Icing the kicker should be legal

Ever since last year when Denver Broncos head coach Mike Shanahan called timeout right before the ball was snapped on a field goal try, coaches in the NFL and NCAA have been copying the tactic. Lots of people call the tactic Bush League and call for the rule to be changed so that a coach can’t call timeout on a field goal the instant before the ball is snapped. The results of the October 12 game between the Dallas Cowboys and Arizona Cardinals is exhibit 1 on why the rule should be legal:

The Cowboys were trailing the Cardinals by 3 late in regulation. With 22 seconds left and the Cowboys on their own 31, Romo hooked up with Jason Whitten on a 30-yard pass. After a frantic dash to spike the ball, 4 seconds were left, and the Cardinals were called for off-sides, moving the ball up to the Arizona 34. After massive confusion and some delays, play resumed with 4 seconds to go and the Cowboys lining up to kick a 52-yard FG. Arizona was able to break through the line and block Nick Folk’s kick, and win the game. Or so it seemed. Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt called timeout before the kick, nullifying the block. On the 2nd attempt, Folk barely made it, to send the game into OT.

Why do people seem to forget that everything has another side to it? In this case, icing the kicker can backfire. Additionally, kickers have said they don’t mind the icing timeout, it gives them a little extra time to focus and gauge the conditions. And with this method, as opposed to the traditional icing, where you call the timeout while the kicker is lining up for the kick, you’re giving the kicker a practice kick, letting him get the bad one out of the way.