Did the Chargers Cheat to Draw the Steelers Offsides Three Straight Times?

Like the rest of the country, I watched Pittsburgh hand San Diego LA three shots at a game winning field goal and said “Same old Steelers, different season.” I chalked it up to yet another undisciplined, Mike Tomlin-coached team with no situational awareness to go with their kickass on-field celebrations and social media games. Typical of that franchise.

Until this. And a bunch of reports like it. That the Charger’s long snapper illegally spins the ball and flinches his elbows to fake the snap and draw defenders offsides:

And at least one NFL player says he’s been doing it for a long time and the officials let him get away with it:

So “he’s been doing it his whole career?” Like long snappers are allowed a “signature move,” in the way Allen Iverson always got to turn the ball over and Shaquille O’Neal got to drag his pivot foot? Who knew? I thought long snappers were all easily replaceable clone troopers nobody pays attention to. I had no idea the league is concerned about not denying the fans the joys of watching a long snapper twitch with the ball because that’s this “thing.” I stand corrected.

Anyway, if I’m a Steelers fan (and by the grace of God I am not), I’m not hanging my hat on this. Even if it is true and that the league has been letting Mike Wendt get away with murder because his chicanery with the ball prior to the snap is the flourish he brings to the game, that’s on your team. They have a special teams coach. A staff. Interns who break down film. Plus the testimony of guys like Joe Schobert of the Browns. Presumably Tomlin’s club was aware of this. Or certainly should have been. You’ve got to be prepared for it and not get suckered offsides. Three. Fucking. Times. With a game on the line.

The Chargers probably are getting away with cheating on this one. But if the league allows it, that’s not on them. If anything I admire the ability of the most insignificant position in all of pro sports (don’t @ me, prove me wrong) being able to make a supposedly contending team collectively piss their pants right under the officials noses. If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.