NFL will look at the fumble-out-of-end-zone rule (1 Viewer)

[SystemShock]

My biggest rule issue regarding the endzone is this:

1) Ball carrier is grabbed at the 1 yard line by a defender, before the whistle blows, the ball carrier reaches out, the nose of the ball breaks the plane of the goal line, and it is ruled that the ball is in the endzone and is a touchdown.

2) Punt is bouncing towards the endzone, it hits on the 2 yard line and bounces into the endzone. A gunner dives from the 1 yard line, catches the ball in the air about 3 yards deep in the endzone, tosses it over his head before hitting the ground to a teammate standing on the 1 yard line. The ball is ruled down on the 1.

Why is the ball considered "in the end zone" in one case, but not in the other?

Possession.

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

So why not call incomplete passes that fly out the back of the endzone a touchback?

C'Mon man, there are different rules governing forward passes! The same is true for kicking.

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

C'Mon man, there are different rules governing forward passes! The same is true for kicking.

Those kicks could be safeties

 

[St. Geezy]

I actually like the quirkiness of the rule TBH. The end zone is a special place and should be treated differently than the rest of the field IMO.

The offense already has enough rules that favor them.

 

[Kegger]

Yep, if it's not recovered by the defense it should go back to the offense at the spot of the fumble imo.

Exactly, that's how it works if you fumble forward out of bounds anywhere else on the field.

 

[OneSaintsFan]

I like the rule because it's always been a rule. You don't even have to touch down a touchdown anymore. I hope it stays.

 

[Broad St. Saint]

I like the rule because it's always been a rule. You don't even have to touch down a touchdown anymore. I hope it stays.

I think that part of the problem is that while it's always been a rule, for the 70 years or whatever before replay, the rule was applied differently. The refs didn't call it a touchback unless it was blatantly obvious, and instead would call the fumble out inside the one or award the TD if the fumble was anywhere near the goal line - kind of "tie goes to the offense" like a simultaneous catch.

But replay messed everything up . . .

 

[faceman]

I like the rule because it's always been a rule. You don't even have to touch down a touchdown anymore. I hope it stays.

The ball never had to touch the ground to be a touchdown. All it ever had to do was break the plane
where the white stripe began. It never had to make it to the green area of the end zone.

 

[OneSaintsFan]

The ball never had to touch the ground to be a touchdown. All it ever had to do was break the plane
where the white stripe began. It never had to make it to the green area of the end zone.

But in rugby, you still have to touch the ball down, and if you fumble it through the Try Zone, then it's the other team's ball. I don't see why we need to change the mechanics. No upside - just a different rule that takes this game further from its roots.

 

[madsaint1967]

In my decades of Saints fandom, I have only ever seen the Black & Gold victimized by this rule, never helped by it.

Jerry Rice fumbled thru the end zone and they called it a touchdown. I'll never forget it.

 

[limeyjohn]

Forgive me, but l find it so amusing when a player celebrates too early and drops the ball just before the end zone

 

[SystemShock]

So why not call incomplete passes that fly out the back of the endzone a touchback?

Same reason why an incomplete pass is not a fumble. Once the ball is thrown forward, if it is not caught and it hits the ground, the pass is declared incomplete and ends the play, even stops the clock.

 

[Broad St. Saint]

The ball never had to touch the ground to be a touchdown. All it ever had to do was break the plane
where the white stripe began. It never had to make it to the green area of the end zone.

Ackshually, originally you had to touch the ball down in the end zone to score a touchdown in gridiron football.

The rule was changed in the late 1800s.

The anatomy of a game : football, the rules, and the men who made the game : Nelson, David M., 1920-1991 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Includes bibliographical references (p. 575-579) and index

archive.org

pp.55-56

 

[BreesHOF2024]

Another vote to keep as is. I like the rule. You lose the ball in the opponents end zone that's the opponents ball.

 

[Taker597]

The funny thing about it is that we've only been negatively impacted by that rule.