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Was the Broncos’ play against the Colts a penalty? (This is what the NFL’s rulebook says)
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- Was the Broncos’ play against the Colts a penalty? (This is what the NFL’s rulebook says)
The Denver Broncos lost to the Indianapolis Colts in heartbreaking fashion on Sunday evening.
Trailing the Broncos by two points with time ticking down, the Colts lined up for a 60-yard field goal attempt. Indy kicker Spencer Shrader missed his initial attempt wide right, but officials gifted the Colts a 15-yard "leverage" penalty. (The foul was mistakenly called against defensive lineman Eyioma Uwazurike , but the NFL's box score correctly changed it to a penalty on outside linebacker Dondrea Tillman .)
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Following that 15-yard penalty, Shrader nailed a 45-yard field goal as time expired for a 29-28 win. Here's a look at the penalty in question:
The penalty was on No. 92 (Tillman), who appears to put his hand on No. 68 (guard Dalton Tucker ) on his way over the line.
What is the NFL's rule for a leverage penalty?
So, should that have been deemed a penalty?
It's hard to find, but the definition leverage penalty is in the NFL's rulebook under Rule 12, Section 3 (Unsportsmanlike Conduct) under notes "o" and "p," which state: "Jumping or standing on a teammate or opponent to block or attempt to block an opponent's kick or apparent kick," and, "Placing a hand or hands on a teammate or opponent to gain additional height to: (1) block or attempt to block an opponent's kick or apparent kick, or (2) attempt to jump through a gap to block an opponent's kick or apparent kick."
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Tillman does appear to place his hand on an opponent in an effort to gain leverage. Was it a ticky-tacky call? One could argue that it was, but by the NFL's definition of the rule, it appears that Tillman did commit a penalty.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: NFL rulebook: Did the Broncos use 'leverage' vs. Colts?
