Monday Practice Update

[Minawreck]

I'm not debating whether the call on the field was correct, it looked clear cut. I'm debating the logic of the rule. Just bring the ball back to the spot where it's fumbled. Isn't that the rule other places on the field anyway? you can't fumble the ball forward and get yards to where it went out of bounds - otherwise people would just "fumble" the ball out of bounds every play to get an extra yard or two. It comes back to where you fumbled if it goes out of bounds.

I think it's pretty silly as well. Just one of those odd things, kinda like in baseball where if you throw your glove at a batted ball and it makes contact it's automatically 3 bases for the batter.

It's slightly more defensible for fumbles that go out the back of the endzone, since the defense is out of room to try to grab it.

 

[Animal02]

I'm not debating whether the call on the field was correct, it looked clear cut. I'm debating the logic of the rule. Just bring the ball back to the spot where it's fumbled. Isn't that the rule other places on the field anyway? you can't fumble the ball forward and get yards to where it went out of bounds - otherwise people would just "fumble" the ball out of bounds every play to get an extra yard or two. It comes back to where you fumbled if it goes out of bounds.

There is a good "explanation" here by an official.......regarding the "logic" and the idea of "force"
https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091018074045AAYVBCa

 

[Oldgoldandwhite]

Most rules are in place because of some incident that gave the other team the advantage. Hence the "Ken Stabler" rule several decades ago.

 

[AE 87]

I'm not debating whether the call on the field was correct, it looked clear cut. I'm debating the logic of the rule. Just bring the ball back to the spot where it's fumbled. Isn't that the rule other places on the field anyway? you can't fumble the ball forward and get yards to where it went out of bounds - otherwise people would just "fumble" the ball out of bounds every play to get an extra yard or two. It comes back to where you fumbled if it goes out of bounds.

I think the basic logic stems from thinking of the endzone as also outside of the field of play. When the ball crosses the touch line it has left the field of play and so must be accounted for differently, either a touchdown, safety, or touchback, unless legally brought back into the field of play by a player.

 

[GT Man]

I'm not debating whether the call on the field was correct, it looked clear cut. I'm debating the logic of the rule. Just bring the ball back to the spot where it's fumbled. Isn't that the rule other places on the field anyway? you can't fumble the ball forward and get yards to where it went out of bounds - otherwise people would just "fumble" the ball out of bounds every play to get an extra yard or two. It comes back to where you fumbled if it goes out of bounds.

interesting point. the nice thing about the shape of a football, however, is that you can't really predict what it does when it hits the ground. Probably prevents players from dropping it intentionally.

 

[DTGT]

I think the basic logic stems from thinking of the endzone as also outside of the field of play. When the ball crosses the touch line it has left the field of play and so must be accounted for differently, either a touchdown, safety, or touchback, unless legally brought back into the field of play by a player.

The rulebook changes so often and has so many if-thens that it is a wonder that they don't have a copy on the sidelines for the refs to reference during these unusual situations...

 

[johncu]

Come on dude you're really think that CPJ calls the defensive plays in games. If that is the case, the corners would already be jamming the receivers on the line. During his interview he should have stated "I should bring the receivers up on the line" not what he would like to see. Also please don't compare a fake punk to bringing corners up to Jam receivers.

I think you guys might be misunderstanding each other.

Obviously Roof calls the plays and has made the decision that the DB's should play really far off the WR's. I think what declinometer is saying is that ultimately it is the HC's call. If he wants the DB's to press, then Roof will receive that order and the DB's will press. He stated last week that he wanted more aggressiveness, and voila, we turned up the heat on defense.

 

[Eastman]

I'm not debating whether the call on the field was correct, it looked clear cut. I'm debating the logic of the rule. Just bring the ball back to the spot where it's fumbled. Isn't that the rule other places on the field anyway? you can't fumble the ball forward and get yards to where it went out of bounds - otherwise people would just "fumble" the ball out of bounds every play to get an extra yard or two. It comes back to where you fumbled if it goes out of bounds.

As I understand it the logic goes like this. If the offense fumbles the ball forward out of bounds it is brought back to keep them from using fumbling out of bounds as a strategy to gain yards. Should the defense recover a fumble, it is placed where the recovery occurred (unless the defensive player was legally able to advance the ball). Therefore it is not the rule that you "just bring the ball back to the spot where it is fumbled".

In this case, the ball was fumbled through the endzone which is a special case. If Pittsburg had fumbled out of bounds at the 1 yard line they would still maintain possession of the ball. The rule that the defense takes possession is to prevent the offense from purposefully fumbling forward into the endzone in hopes of making a touchdown. In the NFL this is associated with Dave Casper of the Oakland Raiders who apparently batted a fumble forward into the endzone and recovered it for a touchdown, winning the game. Since the offensive player's intention for the fumble, if there is one, cannot be determined by the refs, a rule was made to prevent it being used as a tactic. As to exactly why the 20 yard line is selected, my conjecture is that to place the ball at the point of fumble was thought to be less of a deterrent.

 

[Leonard Larramore]

I think you guys might be misunderstanding each other.

Obviously Roof calls the plays and has made the decision that the DB's should play really far off the WR's. I think what declinometer is saying is that ultimately it is the HC's call. If he wants the DB's to press, then Roof will receive that order and the DB's will press. He stated last week that he wanted more aggressiveness, and voila, we turned up the heat on defense.

Big John

Thanks for your input. I agree with your statement on who ultimately has the final word but what I am pointing out is that the responsibility initially falls on the DC. Not dogging either coach just in agreeing that we need to press.

Again Thx

 

[bcaff]

When the United Football League started, they had a few different rules, including " If the ball is fumbled forward into and out of the end zone, it is placed back at the spot of the fumble, whereas in the NFL this play is ruled a touchback and possession goes over to the defending team."