Can Someone Explain a Game Clock Question for Me?

[Moose]

Please pardon me if I missed a rule change, but all season long I have noticed on SEVERAL occasions in MANY games this year that the clock keeps running when a player undoubtedly goes out of bounds. In yesterday's Chiefs game, Smith went out of bounds deliberately on a QB running play to stop the clock, but then they immediately restarted it again. On another play, a receiver made a catch, ran out of bounds untouched - and the clock did not stop.

 

I would greatly appreciate an explanation because it confuses me to no end! Thanks!

[phypon]

I'm curious about this too. I always thought it was that if it was 4 minutes (or under) in the 2nd and 4th quarters that if a player went out of bounds the clock would stop. I have also noticed that apparently, going out of bounds is now subjective. I remember a game where Sammy went out of bounds but was ruled in bounds because he traveled backwards. The following week, two different teams, a player did the same thing and the clock stopped. NFL is getting ridiculous with it's enforcement of the rules.

[nkreed]

Rule 4 Section 3

ARTICLE 2. SCRIMMAGE DOWN
Following any timeout (3-37), the game clock shall be started on a scrimmage down when the ball is next snapped, except in the following situations:

Whenever a runner goes out of bounds on a play from scrimmage, the game clock is started when an official spots the ball at the inbounds spot, and the Referee gives the signal to start the game clock, except that the clock will start on the snap:

• after a change of possession
• after the two-minute warning of the first half
• inside the last five minutes of the second half

 

Edit: Formatted to read easier

 

They changed the rules a few years back to speed up the game.

Edited January 17, 2016 by nkreed

[Moose]

Rule 4 Section 3

 

ARTICLE 2. SCRIMMAGE DOWN

Following any timeout (3-37), the game clock shall be started on a scrimmage down when the ball is next snapped, except in the following situations:

 

Whenever a runner goes out of bounds on a play from scrimmage, the game clock is started when an official spots the ball at the inbounds spot, and the Referee gives the signal to start the game clock, except that the clock will start on the snap:

after a change of possession

after the two-minute warning of the first half

inside the last five minutes of the second half

 

Thanks for your clarification. Is this new for the 2015 season? Also, I have seen that sometimes the clock does not stop at all when a player goes out even though the ref has not yet spotted the ball.

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Rule 4 Section 3

 

ARTICLE 2. SCRIMMAGE DOWN

Following any timeout (3-37), the game clock shall be started on a scrimmage down when the ball is next snapped, except in the following situations:

 

Whenever a runner goes out of bounds on a play from scrimmage, the game clock is started when an official spots the ball at the inbounds spot, and the Referee gives the signal to start the game clock, except that the clock will start on the snap:

• after a change of possession
• after the two-minute warning of the first half
• inside the last five minutes of the second half

Edit: Formated to read easier

 

They changed the rules a few years back to spped up the game.

Correct. We discussed this during the Patriots game when Sammy went out of bounds.

 

Under five minutes in the fourth, a player moving backwards out of bounds does not stop the clock. A lateral or forward moving player going out of bounds does as well. Under two minutes, regardless of the direction that a player travels out of bounds, the clocked is stopped.

[nkreed]

What I find most interesting is the rule allows the clock to run through that 5 minutes left mark in the 2nd half. Last night the Chiefs had a player go OOB at ~5:05 left in the 4th. The officials spotted the ball and the clock ran down until ~4:45, when the Chiefs snapped the ball.

 

 

Correct. We discussed this during the Patriots game when Sammy went out of bounds.

Under five minutes in the fourth, a player moving backwards out of bounds does not stop the clock. A lateral or forward moving player going out of bounds does as well. Under two minutes, regardless of the direction that a player travels out of bounds, the clocked is stopped.

 

I dont believe that your second statement is true. If the yardage is given for forward progression, then the clock wouldn't stop. If they run out of bounds backwards, then that is the players intention, and the ball is spotted where he goes OOB. If he catches a ball and is tackled backwards OOB, the clock would not stop because the player did not intend (make a football move) to do so.

 

Bolded statement is also untrue, there is no reason in that situation for the clock to restart. The player intended to go backwards OOB, clock is stopped until next snap.

Edited January 17, 2016 by nkreed

[EmotionallyUnstable]

What I find most interesting is the rule allows the clock to run through that 5 minutes left mark in the 2nd half. Last night the Chiefs had a player go OOB at ~5:05 left in the 4th. The officials spotted the ball and the clock ran down until ~4:45, when the Chiefs snapped the ball.

