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Last Answer on January 23, 2021

In the Detroit game yesterday there was a dispute whether Stafford fumbled or was attempting a pass and upon challenge they ruled it a fumble. But even if it was a pass, the ball was clearly thrown backwards. why wasn't it a loose ball regardless.

Asked by Lane Potkin about 8 years ago

Didn't see this nor hear anything about it. You're saying it was "clearly back"; maybe not.

Are players required to stop play when an official blows their whistle? Is there an exception in the rule book for when the ball is loose on the field and whistles are blowing? Why reward (on review) a fumble recovery after whistles are blowing?

Asked by bridgbum almost 9 years ago

When the whistle blows, the play/action stops. If the ball is loose, as in your example, and an official blows the whistle - likely "inadvertently - then the play/action still stops. There are rules that cover those situations, including a loose ball.

679 Votes

So how does that rule change when a Quarterback falls backwards when stepped on by his own lineman? They mark where he falls not where he started to fall when stepped on. Technically no forward momentum.

Asked by Brian Jarrell123 about 9 years ago

The rule doesn't change. Forward progress is....well, forward progress. If the QB pulls out from under center and gets stepped on and falls, the ball is marked where progress ended. Now, since he "retreated" from the center and went down, that's where he's down. It's like when a receiver catches a ball in advance of the line to gain but circles back hoping to get a lane to run in. If he is tackled behind where he caught the ball, that is where it's marked. He had progress but he gave it up of his own accord; he went back on his own.

678 Votes

In the Packers game, Nelson caught a pass and it was reviewed. It was not a 1st down due to a defensive penalty, but Pererra said it was not a 1st down based on the catch because the spot Is where first contact is made. Why not forward progress?

Asked by Tracy about 9 years ago

I saw the play, heard Pereira. Wasn't quite sure what he meant. It can't be forward progress - which I think was still short - because Jordan on his own went backwards. Had he been hit and pushed back by the defender, then you have forward progress,

678 Votes

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10/1/16 Lou vs Clem ques you replied: A def hold is only an auto 1st down if it's against eligible receiver. If not, then like any other penalty, the down is repeated after 10 yard mark off. So, result of play + 10 yards + repeat of down? Thx

Asked by Gorilla about 9 years ago

No. If you accept the DH, then you go from the enforcement spot (previous spot ), Mark off 10vyards, repeat down.

674 Votes

To what extent is a tackler responsible for knowing whether the ballcarrier is in-bounds or OB? Assume late whistles:
A: Ballcarrier steps on sideline and is immediately tackled.
B: Ballcarrier is two steps OB and is tackled.
C. All cases in-between

Asked by Bridgbum almost 9 years ago

That's a good question. Simply put, the tackler is responsible - period. And don't assume any whistle; as is often said, the play kills itself, not the whistle. For example, if a player is down and there's no immediate whistle, and the player gets hit, it's a foul, whistle or not.

Back to out of bounds: in your example A, you can envision the tackler right there as the runner hits OOB. You probably don't flag that because it's happening so quickly at the sideline. In B, you have a foul; that's pretty obvious. Cases in between? There really isn't an in-between. If the runner steps out, he's out and can't be hit. If the contact begins while the runner is in bounds, then it's not a foul unless there is unnecessary continuing contact out of bounds.

672 Votes

Ky high school football- isn't it an unnecessary roughness penalty if the defender picks up the offensive ball carrier and slams him to the ground?

Asked by Bill about 8 years ago

What you describe is certainly not a "tackle". Wgat you describe is unnecessary. That's a foul.

670 Votes

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Football Official

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In the Detroit game yesterday there was a dispute whether Stafford fumbled or was attempting a pass and upon challenge they ruled it a fumble. But even if it was a pass, the ball was clearly thrown backwards. why wasn't it a loose ball regardless.

Are players required to stop play when an official blows their whistle? Is there an exception in the rule book for when the ball is loose on the field and whistles are blowing? Why reward (on review) a fumble recovery after whistles are blowing?

So how does that rule change when a Quarterback falls backwards when stepped on by his own lineman? They mark where he falls not where he started to fall when stepped on. Technically no forward momentum.

In the Packers game, Nelson caught a pass and it was reviewed. It was not a 1st down due to a defensive penalty, but Pererra said it was not a 1st down based on the catch because the spot Is where first contact is made. Why not forward progress?

Also on Jobstr...

10/1/16 Lou vs Clem ques you replied: A def hold is only an auto 1st down if it's against eligible receiver. If not, then like any other penalty, the down is repeated after 10 yard mark off. So, result of play + 10 yards + repeat of down? Thx

To what extent is a tackler responsible for knowing whether the ballcarrier is in-bounds or OB? Assume late whistles:
A: Ballcarrier steps on sideline and is immediately tackled.
B: Ballcarrier is two steps OB and is tackled.
C. All cases in-between

Ky high school football- isn't it an unnecessary roughness penalty if the defender picks up the offensive ball carrier and slams him to the ground?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

In the Detroit game yesterday there was a dispute whether Stafford fumbled or was attempting a pass and upon challenge they ruled it a fumble. But even if it was a pass, the ball was clearly thrown backwards. why wasn't it a loose ball regardless.

Are players required to stop play when an official blows their whistle? Is there an exception in the rule book for when the ball is loose on the field and whistles are blowing? Why reward (on review) a fumble recovery after whistles are blowing?

So how does that rule change when a Quarterback falls backwards when stepped on by his own lineman? They mark where he falls not where he started to fall when stepped on. Technically no forward momentum.

In the Packers game, Nelson caught a pass and it was reviewed. It was not a 1st down due to a defensive penalty, but Pererra said it was not a 1st down based on the catch because the spot Is where first contact is made. Why not forward progress?

Also on Jobstr...

10/1/16 Lou vs Clem ques you replied: A def hold is only an auto 1st down if it's against eligible receiver. If not, then like any other penalty, the down is repeated after 10 yard mark off. So, result of play + 10 yards + repeat of down? Thx

To what extent is a tackler responsible for knowing whether the ballcarrier is in-bounds or OB? Assume late whistles:A: Ballcarrier steps on sideline and is immediately tackled.B: Ballcarrier is two steps OB and is tackled.C. All cases in-between

Ky high school football- isn't it an unnecessary roughness penalty if the defender picks up the offensive ball carrier and slams him to the ground?

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To what extent is a tackler responsible for knowing whether the ballcarrier is in-bounds or OB? Assume late whistles:
A: Ballcarrier steps on sideline and is immediately tackled.
B: Ballcarrier is two steps OB and is tackled.
C. All cases in-between