In last night's Rams/Giants game, the Giants obviously feigned injury to slow down the Rams no huddle offense and get their goal line package into the game. There is no way the officials could have made the judgement to penalize the Giants despite the fact there was a lot of laughing on the Giant's bench. This was a critical game situation that could have changed the direction, and possibly the outcome of the game. What if this had been a playoff or Super Bowl game?
My frame of reference for thinking about thiss is two similar baseball plays.
Last year, Alex Ridriguiz of the Yankees dramatically feigned being hit by a pitch when replay showed the ball hit the knob of his bat. He was awarded first base. When questioned after the game, Alex without hesitation said, "Whatever it takes to win".
Last week Darwin Barney of the Cubs was hit by a pitch. The ball rolled into fair territory, and the catcher picked it up and tagged Barney. The ump ruled the ball hit Barney's bat and called him out. When Barney was asked why he didn't put on a big act because replay showed he was hit, he replied, "I didn't want to disrespect the game."
Back to football; It seems to me that there needs to be a rule that would make it unprofitable for a player to fake an injury in a goal line situation.
1. Allow only that player to be substituted for?
2. Require the player to remain out of the game for the rest of that series or more?
3. Charge a timeout like after the two minute warning?
4. See to it the player has a valid reason to leave the game with an injury when he returns? ( I remember Super Bowl I and how the Packers handled Fred Williamson's cheap shot on Boyd Dowler.)
5. Do nothing because cheating to get ahead is acceptable in our society?
What do the rest of you think?