Shutdown Corner - NFL

Rich Gannon and Donovan McNabb(notes) have a lot in common. Both played quarterback in a Super Bowl loss, both have lived in Philadelphia at some point in their lives and neither has any idea how the NFL's overtime rules work.

One year after McNabb infamously expressed surprise that professional games could end deadlocked, Gannon, the former Raiders quarterback-turned-CBS analyst, made a similar slip-up at the end of the Cincinnati Bengals-Cleveland Browns game, in which he was providing color commentary.

With seven seconds left in overtime, the Bengals called a timeout to prepare for the potential game-winning field goal, to be kicked by Shayne Graham(notes). It was an easy decision for head coach Marvin Lewis: Since the clock was running, calling a timeout allowed Graham and the field goal team to take their time instead of having to rush the kick. Gannon, though, took exception.

Why, you ask? Did he think a miss would give the Browns too much time to run a Hail Mary? Was it his belief that the timeout could unintentionally lead to a self-inflicted icing of Graham? Nope. Both those things would be somewhat reasonable (if still misguided).

No, Gannon didn't like the timeout because he thought that if Graham hit the field goal, it would leave too much time for dangerous Cleveland return man Joshua Cribbs(notes) to take back the subsequent kickoff for a touchdown. You know, that dreaded post-score overtime kickoff that has felled so many teams throughout history.

Gannon's partner in the booth, Ian Eagle, quickly and politely informed Gannon that the game would be over if Graham successfully converted the field goal, since NFL overtime is sudden death. Gannon laughed and apologized for his mistake. Awesomely, Eagle then asked if McNabb had infiltrated the broadcast booth. Nah, Ian, if that were true, Gannon would have vomited when the game got down to crunch time. (Rimshot!)

It was a ridiculous mistake, but unlike McNabb's ignorance of overtime rules (and his continued defense of said ignorance later in the week), we'll give Gannon the benefit of the doubt and say this was more likely a slip of the tongue than a complete misunderstanding of how overtime works. But, of course, it didn't seem possible that McNabb wouldn't know about ties, so maybe we're giving Gannon too much credit.

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2118 Comments

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  1. Redeemed
    1. Posted by Redeemed Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:19 pm EDT

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    Well, I guess when you are as bad as the Browns were coming into this game you get the worst announcers the networkscan provide. I think these two dregs have announced at least the last 2 Browns games. I think the might be the bottom of the barrel.
  2. brian b
    2. Posted by brian b Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:53 pm EDT

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    Gannon just likes to hear himself talk.
  3. Connie
    3. Posted by Connie Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:53 pm EDT

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    We definitely had the "D" team for this one.
  4. Tom
    4. Posted by Tom Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:04 pm EDT

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    this is dumb. it as a minor mistake and you even admit it. so then why even write about it. lame.
  5. djsperr
    5. Posted by djsperr Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:14 pm EDT

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    I think I'll give him the pass on this one. That's just instincts kicking in during a big moment in the game. Sometimes rational thinking just escapes you.
  6. boomer sooner
    6. Posted by boomer sooner Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    who cares
  7. gowinup
    7. Posted by gowinup Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    I'll be honest, I was thinking the same thing before he said it, it was a simple "brain fart," not a lack of knowledge of the rules.
  8. adrin
    8. Posted by adrin Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:22 pm EDT

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    chris, you're so bad at blogging, they need to fire you
  9. MrNFL
    9. Posted by MrNFL Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    I saw that live and LOLed
  10. steve k
    10. Posted by steve k Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    so big deal ur welcome to try to do play by play
  11. Itsmuddy
    11. Posted by Itsmuddy Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    I love that they make fun of the guy but can't proof read the article.
  12. JPack
    12. Posted by JPack Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    felled?
  13. John
    13. Posted by John Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    Really? Is that so newsworthy?
  14. george.abro
    14. Posted by george.abro Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:23 pm EDT

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    This reporter is dawging them out for that, yet he cant spell NFL.
  15. Matt
    15. Posted by Matt Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    Rimshot!
  16. Justin M
    16. Posted by Justin M Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    Way to waste your time writing this story!
  17. Mike K
    17. Posted by Mike K Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    you mean people actually watch football games with the sound on? isn't that what the mute button is for?
  18. Mr. Baseball
    18. Posted by Mr. Baseball Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    Chris Chase, it's a Hail Mary not the other. It's self-inflicted not self-infliced. It's misguided not miguided. Talk about mistakes in a field you work in. HA!
  19. Brian T
    19. Posted by Brian T Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    who cares..
  20. Frankie P
    20. Posted by Frankie P Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    so freakin what. hes lame anyway, im king!
  21. Hi
    21. Posted by Hi Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    Wow, really? This is what is news worthy?
    And before you criticize someone, you might want to proofread. It's not that hard:
    "how the nFL's overtime rules work."
    It would be NFL, capitalize the N.
  22. dnations
    22. Posted by dnations Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:24 pm EDT

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    "Both those things would be somewhat reasonable (if still miguided.)"
    The period goes on the other side of the end parenthesis. I guess if we gripe that an NFL analyst doesn't know OT rules, we should gripe that a writer doesn't know grammar, right?
  23. Josey
    23. Posted by Josey Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:25 pm EDT

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    It's very stupid to take up space even talking about this. Why make a big deal out of a nothing comment ? puh-leeze !!
  24. Boiiinng
    24. Posted by Boiiinng Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:25 pm EDT

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    When an OT lasts a whole quarter, you tend to forget that's it an OT in the first place.

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Shutdown Corner is an NFL blog edited by Matthew J. Darnell. Email him, and follow him on Twitter.

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