Two minute drill: Why do we hurry?

[NickelDeuce]

At the higher level, especially the NFL, those guys have to speed up. The justification is: That it will be done for both teams after the two minute warning. If the offense wants to speed up then so will the officials. I don't believe you're giving one team an advantage over the other. You're going to do it for both sides.

Let's say you're in the NFC championship game and the offense is down by two points. They throw a pass over the middle that gets them in to field goal range. Clock is running. The officiating crew just meanders around not hurrying up, finally sets the ball down and the clock runs out. You just cost a team a chance at the super bowl and millions of dollar. If they would've been hustling they could've gotten the ball down and the offense could've spiked to stop the clock. You would have done the same for either side.

I'm a big proponent of hurrying up under three minutes of NCAA or NFHS games if the offense wants to. There's no harm because you'll do it for both sides. Plus, more plays makes for more exciting football.

[Sonofanump]

In the two minute, don't throw the ball, the umpire should be going sideline to sideline, this prevents the dreaded ball on the ground. The extra second or two to get the ball prevents the delay going after a loose ball.

[cmathews]

We "speed up" as was said above because the offense speeds up. Normally, taking our time is not an issue because the offense will likely take 20 seconds to get the ball snapped anyway. In the event that they are trying to get a couple more snaps, it isn't unfair for us to make every thing we do a step quicker, and most of all more efficient....

[JugglingReferee]

That's what is great about the Canadian rules. We don't have to worry about precious seconds coming off the clock in the last 3 minutes of each half. The timing rules are such that the officials do not play a part in a end-game strategies. We get the ball in play at the same pace we do throughout the game.

[marky79]

We try to be efficient during the entire game and we do our best to keep the same pace throughout, The officiating crew just meanders around not hurrying up, finally sets the ball down and the clock runs out, In the event that they are trying to get a couple more snaps