CBS
The Baltimore Ravens came up with a brilliant play that allowed them to successfully run out the final 11 seconds of their game against the Cincinnati Bengals and to do it all they had to do was commit a boatload of penalties.
With the Ravens leading by seven points, they faced a fourth down at their own 22-yard line with 11 seconds to go. There was too much time for the punter, Sam Koch, to scramble around and run out the clock and they certainly didn’t want to punt the ball to the Bengals and given them a reasonable shot at either a punt return or a Hail Mary.
Instead, the Ravens held the entire defense — on purpose.
After Koch took the snap, it looked like a WWE wrestling Royal Rumble broke out all over the field. Everywhere you looked a Ravens player was holding a Bengals defender and flags came flying from the officials.
There were literal bear hugs, pulled jerseys, and take downs all over the field.
CBS
By holding the defenders on purpose, that gave Koch enough time to wander around the end zone and run out the final 11 seconds. By the time any defender reached Koch the clock had run out and he simply stepped out of the back of the end zone for a safety.
Initially, most assumed the Bengals would get another play. But since the penalties were against the team with the ball, the result of the play stood and there was no additional untimed down. It was game over.
Not exactly how the rule was intended, but you have to give the Ravens credit for finding the loophole and using it to their advantage.
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