Dawson Knox: Refs made up 15 yard snowball penalty ❄️

[Buffalo Dude]

According to SI:

 

The refs “made up” the 15 yard penalty just to calm down the fans, knowing they couldn’t enforce the rule.

 

https://www.si.com/.amp/extra-mustard/2022/12/23/bills-dolphins-15-yard-snowball-penalty-threat

 

The flurry got the crowd into such a fervor as to draw the ire of the officials, who made an announcement during the game that Buffalo would be assessed a 15-yard penalty if fans hit anybody on the field with a thrown snow ball.

The crowd eventually settled down. But, as it turns out, the fans could have created quite an interesting scenario if they called the officials’ bluff.

That’s because, as Bills tight end Dawson Knox recalled this week, there wasn’t actually anything the officials could do to penalize a team for fans’ behavior, making the public address announcement an empty threat.

“Apparently, they told coach McDermott or someone, ‘Hey we can’t actually enforce that, we just have to say that for them to stop,’” Knox said on the podcast Green Light with Chris Long. “It was a just say it, to get them to calm down.”

[NoSaint]

No upside to this. Last thing we need is snowballs in the playoffs. I hope fans don’t try to call the bluff.

[Buffalo Boy]

Now they know it’s BS😈😈😈

[transient]

1 minute ago, NoSaint said:

No upside to this. Last thing we need is snowballs in the playoffs. I hope fans don’t try to call the bluff.

Now that the cat's out of the bag they better hold on to that #1 seed...

[Buffalo Dude]

From anyone who was at the game, was the problem that snowballs were being thrown onto the field in general, or at the Dolphins bench?

[Nextmanup]

It's just shocking all stupid your average person is.

 

I can't believe fans had to be warned to not throw crap on the field.

 

It's a freaking zoo out there.

 

 

1 minute ago, Buffalo Dude said:

From anyone who was at the game, was the problem that snowballs were being thrown onto the field in general, or at the Dolphins bench?

I was not there, but I think the answer is "BOTH."

 

I saw players (including Bills!) getting hit!
 

 

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

throwing snowballs at one another in the stands is cool. throwing snowballs that can potentially be ice balls at the oppositions bench, not cool.

 

I know I'll catch a lot of slack but it really is not a good look, at all.

[RiotAct]

1 minute ago, Buffalo Dude said:

From anyone who was at the game, was the problem that snowballs were being thrown onto the field in general, or at the Dolphins bench?

the field in general.  Especially when there was a scoring play.  The end zone was getting inundated with then.

[QCity]

Don't throw anything on the field.

[SirAndrew]

I total believe this…but it wouldn’t shock me if a forfeit is in the rules if a venue isn’t considered safe. However, that would be a gutsy move by the league, especially during the playoffs. Rules are flexible when managing a large crowd. You must take thousands of disgruntled fans into account. Enforcing rules on the street with individuals or small groups is a different beast where rules are more concrete. An entire crowd breaking rules is tough to deal with. I’m not encouraging it, I’m just not sure if/how you fully prevent it. 

[Buffalo Dude]

And before anyone thinks of throwing more snowballs, here’s the actual rule:

 

The actual rule book does not cover penalties issued for instances in which fans are throwing things like snowballs onto the field, according to Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News, unless those actions directly impact an in-progress play.

 

So there could have been a penalty if a snow ball, say, caused a player to fumble or fall mid-play.

[chongli]

6 minutes ago, Buffalo Dude said:

From anyone who was at the game, was the problem that snowballs were being thrown onto the field in general, or at the Dolphins bench?

 

Sal was hit by a snowball. It was mentioned on the WRG call.

[SirAndrew]

4 minutes ago, DaBillsFanSince1973 said:

throwing snowballs at one another in the stands is cool. throwing snowballs that can potentially be ice balls at the oppositions bench, not cool.

 

I know I'll catch a lot of slack but it really is not a good look, at all.

IDK, if I’m taking my kids or older parents to a game, people throwing snowballs in the stands is just as lame (dangerous if we’re assuming they’re ice balls) as throwing them at the opposing bench. 

[NewEra]

13 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

No upside to this. Last thing we need is snowballs in the playoffs. I hope fans don’t try to call the bluff.

Better do more than hope. I think it’s a given that we see even more snowballs in the playoffs now that this is out 

[Buffalo Dude]

Not condoning the throwing of snowballs, but wondering:

 

Was this in retaliation of the strategically designed Dolphin stadium that puts opposing players in the sun while the home team is in the shade?

 

or was this just Bills fans being silly?

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

20 minutes ago, SirAndrew said:

IDK, if I’m taking my kids or older parents to a game, people throwing snowballs in the stands is just as lame (dangerous if we’re assuming they’re ice balls) as throwing them at the opposing bench. 

I am not against throwing (not iceballs of course) snowballs, whatsoever. just no need to throw them at the oppositions bench. I'm sure your kids and even parents have done it every winter, I know I did and it was fun. if someone had thrown one in your parents or even kids face, yeah, not cool. 

Edited December 23, 2022 by DaBillsFanSince1973

[davefan66]

11 minutes ago, Buffalo Dude said:

From anyone who was at the game, was the problem that snowballs were being thrown onto the field in general, or at the Dolphins bench?

I sit upper deck, Bills side.  Snowballs were everywhere. End zones especially. Bills sideline wasn’t immune. Saw some on phins side, no idea how much.

 

Throwing snowballs is dumb for sure. Why do it? People behind us towards the top of the upper deck were launching them into the upper deck and lower bowl. Just seems ridiculous to throw snow/ice balls at people. Especially the lower bowl from up top;  momentum from there is dangerous. 

[RunTheBall]

There has never been a football game where there were both snow and fans in the stands where snowballs weren’t thrown. Never.

 

It’s comical to listen to some  moan about “the look” or like there are some rules in play when it comes to where and when you can throw a snowball

 

BTW, they weren’t live grenades, they weren’t iceballs, it was freshly fallen snow. No one was injured and there wasn’t any high risk of injury.

 

I’ve got an idea, if the NFL doesn’t want fans to throw snowballs maybe they should chip in cash to help remove snow from the stands? 

 

Much to do about nothing 

 

[MJS]

I've never seen so much outrage about something so insignificant.

 

Move on.

Just now, RunTheBall said:

There has never been a football game where there were both snow and fans in the stands where snowballs weren’t thrown. Never.

 

It’s comical to listen to some  moan about “the look” or like there are some rules in play when it comes to where and when you can throw a snowball

 

BTW, they weren’t live grenades, they weren’t iceballs, it was freshly fallen snow. No one was injured and there wasn’t any high risk of injury.

 

I’ve got an idea, if the NFL doesn’t want fans to throw snowballs maybe they should chip in cash to help remove snow from the stands? 

 

Much to do about nothing 

Exactly. And the "ice ball" claim is just stupid. A bunch of adults scared of snowballs? I wasn't there, but if I got hit with a snowball, I suppose I would just shrug and not care.

[BillnutinHouston]

It's all fun and games until someone loses an eye.