BS penalty. Int. grounding on Jameis.

Logic says to be a penalty the quarterback must be under duress whether the clock was moving or not. There is zero advantage to the offensive team in doing what Winston did when the clock is stopped and the team is losing. (Even if the team was winning you would prefer to kneel and spiking the ball still would be counterproductive.)

It the rule says the quarterback does not have to be under duress then Winston should know the rule. It's his job. The NFL needs to change that rule in the offseason because the rule is bad.

I assume there were three errors by Winston / the coaching staff in this series: he spiked the ball on a stopped clock on first down, he may have thought it was second down at the beginning of third down not realizing the penalty also contained a loss of down, and on third down even if he knew it was third down there was 30 seconds left on the game clock and he should have had an end zone or out of bounds play to get the first down ready rather than a spike the ball play.

If Atlanta had made the field goal at the end, these events would be the most talked about plays of the game as the Saints had a certain chance at a walk off and win or miss and lose field goal and created a make a field goal and still lose scenario when it was easily avoidable.

Hopefully Dennis Allen will coach this up this week. Pete Carmichael will take some heat for not being in Winston's ear to prevent it and we can never be at risk for this nonsense ever again.
It reminds me of Tom Brady not knowing what down it was against the Bears last year. It happens, but it shouldn't.