The call was correct. It just shouldnt be correct.
The bewildering offsetting penalty ruling during the Eagles-Giants game Sunday night could have been very costly for the Eagles.
With 6:45 left in the second quarter and the Eagles leading 3-0 with a first-and-10 on their own 2-yard-line at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, Eagles quarterback Vince Young connected with DeSean Jackson on a 50-yard completion down the right sideline.
Jackson celebrated -- as he often does -- turning to the Giants sideline and flipping the ball to Giants defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. He was called for taunting, a 15-yard dead-ball penalty.
On the play, Giants defensive tackle Linval Joseph was also called for a penalty, illegal use of hands -- a 10-yard infraction.
After meeting for a moment, the officials ruled that the penalties offset, negating the play. The 50-yard completion was wiped out, and the Eagles once again faced 1st-and-10 on their own 2-yard-line.
The absurd part of the ruling is that had the Giants not been called for a penalty, the 50-yard gain would have stood. The ball would have been spotted at the Giants 48, then moved back 15 yards to the Eagles 37.
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So a penalty on the Giants effectively cost the Eagles 35 yards.
It doesnt make sense, Andy Reid said Monday.
As it turned out, the Eagle won the game 17-10. But that doesnt change the fact that the rule is flat-out ridiculous.
You cant blame referee Mike Carey. His job is to enforce the NFL rule book, and Rule 14, Article 9, clearly states: If there has been a foul by either team during a down and there is a dead ball foul by the other team in the action immediately after the end of the down, it is a double foul, and all rules for enforcement of double fouls apply.
In other words, offsetting penalties. Replay the down.
The rule book also clearly states that the Eagles do not have the option of declining the Giants portion of the offsetting penalties, thereby leaving only Jacksons infraction and moving the ball from the 2 to the 37.
According to the rule book: If fouls are committed by both teams during the same down (double foul), no penalty may be declined.
Reid said he actually tried to decline the penalty but was -- correctly -- not allowed to.
I tried everything, he said.
Dont be surprised if the NFLs competition committee -- of which Reid is on a subcommittee -- examines this specific scenario this offseason and figures out a way to not penalize a team for the other team committing a penalty.
Im going to do some more research on it, now that its over, Reid said Monday. I didnt understand it when I was out there. I mean, they explained it to me well, but its one of those that you kind of raise your eyebrow to.
E-mail Reuben Frank at rfrank@comcastsportsnet.com.