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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

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 over 8 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.

602 Votes

So if a kickoff is kept in bounds but the player who received it is our of bound when touched is that a penalty on the kick off team??

Asked by Dylan almost 9 years ago

Indeed it is. If the ball touches out of bounds - or anything or anybody who is out of bounds- it is out of bounds. I've actually recently heard of a coach who teaches his receivers to straddle the line (one for out) and catch the ball; that's a kick out of bounds and a foul on the kicking team..

601 Votes

In nfl when a team punts the ball and time runs out while the ball is in the air what options do the receiving team have. Rule section.

Asked by Mikary52nh almost 9 years ago

As far as i understand, it's the same as any other play when time runs out. You continue play until the whistle. The ball is alive and in play until the play ends.

600 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.

600 Votes

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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 almost 9 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.

599 Votes

A QB fumbles on a pitch to a rb on the 30yd line in an attempt to march down the field for a 70yd drive, the obvious chaos to recover the ball by D & O occurs; can a D player hit or kick the ball while trying to pick it up, causing the ball to roll towards the endzone, then recover it for a defensive touchdown??? Does this fall under the illegal batted ball rule?? (Ex: while he's trying to pick it up he kind of hits it forward, then hits it forward again, then picks it up in the endzone. Is this a legit td for the D or an illegally batted ball?) the ball started at the 30yd line, went back 5yds on the bad pitch, then was hit backwards nearly 25yds by the defense while attempting to pick up & advance the football.

Asked by Royal Chiou almost 8 years ago

You cannot bat a ball forward. If the defense batted it towards the endzone they're facing, that's forward and illegal. There is a certain amount of reading intent. "he kind of hits it forward, then hits it forward again, then picks it up in the endzone." If a player tried and failed to pick it up twice and - golly gee - it happened to go towards the endzone, I think we have an issue. Ain't happening.

598 Votes

I noticed a few weeks ago Stefan Diggs for the Vikings received a fine for using the goal post as a prop in his celebration. Why aren’t players that climb the wall after a touchdown fined? Seems like they are using the wall as a prop?

Asked by Butch over 7 years ago

I don't know what the NFL allows in that regard. The "Lambeau Leap" has been accepted for quite a while. That mat play into the decision.

597 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

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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.

So if a kickoff is kept in bounds but the player who received it is our of bound when touched is that a penalty on the kick off team??

In nfl when a team punts the ball and time runs out while the ball is in the air what options do the receiving team have. Rule section.

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.

Also on Jobstr...

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?

I noticed a few weeks ago Stefan Diggs for the Vikings received a fine for using the goal post as a prop in his celebration. Why aren’t players that climb the wall after a touchdown fined? Seems like they are using the wall as a prop?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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.

So if a kickoff is kept in bounds but the player who received it is our of bound when touched is that a penalty on the kick off team??

In nfl when a team punts the ball and time runs out while the ball is in the air what options do the receiving team have. Rule section.

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.

Also on Jobstr...

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?

I noticed a few weeks ago Stefan Diggs for the Vikings received a fine for using the goal post as a prop in his celebration. Why aren’t players that climb the wall after a touchdown fined? Seems like they are using the wall as a prop?

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