[RunItUpTheGut]

[Image: http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/9ke2uSG...mation.jpg]

A review of the Denver Broncos' pre-snap formation on the game-winning touchdown pass from Tim Tebow to Demaryius Thomas suggests that the play could have been ruled illegal.

Only six Denver Broncos players were lined up on the line of scrimmage before the snap. NFL rules say that a team must have seven or more players on the line for a snap to be legal. As the picture above shows, tight end Dante Rosario was well behind his teammates.

The formation eventually caught the eye of current Fox analyst and former NFL Vice President of Officiating Mike Pereira. He dismissed any suggestion that the play should have been whistled dead. "Watch on any Sunday," he tweeted. "This is a good formation compared to many. They are not technical with this."

In other words, the "seven men on the line" is a rule on the books but one that doesn't require a tape measure and straight edge to determine if every player is precisely on the line of scrimmage. If seven guys are close to line and set, Pereira implies, then the formation is fine. The seven Broncos were close to the line and set, so there was nothing to call.

[Related: Pittsburgh mayor salutes Tim Tebow to settle bet]

This seems to go against all other NFL rule enforcements, which always say that the letter of the law is far more important than the spirit of it. Still, when Pereira speaks, it's wise to listen.

That being said, I went back and looked at tape from every touchdown scored during wild-card weekend and didn't see a single formation in which the scoring team wasn't set with at least seven guys on the line of scrimmage. In this comprehensive highlight package of Bengals-Texans, there's only one play (at the 4:10 mark) that has a similar sloppy formation. This neither confirms nor contradicts Pereira's point, it only shows that "illegal" sets aren't exactly a pox on the NFL.

Should Tebow's touchdown have counted? Absolutely. It isn't a penalty if you don't get caught.
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-shutdo...12959.html

[RunItUpTheGut]

And he calls himself a man of God cheating like that....:biggrin:

[LWC]

It was once said that there is cheating on EVERY play in every NFL game (holding, offsides, encroachment, false start, illegal hits or something).

If that is the illegal play, it is an illegal play that offers no advantage.

[Stardust]

Ha, look at 90% of the formations and this is the formation in both college and the NFL. You see this on your television screen in every game. This is like the rule that the football cannot advance forward when the Center takes possession of the ball for the snap. Watch how much the ball moves when the Center grabs the ball. I've always wondered why that is not in the playbook on 3rd and inches. Line-up, Center picks up the ball, slides it 2 inches, call timeout before the snap, and ask for a measurement....

[toussaints]

It could have been illegal, but his feet are even with the tackle's so I can see why it's not called, and I wouldn't of called it.

[Stardust]

[Image: http://cdn0.sbnation.com/imported_assets...gnment.jpg]

Would you consider the left tackle on the line of scrimmage? He's further back then the QB

[Stardust]

[Image: http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/705154...medium.jpg]

Besides the five linemen, is there anyone else "technically) on the line of scrimmage?

[Stardust]

[Image: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2677/4105...2de3da.jpg]

Based on the above picture, the only guys not on the line of scrimmage is the QB & RB

[GetChili]

My goodness...

[vundy33]

He's technically on the line of scrimmage, just lined up shitty.

[nky]

nope looks good to me
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