Why nobody wants to see the safety for Rhein Fire

Was war happening? With the score at 14:6 for Rhein Fire, the defending champions were again on their way towards the Vikings’ end zone. However, Cole Coleman managed to intercept a pass in this very case. The Vikings defender also carried the intercepted ball back a long way, and Vienna also seemed to have possession of the ball and thus a chance to equalize.

But things turned out differently. Behind Coleman, Nikolaus Huszar didn’t even notice the interception. He was focused on his opponent Harlan Kwofie, for whom the pass was actually intended. And so Huszar brought Kwofie to the ground – assuming that he had caught the ball. The referee judged this to be a foul, a holding. And since this happened in the end zone, it meant safety, two points and possession for Rhein Fire.

A decision for which there are good arguments in the regulations. Because Coleman’s interception had changed the possession of the ball. And Huszar had of course grabbed Kwofie. If that happens from the team in possession of the ball in the end zone, it is a safety. But is it right to punish Vienna’s defensive back here, who has no intention of holding but wants to make a tackle? That is at least debatable.

And that’s exactly what Vienna’s head coach Chris Calaycay did, and even discussed it with the referees. “Holding calls were actually abolished this season for things that have nothing to do with the play,” Calaycay said after the game. He “didn’t agree with the referee’s explanation, but one play doesn’t change the entire course of the game.”

Ultimately, it is a decision that is theoretically acceptable, but that no one will actually see in practice. And that rarely happens, because it is a very special case.

It was a blow for the Vikings. Instead of going for the equalizer themselves, Rhein Fire got two points and the ball back, as mentioned above, which led to the next touchdown. Vienna never recovered from the 6:23 deficit – quite the opposite.