The National Football League warned Cincinnati Coach Sam Wyche it would hit his Bengals with unsportsmanlike conduct penalties for continued quick-snap plays in Sunday's AFC Championship Game at Riverfront Stadium.
Officials of the league met with Wyche Saturday afternoon to warn him against continued use of the controversial ploy, primarily designed to prevent defensive substitutions on passing downs."We had to do something to keep these teams from making a sham of the championship game," said a ranking NFL official, who asked that his name not be used.
The Bengals and Seahawks created a stir over the quick snaps in their playoff match last week when Seattle Coach Chuck Knox countered the no-huddle plays with a series of dubious third-down "injuries" by Seattle nose tackles Joe Nash and Ken Clarke.