New York Giants special teams coordinator Thomas McGaughey believes that the New York Jets should have been penalized for an illegal formation on the Giants' final field goal of last week's game, which kicker Graham Gano missed.
The play in question came with 28 seconds left in what was a 13-10 overtime loss. On the play, a 35-yard field goal attempt, Jets defender Will McDonald IV lept over the line of players in an attempt to block the field goal, the Jets believing McDonald's leap created a distraction for Gano.
“You got a 6-foot-6, 260-pound dude jump in front of you--that could affect the kick,” McGaughey said.
As of 2017, the NFL banned “leaping” to block field goals and extra points. Defined as a player off the line of scrimmage running and jumping over an offensive lineman, the act is supposed to incur a 15-yard penalty.
McGaughey went on to explain that a player can't cover the center, and to his eyes, it looked like McDonald was doing just that.
“You can jump over the line of scrimmage. Yeah, you can jump. You just can’t use anybody to leverage or gain an advantage in height, but you can jump from one side of the line scrimmage and not touch anybody and land on the other side; that’s perfectly legal. But if you line up within the framework of the shoulders of the center, it’s an illegal formation by the defense,” McGaughey insisted.
A review of the video appears to indicate that the officials got the call right as McDonald lined up in a four-point stance on the line of scrimmage in the A-gap to the long snapper’s left.
NFL rules require a player to get a running start away from the line of scrimmage. Legendary Seattle Seahawks safety Cam Chancellor famously leaped over the line in a 2015 contest against the Carolina Panthers, creating an often-cited example of the now-illegal play.
The Giants special teams have been an adventure this season, including the normally smooth operation of the field goal unit, which has been operating with an ailing Gano, whose left knee will require off-season surgery.
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