Attacking kneeldowns: good football or bad sportsmanship?

[Rain Man]

I was getting annoyed on the Chiefs' last possession, the one where we had the ball on our own five with a minute left and were just doing kneeldowns.

On every kneeldown, the Patriots would create a big pileup by diving into our linemen.

It annoyed me because it's not going to work 999 times out of 1000. The general protocol of football is that if a team is kneeling down you let them do it because the game is essentially over. It's tradition, and it's generally frowned upon to do otherwise. (See Tom Nalen diving into Igor Olshansky's knees as an example.)

The Patriots were crashing hard into our linemen on every one of those kneeldowns even though Patrick was pulling off some of the greatest kneeldowns I've ever seen. Did you notice that? He was down in a split second and moving back. He may be the most talented kneeldown quarterback I've ever seen.

Having said all of that, the game ain't over until the final gun goes off, or Brady's bedtime, whichever comes first. If diving into the line works 1 time out of 1000, that's one extra game you're going to win. So it's good practice to do it from a pure win-loss perspective.

It makes me think that there should be a rule change to automatically take the clock down at the end of the game and the defending team can stop it by taking time outs, since kneeldowns are for the most part boring from a game perspective. Why should the league risk the knees of a Patriots player flying into them on a play that's essentially meaningless.

But back to the point. Was it good football that that Patriots were attacking our kneeldowns or bad sportsmanship?

Poll coming if I can keep Donta Hightower from diving into it.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Didn't someone run a fake out of a kneel-down position not too long ago? It was before halftime rather than just ending the game, but still.

In general, I'm fine with teams playing every down like it's a real play.

Cheatriots did it to Miami like twice.

Rapistberger tried and failed on a fake spike to stop the clock then blamed it on Haley.

[ChiliConCarnage]

In a one score game I think it's meh but I get it and don't really consider it poor sportsmanship.

[A Salt Weapon]

As a youth football coach, I’ve been on both sides of this just this year alone. My take is if it’s a one possession or less game I tell my players do anything you can to try and get the ball. More than one possession just stand there.

So that said given the situation, I have no problem with the pats players trying.

[ChiefBlueCFC]

I think it really depends situationally. In yesterdays game, yeah it probably is a little too much, but if its for the Super Bowl -- see Seattle vs New England in Super Bowl in 2014. But if you're down 10 and you're doing that shit... ya you a dickhead and gonna hurt someone

[KChiefs1]

Typical Belichick asshole move.

[Spott]

Don’t really have a problem with it in that situation. We blew the Titans game a few weeks ago because we couldn’t execute a snap correctly so I can see why they did it.

[Mr. Plow]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Didn't someone run a fake out of a kneel-down position not too long ago? It was before halftime rather than just ending the game, but still.

In general, I'm fine with teams playing every down like it's a real play.

I may be making this up, but I'm thinking the Ravens tried it yesterday at half.

[Easy 6]

Originally Posted by DaFace

Didn't someone run a fake out of a kneel-down position not too long ago? It was before halftime rather than just ending the game, but still.

In general, I'm fine with teams playing every down like it's a real play.

Harbaugh did exactly that against the Bills yesterday

[displacedinMN]

Bad sportsmanship and should be punished by a 15 yard penalty

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by saphojunkie

Sorry guys but no.

It was smart. We were backed up to the end zone. It was a one score game. The chiefs have won on a botched kneel down (thanks, Rivers).

There is nothing wrong with playing until zeroes on the clock.

It’s bad sportsmanship when it’s mid field and you're down by 10. Pats did nothing wrong.

JFC you’re an imbecile. A broken clock is right twice a day but you can’t even achieve that twice a year.

[rabblerouser]

Remember when Phyllis Rivers fumbled the snap on the kneel down at Arrowhead Halloween 2011?

That was highlarious.

[Prison Bitch]

Originally Posted by Eleazar

Bad sportsmanship. Can injure someone and never works. Wasn't even a thing until that loser Schiano brought it to the NFL, was it?

This is all that needs to be said. ITS. NEVER. WORKED.


Anyone defending this idiotic behavior needs to read the above statement over and over until it sinks in.


Btw we had this argument about Gay State jumping over the line when they lost to UCLA in the Alamo Bowl. Of course, their fans here defended it cause....um, Bill Snyder or something.

[suzzer99]

I think the Pats' goal was to trigger a penalty and get us so close to the goal line we have to do something different.

Also if they decline the penalty, is the clock still stopped?

[BWillie]

Good football IMO. Play until the whistle. I have no problem with it.

[Strongside]

I misunderstood the poll. I assumed (admittedly, before reading the OP) that you were asking about the practice of kneeling in victory formation, rather than what the Pats did last night.