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514 Questions

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 over 7 years ago

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

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Asked by Thunder23 over 8 years ago

Line can go down one yard. Beyond that is illegal. A pass behind the line is, I believe, the same - no more than one yard.

550 Votes

Runner fumbles but ref blows whistle saying down before fumble. Should play stop? If after whistle defender recovers, and review shows was a fumble, why is def team given the ball? It rewards continued play after whistle.

Asked by bridgbum over 8 years ago

Caveat: i have not worked games using replay. Rule 12,Art. 3: I replay has indisputable evidence of a fumble, "it belongs to the recovering team at the spot of recovery. " Without replay, the down is replayed.

550 Votes

Why in the Lions Green bay game was the Packers awarded the ball on a kickoff that didn't go out of bounds but the player did and was out of bounds when he recovered the ball on the 2 yard line . The Lions were given a 15 yard penalty.

Asked by Robert lozon over 8 years ago

I answered this one above but.....

If the ball touches anything that's out of bounds, the ball is out of bounds. Therefore if the player is out of bounds - or straddling the line - then the ball is a kick out of bounds and a foul against the kicking team.

549 Votes

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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 over 7 years ago

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

549 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 over 8 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,

548 Votes

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

Asked by kevin over 8 years ago

Very good question. When he runs, he is a runner and can be hit - legally- like any other ball carrier. But if he stops to kick, he's a kicker and is subject to those protections. The referee (white hat) has responsibility for the kicker. He has to make the judgement of when the punter stops being a runner and becomes a kicker.

546 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.

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Runner fumbles but ref blows whistle saying down before fumble. Should play stop? If after whistle defender recovers, and review shows was a fumble, why is def team given the ball? It rewards continued play after whistle.

Why in the Lions Green bay game was the Packers awarded the ball on a kickoff that didn't go out of bounds but the player did and was out of bounds when he recovered the ball on the 2 yard line . The Lions were given a 15 yard penalty.

Also on Jobstr...

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?

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?

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

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.

If I ran a slip screen in the NFL, can the O-Line go downfield before a forward pass is caught, if it is caught behind the LOS? Or does the pass have to be backwards?

Runner fumbles but ref blows whistle saying down before fumble. Should play stop? If after whistle defender recovers, and review shows was a fumble, why is def team given the ball? It rewards continued play after whistle.

Why in the Lions Green bay game was the Packers awarded the ball on a kickoff that didn't go out of bounds but the player did and was out of bounds when he recovered the ball on the 2 yard line . The Lions were given a 15 yard penalty.

Also on Jobstr...

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?

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?

When is a punter no longer protected. If an Australian style punter runs outside the hash marks before kicking the ball, can he be hit even if he punts.

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