Ravens vs Titans: Officials Were Correct In Not Calling A Safety

With 2:44 left in the 3rd Quarter and down 14-7, the Titans attempt to start their drive from the 9 yard line. They hope to drive 91 yards and tie up the game. On the first play of the drive, the QB, Mettenberger is sacked by Suggs in what appears to be a Safety. However, the officials did not signal Safety and placed the ball on the half yard line.

Here is what the NFL rulebook classifies as a Safety:

Safety

The important factor in a safety is impetus. Two points are scored for the opposing team when the ball is dead on or behind a team’s own goal line if the impetus came from a player on that team. 

Example of a Safety

(a) Blocked punt goes out of kicking team’s end zone. Impetus was provided by punting team. The block only changes direction of ball, not impetus.

(b) Ball carrier retreats from field of play into his own end zone and is downed. Ball carrier provides impetus.

(c) Offensive team commits a foul and spot of enforcement is behind its own goal line.

(d) Player on receiving team muffs punt and, trying to get ball, forces or illegally kicks (creating new impetus) it into end zone where it goes out of the end zone or is recovered by a member of the receiving team in the end zone.

Mettenberger was driven into the end zone by Suggs. He did not retreat into the end zone. Mettenberger was moving backwards towards the end zone, but was tackled outside of the end zone and his momentum carried him in.

The officials were correct in their spot of the ball.