Media tape: clock on penalties, spot on slide, tangled feet PI

The latest media tape by Dean Blandino has been posted by the NFL, which we will use as the weekly training tape on unusual calls. The vice president of officiating discussed these calls:

• The clock remains stopped on penalties inside 2:00 of the first half and 5:00 of the second half. This was key in the clock management for the Cowboys in their loss to the Lions (Bill Vinovich crew).
• A reminder that the defense gets the opportunity to decline a runoff, then the offense gets the chance to counter the runoff with a timeout, if they have one.
• A feet-first slide, with the example of Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith against Browns, is ruled dead when any part of the player’s body other than his hand (up to the wrist) or foot (up to the ankle) touches the ground. There does not need to be contact by the defender. (LJ 107 Ron Marinucci was on the play, and the spot was refined in replay.)
• The ruling of pass interference when feet are tangled depends on the player who is not playing the ball. If both or neither player is turned to the ball, then there is no foul. If one of the players is not looking back, then that player is guilty of pass interference. Jim Quirk (BJ 63) and Jimmy DeBell (SJ 58) were responsible for the play in question from the Cowboys-Lions game. There should have been a flag for defensive pass interference on the Lions.
• A review of an incomplete pass that rolled out of bounds was reversed to a fumble in the Seahawks-Rams game. Since it was now a forward fumble out of bounds, the ball reverts to the spot of the fumble. This is eligible for review, and Gene Steratore correctly ruled on this play.