Zebra
Somewhere in, NJ
Male, 62
I've officiated football for over 30 years, now in my 26th on the college level. I've worked NCAA playoffs at the Division II and III level. In addition, I've coached at the scholastic level and have been an educator for over 35 years. I have no interest whatsoever in being an NFL official! Ever!
The three deep officials (defenseive secondary area) are the side judge, back judge (in the middle) and the field judge. Most of the time we like to play with only 11 players on each side -- so we count. And the three deep guys are counting the defense. That thumbs up you see says they each have eleven. If somebody doesn't have eleven, there's no thumbs up. The back judge will hold two hands out signaling each sideline.
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There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with this. Not much different than the times when a punter takes a snap and runs around in the endzone (I think this was in last yeat's Super Bowl) to kill time before running out of bounds. Defensive teams have allowed offenses to score in order to get the ball back quickly. It isn't a "mockery" of te game, it's a strategy. As long as the ball carrier isn't taunting (e.g. waving it in the face of the opponent) it seems to be a legal and a smart move.
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From what you stated, "had the ball knocked or of his hands", that is a fumble. We are taking the position that he had possession, so there is no muff. A fumble by the offensive team that is recovered by the offense in the end zone, and the recovering player (Lacy) remains on the ground in the end zone, results in a safety. Even it was a muff, if the offense put the ball into the end zone and it remains there in their possession, it is a safety.
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If it is ruled a forward pass (unlike the Patriots' play in the playoffs), it's an incomplete pass. On the other hand, if it is ruled a fumble -- as it was against the Pats -- then you have a safety. If anyone legally throws a forward pass - a punter, kick holder, a halfback - and it's incomplete, then it's, well, incomplete. The fact that it rolled out of the endzone is irrelevent.
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That is not a college or high school rule ad I'm not certain of the NFL rule. And I really can't respond to the philosophy that the NFL Competition Committee uses in creating rules.
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That's an illegal kick by the defensive lineman. College rules call for a ten yard penalty against the offending team - in this case the defense. So, no TD and, after accepting the penalty, it's still the offense's ball.
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Regardless of level, offensive pass interference (OPI) rules begin at the snap. So what you describe, technically, is OPI and illegal. I went to bed early so I didn't see all of the game. Is there contact downfield on many, if not all, plays? Yes. Is it always called? No. Depending on the situation, contact initiated by the receiver might be ignored if the QB was looking the other way the whole time and the play (pass) was thrown away from the contact. Same goes for defensive pass interference. But technically, contact initiated by the offensive player is interference.
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