Philip Rivers would like to see the league tweak it's rule regarding where the umpire lines up during play.
Peyton Manning expressed his anger over two penalties that the Indianapolis Colts incurred when they snapped the ball before the Umpire was set during their preseason game vs. the Green Bay Packers on Thursday.
San Diego Chargers’ quarterback Phillip Rivers and head coach Norv Turner understand his displeasure.
“It’s a problem,” Rivers said. “We’re down 11 with five minutes to go and we have to wait and look for people to snap? It’s an issue.”
Rivers and Turner mentioned the Chargers’ 22-21 win over Kansas City in 2008, when they scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes to overcome an 11-point deficit.
“It is a concern of everyone in the league,” Turner said. “… I’m not sure that you are able to go as fast as you would like to and come back from that deficit.”
In an effort to protect the Umpires, the league changed where the umpire lines up. Where he used to be five yards from the line of scrimmage on the defensive side of the ball, the umpire is now 12 yards in the offensive backfield.
The change comes due to growing concerns over the umpires being run into during the course of play.
Since the umpire is the one who places the ball, teams that use the hurry-up offense often, or are trying to make a late-game comeback would have to wait for the umpire to signal that he is set.
Not until the two-minute warning do umpires go back to their original spots among the defense.
A league source has stated that the league is working to tweak the rule, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
“I’m glad to hear that they are talking about it,” Turner said. “And I’m sure they will tweak it where you are able to get the ball snapped as quickly as you would like.”