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Can someone explain why spiking the ball to kill the clock isn't intentional grounding that would lead to a penalty? I heard some reference to this yesterday, but no one explained why it wouldn't be. After all, the quarterback is still in the pocket and is clearly trying to ground the ball.

Quarterbacks are allowed to spike the ball and waste a down, saving a little time from the old practice of taking the sanp and throwing it at the sideline. It's part of the "protecting the quarterback" mantra.

Where Coughlin and ESPN were talking about grounding on the play is that Couch appeared to double-clutch the spike, drop back a few steps and then spiked the ball. Quarterbacks are allowed to fake a spike but they must then follow through with a play. If I had reffed yesterday's game, I would have penalized Couch for intentional grounding. Of course, the review and reversal made the point moot so we'll have to see if the situation ever arises again.

Personally, I think the refs were going to review the play, they needed to blow the whistle BEFORE the snap. After all, they set the ball back into play. Cleveland has a legitimate beef and they should have been allowed to continue.

Spiking it is an incomplete pass, although intentional. Grounding is defined as throwing the ball incomplete in order to avoid a sack. It's a fine line, and I don't think there should be any grounding or spiking involved, but that's the way it is.