Browns 4th Timeout Of The Half Allows Josh Cribbs to Sustain Injuries

The Browns were down 16-0 with 0:03 seconds left in the game, and they called a timeout. They did not have a chance, yet they ran an incredibly risky play, that puts both the quarterback, running back, and the entire team in jeopardy. As Josh Cribbs lay motionless on the field, people wondered what the Browns were thinking when they called the "hook and lateral" play.

I believe that Eric Mangini and Brady Quinn are at fault for calling the play; however, I would also have to blame the officials. With 1:55 seconds left in the game, the Browns called their third, and what should have been their final timeout. One minute and fifty-two seconds later, the Browns called another timeout.

The officials granted the time out, effectively giving the Browns their fourth timeout. If this timeout had not been granted, the Browns never would have been able to call their last play, the "hook and lateral", which left Josh Cribbs injured.

So why were the Browns given a fourth timeout? Apparently, the NFL officials forgot how to count. According to Mike Pereira, the head of officiating, "Well, I mean, it happened because we as a group, as a crew, failed to record. . . .  Everybody on the field basically forgot to record the penalty—I mean the timeout."

The NFL has decided to implement a rule change due to this error, "When a team uses all their timeouts we now—the referee has to go over and tell the head coach."

While this seems like a logical solution, the officials did not even realize they gave the Browns an additional timeout until they were confronted a few days later. Even the official NFL Game Summary did not include the timeout called with 1:55 seconds left on the clock.

I can understand one official mistakenly forgetting to record the third timeout; but, I cannot understand an entire crew’s, nine officials, failure to realize the Browns had used all of their timeouts.

I do not believe that the officials are the only individuals that should be held responsible, as Eric Mangini called the play, and Brady Quinn executed it. However, if the officials could just count to three, Josh Cribbs never would have had a chance to run that play, and never would have faced sustaining a serious neck injury. Lucky for everyone involved, Josh seems to be okay, and has no serious injuries.