 

 

 

I dont believe that your second statement is true. If the yardage is given for forward progression, then the clock wouldn't stop. If they run out of bounds backwards, then that is the players intention, and the ball is spotted where he goes OOB. If he catches a ball and is tackled backwards OOB, the clock would not stop because the player did not intend (make a football move) to do so.

 

Bolded statement is also untrue, there is no reason in that situation for the clock to restart. The player intended to go backwards OOB, clock is stopped until next snap.

You seem more knowledgeable about the topic than I, so I'll take your word for it. However, i do recall some information regarding the direction a player is moving and clock stoppage. I'll search the treads and hopefully will come up with it.

[justnzane]

What I find most interesting is the rule allows the clock to run through that 5 minutes left mark in the 2nd half. Last night the Chiefs had a player go OOB at ~5:05 left in the 4th. The officials spotted the ball and the clock ran down until ~4:45, when the Chiefs snapped the ball.

 

 

 

I dont believe that your second statement is true. If the yardage is given for forward progression, then the clock wouldn't stop. If they run out of bounds backwards, then that is the players intention, and the ball is spotted where he goes OOB. If he catches a ball and is tackled backwards OOB, the clock would not stop because the player did not intend (make a football move) to do so.

 

Bolded statement is also untrue, there is no reason in that situation for the clock to restart. The player intended to go backwards OOB, clock is stopped until next snap.

The backwards movement OOB is a college rule. In the NFL if the player goes OOB under his own power, the clock is to stop at that given point. Hence the big stink made when the clock was still running when the zebras erroneously kept it running and refused the Bills a final play.

Edited January 17, 2016 by justnzane

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Thanks, I must have mixed the two. Sorry for the confusion folks

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

It may be that often whe nthe player goes out of bounds they camera switches to a "close up view" of the players untangling themselves, etc and the clock is not in that camera view. By the time they switch back to the "wide view" that includes all the graphics, the ball has been re-spotted and clock has restarted. Some times it will be re-spotted more quickly than others, so it likely did stop for a couple of seconds, but you didn't see it, or maybe it is the officals choice that sometimes he doesn't feel the need to stop it at all.

 

 

Also, I have seen that sometimes the clock does not stop at all when a player goes out even though the ref has not yet spotted the ball.

 

Think you may have that part backwards. If he goes out of bounds heading backwards of his own free will, the clock does NOT stop. But if he's tackled in a backwards direction OOB, then the clock WILL STOP as he had not deliberately caused. That was the argument in the Sammy Watkins play, the clock should have stopped because an opposing player tackled him OOB and dove him backwards.

 

 

Well just read a later response, maybe either way it should stop in the NFL??

 

 

I dont believe that your second statement is true. If the yardage is given for forward progression, then the clock wouldn't stop. If they run out of bounds backwards, then that is the players intention, and the ball is spotted where he goes OOB. If he catches a ball and is tackled backwards OOB, the clock would not stop because the player did not intend (make a football move) to do so.

 

Bolded statement is also untrue, there is no reason in that situation for the clock to restart. The player intended to go backwards OOB, clock is stopped until next snap.

Edited January 17, 2016 by Ed_Formerly_of_Roch

[nkreed]

Think you may have that part backwards. If he goes out of bounds heading backwards of his own free will, the clock does NOT stop. But if he's tackled in a backwards direction OOB, then the clock WILL STOP as he had not deliberately caused. That was the argument in the Sammy Watkins play, the clock should have stopped because an opposing player tackled him OOB and dove him backwards.

 

 

Well just read a later response, maybe either way it should stop in the NFL??

 

 

If the player is tackled backwards in the legal area of play, the ball will be spotted at the furthest forward spot the ball was before the tackle (forward progress). Since this is within the field of play, not OOB, the clock would run.

 

Sammy was never touched. He rolled OOB on his own, which is possible because NFL requires a touch while down.

[Manther]

If the player is tackled backwards in the legal area of play, the ball will be spotted at the furthest forward spot the ball was before the tackle (forward progress). Since this is within the field of play, not OOB, the clock would run.

 

Sammy was never touched. He rolled OOB on his own, which is possible because NFL requires a touch while down.

Agreed

[Neo]

It's a college football team in South Carolina. Oops, sorry, I read the original question too quickly. Carry on ...