Did the NFL experience a clock malfunction for the second consecutive Monday Night Football game? That was a fair question to ask moments ago as halftime approached at Lincoln Financial Field.

As ESPN announcer Mike Tirico noted, the game clock did not start in conjunction with a Philadelphia Eagles offensive play on third-and-1 from the New York Giants' 32-yard line -- as it should have after referee Carl Cheffers waved off a defensive holding penalty.

Instead, the game clock stayed at 33 seconds until five seconds had run off the play clock. But a review of the previous play suggests the clock operator, who is by rule a league employee, might have fallen behind on several corrections during the Eagles' hurry-up offense.

On the previous play, a second-and-five with 41 seconds remaining, the game clock didn't start until five seconds had rolled off the play clock as well. The clock continued running after the whistle until there was 31 seconds left.

Cheffers stopped the clock to announce the penalty. After waving it off, and before blowing the whistle to start the clock, he announced it should be reset to 40 seconds.

The clock operator restored the clock to 33 seconds and then waited five seconds to start.

Confused yet?

I've reached out to the NFL for clarification and will update this post if and when I hear back. The issue didn't materially affect the game; the Eagles kicked a field goal with five seconds remaining in the half. But it is still worth noting given last week's unusual loss of 18 seconds, which the NFL blamed on a clock operator error, during the Monday Night Football game at Qualcomm Stadium.