Taking a knee WAS done at that time (and for as long as I can remember) and the Giants chose to run a play instead.
I believe the story goes that they had in fact taken a knee on the play before and a defensive player hit Joe Pisser. The Giants didn't want to see him get hit again, so they called a hand off to Csonka.
Teams used to routinely run it to run out the clock.
Sorry, but if teams used to run the ball instead of "taking a knee" to run out the clock when the game was in hand, then there wouldn't have been such an uproar about "the fumble". In fact I remember at the time everyone being incredulous that the Giants had the game won because all they had to do was take a knee.
The NFL likely changed the rule so that the defense couldn't hit a QB for taking a knee at the end of the game...and the play was then named victory formation. But taking a knee is some form was around a lot earlier.
I probably wasn't clear. I am not saying teams never took a knee prior to that, but as I remember it you also saw teams routinely running the ball to kill the last moment. After the fumble it because the norm to always take a knee. That play probably made a harsh impression on every coach and OC in the league.
taking a knee was common enough, but after the Fumble the victory formation with players in the backfield specifically looking to recover a fumble became a thing. Prior to that, it was basically a QB sneak where the QB would give himself up immediately.
And the more I think about it I think you hit on a large part of it. At some point they stopped allowing defenders to hit the QB on that play. The reason team would still often run the ball is because the QB's used to take some real shots when being "downed" when taking a knee. Handing it off to a sure handed rb avoided that. Remember how the players would huddle around trying to protect the QB when taking a knee?
Teams used to run the ball up the middle as much as just take a knee Â
before the fumble. It really wasn't considered an issue either way. After the fumble teams only starting going to the victory formation at the end of games. Also, even before the fumble teams have the QB just fall, they didn't have a player 15 yards deep "just in case". After the fumble they did, which has now evolved it the Victory formation with additional players surrounding the QB.
I believe the story goes that they had in fact taken a knee on the play before and a defensive player hit Joe Pisser. The Giants didn't want to see him get hit again, so they called a hand off to Csonka.
Lonk - ( New Window )
Sorry, but if teams used to run the ball instead of "taking a knee" to run out the clock when the game was in hand, then there wouldn't have been such an uproar about "the fumble". In fact I remember at the time everyone being incredulous that the Giants had the game won because all they had to do was take a knee.
The NFL likely changed the rule so that the defense couldn't hit a QB for taking a knee at the end of the game...and the play was then named victory formation. But taking a knee is some form was around a lot earlier.
So The Fumble changed a lot.