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514 Questions

Last Answer on January 23, 2021

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 almost 10 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.

837 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 almost 10 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.

835 Votes

Why is a runner/receiver ruled out of bounds when/where the ball crosses the imaginary plane of the boundary. But a ball can be caught after it crosses the same plane? The first is difficult to officiate and get the spot right even in replay.

Asked by Stuart.a.tomlinson@gmail.com over 8 years ago

Your question is a little confusing but let me try.

When a runner goes out of bounds, the ball is spotted where the ball crosses the OOB line, not the runner. It's pretty straight forward and not that difficult to officiate.

I'm not quite sure what the second part of your question means, but here goes. The ball isn't out of bounds until it touches something out of bounds. A player in the field of play is not OOB. So if a player reaches out and catches a ball that has crossed the sideline - and he is still in bounds - the ball is still in play and it's a catch.

835 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 8 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.

831 Votes

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If the offense snaps the ball over the head of the QB into the endzone and during the scrambel for the ball it is knocked out of the back of the endzone is that a safety?

Asked by Dan almost 9 years ago

Yes. Unless something else happens that isn't described here, it was the offense that put the ball in its own end zone. If it goes out, it's their responsibility. If they recover it there, it's a safety. And if the defense recovers, it's a touchdown

830 Votes

Has there ever been an NFL fame where they did not kick a field go when they were in field goal range and it was almost halftime?

Asked by Sean Duong almost 10 years ago

Sorry, this isn't a trivia or history site.

828 Votes

In the NFL if a player possesses the ball and a teammate standing partially out of bounds contacts him is the ball considered out of bounds?

Asked by Ron over 9 years ago

Well, based on what we saw on the Giants-Packers game, no. My understanding on other levels is if a player (ball carrier) comes on contact with something or someone out of bounds, then he is out of bounds. But...

826 Votes

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Football Official

Ask me anything!

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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.

Why is a runner/receiver ruled out of bounds when/where the ball crosses the imaginary plane of the boundary. But a ball can be caught after it crosses the same plane? The first is difficult to officiate and get the spot right even in replay.

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?

Also on Jobstr...

If the offense snaps the ball over the head of the QB into the endzone and during the scrambel for the ball it is knocked out of the back of the endzone is that a safety?

Has there ever been an NFL fame where they did not kick a field go when they were in field goal range and it was almost halftime?

In the NFL if a player possesses the ball and a teammate standing partially out of bounds contacts him is the ball considered out of bounds?

Football Official

Ask me anything!

What do YOU do?

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.

Why is a runner/receiver ruled out of bounds when/where the ball crosses the imaginary plane of the boundary. But a ball can be caught after it crosses the same plane? The first is difficult to officiate and get the spot right even in replay.

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?

Also on Jobstr...

If the offense snaps the ball over the head of the QB into the endzone and during the scrambel for the ball it is knocked out of the back of the endzone is that a safety?

Has there ever been an NFL fame where they did not kick a field go when they were in field goal range and it was almost halftime?

In the NFL if a player possesses the ball and a teammate standing partially out of bounds contacts him is the ball considered out of bounds?

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