The first one, with the clock at 21 when the ball is ready, there's no reason to pump the clock up. The second one, it is under 20 so I'd pump it up. A is behind so they're not going to run it out anyway.

[dvasques]

The first one, with the clock at 21 when the ball is ready, there's no reason to pump the clock up. The second one, it is under 20 so I'd pump it up. A is behind so they're not going to run it out anyway.

But that would be by "common sense" and not by what's written, right? And would be against the goal of consistency.

[Legacy Zebra]

No, luckily the book and common sense coexist here. The book says to pump if its under 20. In these two, I would pump the one under 20 and not pump the one over 20.

[jg-me]

Take another look. Play clock is at 18 seconds in both scenarios. The difference is the score of the game.

[bmtjim]

If you pump the play clock up in either scenario, it then exceeds the game clock and should not run.

[Kalle]

In both cases the referee should have stopped the clock when the game clock reached 25 and the play clock 20 with the ball not being ready to be snapped. I don't think this is an error you should correct, so when the referee sees that the play clock is under 20 when the ball is ready, he should stop the clock, have the play clock shut down (less than 25 seconds remaining in the quarter), and declare the ball ready for play and start the game clock.

In the first case team A probably lets the game clock run out.

Rule references 3-2-4-b-3 and 3-2-2-f.

[dvasques]

I had missed the timout part of it...
I'd pump the play clock in both scenarios then... wind the game clock with the RFP

[BankerRef]

Apply common sense and have game awareness.  I would not pump up in the first scenario unless team b actions contributed to the delay in setting the ball.

In the second scenario you have to consider the application of 3-4-2b-8.  Once again, apply common sense and attribute the slow unpile to the defense.  We have a rule and an AR for this situation.

[TXMike]

In both cases the referee should have stopped the clock when the game clock reached 25 and the play clock 20 with the ball not being ready to be snapped. I don't think this is an error you should correct, so when the referee sees that the play clock is under 20 when the ball is ready, he should stop the clock, have the play clock shut down (less than 25 seconds remaining in the quarter), and declare the ball ready for play and start the game clock.

In the first case team A probably lets the game clock run out.

Rule references 3-2-4-b-3 and 3-2-2-f.

There is only a 3 sec difference in the clocks so if Play clock is at 20 game clock will be at 23.  If you simply pump up to 25, the game clock expires and A never snaps, and the game is over.  Is that fair to B?

[Kalle]

There is only a 3 sec difference in the clocks so if Play clock is at 20 game clock will be at 23.  If you simply pump up to 25, the game clock expires and A never snaps, and the game is over.  Is that fair to B?

Well, if you don't reset the play clock to 25, you are being unfair to team A, if they want to run a play. I think this is something the rules makers should address (and they probably will after the first time this comes up in a live game).

[TXMike]

In the 1st scenario, A is just trying to burn as much time as they can.  They do not want to run a play but will have to (or take the delay of game penalty) if clocks are not adjusted.  And even if they did run a play, it would be snapped at the last possible moment so as to possibly run out the clock during 4th down and not give B another snap.  If you pump to 25 and leave game clock running while you do so then the game clock will expire before the play clock so they run no 4th down play.

[bossman72]

I would not reset it in either scenario based on game circumstances, IMO.

[TXMike]

Despite what the rules say?