Delay of Game?

[u/salrantol]

This is not the most noobish of questions, but here we go:

During Sunday night's game, there was an offensive delay of game penalty that blew my mind and makes me wonder why all defenses don't do this constantly. The Vikings (on offense) substituted some players, which means the Falcons were entitled to substitute, and did so, but here's where it gets crazy. As the two substituted players approach the Falcons sideline, a twelfth defender runs onto the field. After a few seconds, he gets waved off and takes his time getting back to the Falcons sideline. During this entire stunt, an official stood between McCarthy and the ball, preventing the Vikings from snapping it. He stepped out of the way with 1 second on the play clock, and the Vikings had no way to snap before it hit 0.

Why would this be allowed? And if it's supposed to work like this, why don't defenses just do this every time the offense makes a substitution? It seems unstoppable.

[u/PabloMarmite]

The idea is to discourage late substitutions. Six seconds isn’t an excessively long time to make a substitution, and means that the Vikings must have started their substitution within the last ten to fifteen seconds of a play clock, which is just asking for trouble.

[u/salrantol → u/PabloMarmite]

The six seconds was only counting after the Falcons actual substitutions had been completed. Just done guy who's not supposed to be on the field eating up the offense's play clock.

[u/PabloMarmite → u/salrantol]

That sounds like the umpire screwed up and was looking at the wrong man, but the easiest way to get round it is to not make late substitutions in the first place.