P.E. Research Essay
Rachel Frame
Period 4
11-27-12
Absent: 11-21-12 (Excused)
“Detroit coach makes mistake in OT loss”
As they do every year, the Detroit Lions played on Thanksgiving Day against the Houston Texans, only this year, a surprising mistake by Detroit coach Jim Schwartz may have cost them the game.
On Thursday night, Texan kicker Shayne Graham scored a 32-yard field goal, bringing the score to a 34-31 win of Houston over Detroit with 2:21 left in overtime, following Jim Schwartz NFL rule breaking by trying to challenge a scoring play. The Detroit coach threw the challenge flag when Houston team member Justin Forsett scored a touchdown in the third quarter after being tackled by two Lions. Forsett’s left knee and elbow hit the ground around midfield, as seen in replays. Although the automatic review that goes with all scoring plays would have most likely taken the touchdown off the board, the NFL rules state that a challenge flag thrown on a scoring play counteracts the review. It is an “unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to boot.” Jack Forsett himself acknowledged that he should not have been allowed to score. As for Schwartz, he said “I knew the rule—you can’t challenge on a turn-over or a scoring play—but I was so mad that I overreacted. I had the flag in my hand before he even scored because he was obviously down.” This article affects me because I watched the game over Thanksgiving and was extremely shocked and bewildered by the referee’s call, and was glad to read this article because it helped me understand why that call was
Period 4
11-27-12
Absent: 11-21-12 (Excused)
“Detroit coach makes mistake in OT loss”
As they do every year, the Detroit Lions played on Thanksgiving Day against the Houston Texans, only this year, a surprising mistake by Detroit coach Jim Schwartz may have cost them the game.
On Thursday night, Texan kicker Shayne Graham scored a 32-yard field goal, bringing the score to a 34-31 win of Houston over Detroit with 2:21 left in overtime, following Jim Schwartz NFL rule breaking by trying to challenge a scoring play. The Detroit coach threw the challenge flag when Houston team member Justin Forsett scored a touchdown in the third quarter after being tackled by two Lions. Forsett’s left knee and elbow hit the ground around midfield, as seen in replays. Although the automatic review that goes with all scoring plays would have most likely taken the touchdown off the board, the NFL rules state that a challenge flag thrown on a scoring play counteracts the review. It is an “unsportsmanlike conduct penalty to boot.” Jack Forsett himself acknowledged that he should not have been allowed to score. As for Schwartz, he said “I knew the rule—you can’t challenge on a turn-over or a scoring play—but I was so mad that I overreacted. I had the flag in my hand before he even scored because he was obviously down.” This article affects me because I watched the game over Thanksgiving and was extremely shocked and bewildered by the referee’s call, and was glad to read this article because it helped me understand why that call was