Bradley Handwerger / WWLTV.com Sports Reporter
bhandwerger@wwltv.com
METAIRIE, La. – Saints defensive back Patrick Robinson wasn’t exactly delaying the game when his second-quarter, fourth-down penalty kept a Tampa Bay drive alive in New Orleans’ 27-16 win.
But he was responsible for an action that is against the rules, if not a poorly named one.
Saints coach Sean Payton said it’s a rule that has been on the books for only a few years.
“It used to be defensively, you guys might remember, defensive players would try to move to draw a lineman offsides,” Payton said. “It happened a lot in the kicking game ten years ago when teams lined up to punt or kick field goals where periodically a defensive lineman would line up to try to jump.”
Robinson - lined up against the Buccaneers gunner - flinched, trying to draw the player offside.
Instead, the Bucs retained possession, eventually moving to the Saints’ 42 before being forced to punt.
“The call is a little unique in that it’s called a delay of game, but that’s the penalty,” Payton said. “You’re not allowed defensively to try to do that.”
