Kickers getting double takes

To boot or reboot, that is the question.

Some NFL kickers are getting second chances on field goals this season, whether they want them or not.

It happened again Monday night at the finish of the Buffalo Bills-Dallas Cowboys game. Buffalo Coach Dick Jauron called a timeout just before Dallas rookie Nick Folk made a 53-yard field goal as time expired.

So Folk was forced to do it all over again -- and did, securing a 25-24 Cowboys’ victory.

It was the third such situation in this NFL season, the first two involving the Oakland Raiders.

In Week 2 of the season, the Raiders thought they had beaten Denver with a 52-yard field goal in overtime, only to watch officials wipe out the kick because Broncos Coach Mike Shanahan had called timeout just before the snap. The Raiders’ re-do caromed off the upright, and Denver wound up winning the game.

A week later, the Raiders tried the same ploy.

As Cleveland’s kicker lined up for the potential game-winning kick, first-year Oakland Coach Lane Kiffin informed officials he wanted to take a timeout just before the snap. Sure enough, Cleveland made the kick but it didn’t count. The second try was blocked, and the Raiders were victorious.

“The rookie coach learned something from the veteran,” Raiders receiver Ronald Curry said afterward.

The timeout trickery -- which also happened in Auburn’s upset of fourth-ranked Florida last month -- has people wondering whether the NFL will change its rules governing how close to the snap an opposing team can call a timeout.

Before 2004, only players on the field could request a timeout. Then the NFL changed that rule, allowing head coaches to call timeouts, but only once eye contact was made with an official. A verbal from a head coach without eye contact does not count.

Although it’s likely the NFL’s competition committee will revisit the rule and consider possible changes, it’s unclear if there would be enough team votes to make a change.

The league’s position is the rule appears to be working just fine. Mike Pereira, supervisor of officials, said it’s all part of coaching strategy and has just as much of a downside as upside.

“I’ve had some coaches say, ‘The last thing I want to do is give the guy a practice shot,’ ” he said. “Is it unfair? I don’t think it is. Is it risky? I do think it is.”

After all, an opposing coach would regret calling a quick timeout if the first kick missed.

Former NFL kicker Michael Husted said that while he doesn’t consider the timeouts “in the spirit of the game,” they can help a kicker in many cases.

“More often than not, you’re going to see a guy make that second kick as opposed to missing one,” he said.

“Any time you have a chance to do something a second time -- whether it’s a kick, a free throw or a putt -- if you did something wrong the first time, you can get it corrected the second time around.”

sam.farmer@latimes.com