NFL will again revisit most unfair rule in the game

[Big Gun]

Say it's 1st down on the 15 and the running back fumbles out the end zone. IMO the offense should retain possession back to the 15 yard line and they should lose the down making it 2nd down from the 15. If it was a run give the RB credit for a 14 yard gain with a fumble lost, thus being the lost down as punishment.

 

I don't think there is any way a defense should be given possession for not recovering the ball, doesn't happen anywhere else on the field and shouldn't happen in the end zone.

[Steve Billieve]

I don't think we should exactly say the rule is unfair. Lets just call it ridiculous, unintuitive, and confusing. The rule bothers me because of this sort of situation:

Runner streaking towards the pylon, reaches out with the ball to get it over the line . . . this sort of thing happens all the time but the outcome of the situation can change dramatically without what the players/fans/etc experience being drastically different. As we've seen refs rulings on possession can be tough to stomach.

 

One instance of this that the Bills were involved in last went in our favor but easily could have gone the other way. I forget which game, but Sammy Watkins was diving for the pylon one handed with the ball, right around when crossed the line the ball came out and traveled into the end zone and out of bounds. They gave us the TD but it could have easily gone the other way. To me, it seems like refs are very generous to the offense when dealing with this situation. Honestly it seems like they're scared of the rule which generates a lot of ambiguity, which in my opinion is not a good thing.

 

The league should want players fighting for that extra inch especially when it comes to getting in the endzone.

[The Wiz]

I don't think we should exactly say the rule is unfair. Lets just call it ridiculous, unintuitive, and confusing. The rule bothers me because of this sort of situation:

Runner streaking towards the pylon, reaches out with the ball to get it over the line . . . this sort of thing happens all the time but the outcome of the situation can change dramatically without what the players/fans/etc experience being drastically different. As we've seen refs rulings on possession can be tough to stomach.

 

One instance of this that the Bills were involved in last went in our favor but easily could have gone the other way. I forget which game, but Sammy Watkins was diving for the pylon one handed with the ball, right around when crossed the line the ball came out and traveled into the end zone and out of bounds. They gave us the TD but it could have easily gone the other way. To me, it seems like refs are very generous to the offense when dealing with this situation. Honestly it seems like they're scared of the rule which generates a lot of ambiguity, which in my opinion is not a good thing.

 

The league should want players fighting for that extra inch especially when it comes to getting in the endzone.

That was against Miami at home last year. I feel like it happened in another game where AW picked someone off and fumbled it out of the end zone to give them the ball back.

[Matt in KC]

I think it makes more sense that you cannot fumble forward. So a fumble is always spotted where the last team to control it had possession, at best.

 

Fumble at the 3 yard line into the end zone --> spot at the 3

Fumble at the 3 yard line out of bounds at the 5 --> spot at the 5

Fumble at the 3 yard line and defense recovers in the end zone --> spot at the 20 (touchback)

[iinii]

 

So what?

 

There should be no consequence to the offense for fumbling?

the defense never had possession, why do they get the ball?

[Beef Jerky]

Because opposing team will get the ball even if they did not establish possession of it after a fumble.

Well don't fumble out of the end zone... Actually don't FUMBLE in the first place.

[Nanker]

Well, when you fumble out of bounds and it isn't in the end zone the opposing team doesn't get possession, right? If you fumble out of the endzone I think the offense should retain possession, but they get the ball spotted at the 20. Just my opinion

^

This. I think that's the fairest way to handle it. And yes, The Bills have had that happen to them a few times over the years.

[Beerball]

I'm trying to prove the same point you're making btw

except you're coming across as a turdball

[TedWilliamsFrozenHead]

On Thursday night, Washington running back Matt Jones fumbled while approaching the goal line. The ball bounced into the end zone and out of the end zone, unrecovered.

By rule, the Giants got possession at their own 20. Even though they failed to secure possession of the ball before it when out of bounds.

It’s the most unfair rule in the game.

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http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/09/26/nfl-will-again-revisit-most-unfair-rule-in-the-game/

I​'d like to see 'Illegal block in the back' thrown out

[KDIGGZ]

my issue with this rule is the offensive guy can be reaching for the pylon with the ball, the ball comes and goes out of bounds and it's now the other team's ball at the 20 yard line. makes no sense. especially if it's a close call where it's hard to tell if the player still has possession of the ball as it crosses the line or if it's coming out

[Bleed Bills Blue]

No need to change the rule. Just let a little air out of the ball...problem solved.

[BillsFan130]

It's ridiculous. If it goes out of bounds at the 1 yard line it's their ball at the 1, but if it goes a yard further out of bounds in the end zone it's the other teams ball at the 20 yard line.. where is the logic there

[The Voice of Truth]

Anybody in favor of this rule and defending it on here is not very intelligent.