Why Was That a Safety?

[diondublin]

I am most glad it was a safety as I had Buffalo (+3) but I am not sure what happened!

It is described at nfl.com as:

4-22-TEN 34 (:08) (Punt formation) 4-A.Trapasso up the middle ran ob in End Zone for -34 yards, SAFETY

However I did not see the guy go out-of-bounds; it looked to me as though he remained comfortably in the endzone!

Can anybody explain?

Adrian

[CaptainJack]

You know I watched it and was pretty damn excited about pushing my +3 bet on the Bills but couldn't tell you if he ran out the back of the end zone, took a knee or what. It was definitely a safety though.

[wayner]

I was lucky enough to get the Titans at -2.5, so they covered, but don't know what they were trying to do!? Looked like a safety...the fix was in for the -3 cover!!

[diondublin]

You know I watched it and was pretty damn excited about pushing my +3 bet on the Bills but couldn't tell you if he ran out the back of the end zone, took a knee or what. It was definitely a safety though.

Hi Jack; I was equally excited for the same reasons (and congratulations on your other bet too!).

However, I was watching quite closely, and I am near certain of the following things:

• the guy did not run out of the end zone
• he did not take a knee
• whilst upright in the end zone he seemed to have a short conversation with the official who only then signalled a safety

Therefore what gives? Can it possibly be a safety if he is in the endzone, but not out of bounds or down?

[diondublin]

Hi Jack; I was equally excited for the same reasons (and congratulations on your other bet too!).

However, I was watching quite closely, and I am near certain of the following things:

• the guy did not run out of the end zone
• he did not take a knee
• whilst upright in the end zone he seemed to have a short conversation with the official who only then signalled a safety

Therefore what gives? Can it possibly be a safety if he is in the endzone, but not out of bounds or down?

Having looked around a bit the best I can come up with (indeed the only explanation) is that the official has the discretion to call a safety if the opposition do not contest the play.

Therefore, if the Bills will lose if they tackle the man then they will not tackle him. Thusly he may stand there all day (not wanting to take a knee or leave the endzone) so the play must eventually be blown dead. The player is therefore treated as down in the endzone and thusly it is a safety. The coversation I saw with the official probably therefore merely sought to establish that the punter was not going to leave voluntarily!

[CaptainJack]

Thanks for clearing that up Adrian! Seems logical and I think I was just too damn excited about my push to really pay attention!

[Murdoch Sez]

... When have we seen a punter be so single-handedly responsable for the outcome of both the side and total ? He had a fake punt for a touchdown and was then responssble for buff getting 2 points on the safety. He was worth 9 points and the push. ... and , if tennessee doesnt carry 2 punters he's likely going to be cut. lol , life's a bitch!