Brand J Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 The conclusion of the Jets/Pats half had me thinking about this... The Jet player was running on the field and trying to get as many yards as possible before the conclusion of the half. Now, if it was obvious that a player would not be able to get out of bounds before the clock expires, could that player purposely lateral the ball out of bounds before time expires in a half, thus stopping the clock? Anyone know the particulars on this one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jokeman Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 The conclusion of the Jets/Pats half had me thinking about this... The Jet player was running on the field and trying to get as many yards as possible before the conclusion of the half. Now, if it was obvious that a player would not be able to get out of bounds before the clock expires, could that player purposely lateral the ball out of bounds before time expires in a half, thus stopping the clock? Anyone know the particulars on this one? From http://www.buccaneers.com/news/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=4096 1. Amit Oberoi of Montreal, Quebec, Canada asks: If time is running out of a game, and you are about to be tackled in bounds, are you allowed to lateral the ball (backwards, obviously) out of bounds? Will it be a penalty and an automatic 10 second runoff; I wouldn't see why. For the couple of yards you lose on a lateral, stopping the clock could be the difference between winning and losing. Answer Man: Your suspicions are correct, Amit, and your game-saving gambit wouldn't work. The NFL obviously frowns on intentional fumbling - see the above 'Holy Roller' description - and has provisions for desperate acts such as these. Rule 4-3-10 in the NFL rulebook condemns 'Actions to Conserve Time' and specifically mentions your suggestion. To wit: A team is not permitted to conserve time inside of one minute of either half by committing any of the following acts: fouls by either team that prevent the snap (i.e., false start, encroachment, etc.), intentional grounding, an illegal forward pass thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage with the intent to conserve time, throwing a backward pass out of bounds with the intent to conserve time, and any other intentional foul that causes the clock to stop. See? No go. Similarly, if the center was the first person to reach the spotted ball and he looked up to see the last few seconds running off the clock, he couldn't simply snap the ball before his team was set, hoping to draw a clock-stopping penalty. That would be the dreaded Action to Conserve Time. The penalty, as you feared, includes a 10-second runoff. Again, here's how the rulebook puts it: Penalty: Loss of five yards unless a larger distance penalty is applicable. When actions referred to above are committed by the offensive team with the clock running, officials will run 10 seconds off the game clock before permitting the ball to be put in play on the ready for the play signal. If the offensive team has timeouts remaining, it will have the option of using a timeout in lieu of a 10-second runoff... And it goes on and on. But you get the point. Should you try this very risky intentional-fumble out of bounds, you would be slapped with a 10-second runoff and then the officials would start the clock again. Your only hope, I guess, is to heave the ball backwards as far as possible and hope a teammate can catch it. ** I know you mentioned a foward lateral but that would be considered an illegal foward pass and probably also result in time run off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Here are three questions Crayonz might ask. The case of the player who receives a KO... while being tackled around midfield he purposely fumbles the ball forward and it goes out of bounds at say, the 10 yard line without any other player touching it. Which team gets the ball and where is it spotted? Is there a penalty? Lastly, is this something Mularkey would put into his 2007 playbook? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jokeman Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 Here are three questions Crayonz might ask.The case of the player who receives a KO... while being tackled around midfield he purposely fumbles the ball forward and it goes out of bounds at say, the 10 yard line without any other player touching it. Which team gets the ball and where is it spotted? Is there a penalty? Lastly, is this something Mularkey would put into his 2007 playbook? and crayonz thinks it's okay that he slept with his cousin, any other questions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brand J Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 Thanks Jokeman, cleared that one up... From http://www.buccaneers.com/news/newsdetail.aspx?newsid=40961. Amit Oberoi of Montreal, Quebec, Canada asks: If time is running out of a game, and you are about to be tackled in bounds, are you allowed to lateral the ball (backwards, obviously) out of bounds? Will it be a penalty and an automatic 10 second runoff; I wouldn't see why. For the couple of yards you lose on a lateral, stopping the clock could be the difference between winning and losing. Answer Man: Your suspicions are correct, Amit, and your game-saving gambit wouldn't work. The NFL obviously frowns on intentional fumbling - see the above 'Holy Roller' description - and has provisions for desperate acts such as these. Rule 4-3-10 in the NFL rulebook condemns 'Actions to Conserve Time' and specifically mentions your suggestion. To wit: A team is not permitted to conserve time inside of one minute of either half by committing any of the following acts: fouls by either team that prevent the snap (i.e., false start, encroachment, etc.), intentional grounding, an illegal forward pass thrown from beyond the line of scrimmage with the intent to conserve time, throwing a backward pass out of bounds with the intent to conserve time, and any other intentional foul that causes the clock to stop. See? No go. Similarly, if the center was the first person to reach the spotted ball and he looked up to see the last few seconds running off the clock, he couldn't simply snap the ball before his team was set, hoping to draw a clock-stopping penalty. That would be the dreaded Action to Conserve Time. The penalty, as you feared, includes a 10-second runoff. Again, here's how the rulebook puts it: Penalty: Loss of five yards unless a larger distance penalty is applicable. When actions referred to above are committed by the offensive team with the clock running, officials will run 10 seconds off the game clock before permitting the ball to be put in play on the ready for the play signal. If the offensive team has timeouts remaining, it will have the option of using a timeout in lieu of a 10-second runoff... And it goes on and on. But you get the point. Should you try this very risky intentional-fumble out of bounds, you would be slapped with a 10-second runoff and then the officials would start the clock again. Your only hope, I guess, is to heave the ball backwards as far as possible and hope a teammate can catch it. ** I know you mentioned a foward lateral but that would be considered an illegal foward pass and probably also result in time run off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 and crayonz thinks it's okay that he slept with his cousin, any other questions? HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! But only his 5th cousin, mind you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts