'What Sherman was doing, he said, was treating it as though it were a free play for Buffalo. That term usually applies to the no-lose scenario an offense suddenly finds itself in when a defender jumps offsides and the play is allowed to continue. If the offense likes the result of the play, it can decline the penalty and take whatever yardage was gained. If not, the offense can accept the penalty and the 5 yards that comes with it. So an offense can operate with temporary impunity on a free play, knowing that the worst possible result will be a 5-yard gain via the penalty and a replay of the down.'