Expert: Thom Brooks - 1/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: My team play in a flag football league and this is what happened yesterday. I just want to know what the correct call on the field should be. Game is tied 12-12 with 5 seconds to go, my team is on defense, we get an interception at the opposing teams goal line by #24, he runs up field 10 or so yards and laterals the ball back to me (legal, no flags) and I run up field 20-25 yards and then lateral it back to my team mate #9 he runs the remaining distance of the field and scores a TD. They called a penalty on thee then Offense for holding on a lineman during the pass, and they called a penalty on our team during the interception return. So they give us these two options... accept their holding penalty and it's their ball replay the down 10 yards back with no time on the clock or decline it and the penalty on us for holding on the return and that's the end of the game and we go to OT. My argument is that if we decline the penalty and ours is given then isn't it our ball because the game can't end on a penalty? So what would be your call? I ask cuz we lost in double OT and now may not make the play-offs.

ANSWER: Kyle, hello!

The game cannot end on a penalty by the Defense, but it was Offsetting Penalties and the Officials appear to have made the correct call.  Had your team not had the penalty on the runback, after the interception, the TD would have counted and your team would have won the game 18-12, (if the PAT was not significant).  

I hope you can still make the playoffs but it sounds as if the call was the correct call.

Take care,


Thom Brooks



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So the game can't end in a penalty but it did? I just thought ither the TD woulda counted... because the off set penalties or we would have had the ball 15 yards back from the spot of the penalty and had a play... or I don't know. Maybe that doesn't make sense either... oh well thanks for verifying the call made.

Answer
Kyle, hello!

It sounds as if time had expired, therefore, the offsetting penalties negated the TD.  Since there was no time left on the clock, and it was not ONLY a Penalty on the Defense, the regulation game was over, so it went into Overtime.  It was the correct call.  This game is a fraction of minutes, seconds and inches.

Take care and do great in the Playoffs,

Thom Brooks