"ALMOST" fumbles during NFL games (1 Viewer)

[datonn]

This might draw a few of those responses that others get for posting things like "Chris Johnson had a TERRIBLE stat line on Sunday...minus those two 50-yard TD runs." That said, I wanted to get something out there and off my chest.

When watching replays of NFL games, slow motion footage in particular, it is astonishing to me just how close players come to fumbling the football while being tackled. I'm not talking about 5-10 ALMOST fumbles per game. I'm talking about one-third or one-half of all plays where someone is tackled to the ground.

Quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends seem to have this occur with more frequency than running backs. However, all are guilty of almost losing the football on a l-o-t of occasions.

Anybody else out there like me in being amazed at just how often players are hit and juggle or bobble the ball on their way to the ground? Anything you think NFL players can do to more-securely tuck the ball away as they are absorbing said hits? If I were a junior high or high school defensive football coach, I'd show those kids about 1,000 slow-motion highlights of NFL players being tackled as their incentive or motivation for hitting players in certain positions that will cause them to lose their firm grip on the football. Not to mention to scratch and claw at that ball all the way down to the ground.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

I'm amazed by the number of balls that are juggled each weekend.

 

[certificate]

No offense, but I don't know what the heck you're talking about. You think that on a third to a half of the plays you watch a player is almost fumbling the football.. and yet we only see a fumble or two a game on average. Have you considered that they aren't "almost" fumbling the football, it just looks that way to you?

 

[datonn]

I guess what I am deeming an "almost fumble" is an instance where the ball is clearly in a player's control in one or two hands, said player takes a hit from a defensive player, and the ball moves...substantially, where it is obvious (in slow motion, at least) that said player is lacking firm control of the ball for at least a fraction of a second.

I've watched a lot of film on this the past couple of years...and it is astonishing just how much the ball is moving around in an offensive player's hands after taking a hit and going to the ground. Not a majority of the time, but a LOT. It actually amazes me that there aren't many more fumbles during a game after watching for that on slo-mo replays in particular. You can think I'm , no biggie, but specifically watch for it over the next couple weeks of NFL games you take in and see what you think.

 

[QuizGuy66]

This needs to be added as a stat-category so I can incorporate it in my leagues :(

It is pretty astonishing that they don't fumble more based on how hard some of those dudes hit 'em. But that's why they are the pros, right?

No harm in enjoying the little things in the game.

-QG

 

[thecardiackid]

I'm amazed by the number of balls that are juggled each weekend.

doc, you're better than that. and respect the member #. slow-mo ball juggling on national tv? i will now be looking :( , but this might belong in the FFA.

 

[datonn]

doc, you're better than that. and respect the member #. slow-mo ball juggling on national tv? i will now be looking , but this might belong in the FFA.

Ha! Maybe I'm too much of a church mouse, but that twist in intended meaning didn't even cross my mind. Oh well...I guess I'm probably the only one who sees about 30+ near fumbles a game and find that interesting. Probably an indication that I watch WAY too much football and need to enroll in treatment to get off that dependency or something...

 

[footballnerd]

Don't WRs have ridiculously sticky gloves on? How does the ball ever leave their hands?

 

[puckalicious]

Maybe thats why Lions head coach Schwartz is a firm believer that fumbles are a random occurance.

 

[TheGoat9]

This might draw a few of those responses that others get for posting things like "Chris Johnson had a TERRIBLE stat line on Sunday...minus those two 50-yard TD runs." That said, I wanted to get something out there and off my chest.

When watching replays of NFL games, slow motion footage in particular, it is astonishing to me just how close players come to fumbling the football while being tackled. I'm not talking about 5-10 ALMOST fumbles per game. I'm talking about one-third or one-half of all plays where someone is tackled to the ground.

Quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends seem to have this occur with more frequency than running backs. However, all are guilty of almost losing the football on a l-o-t of occasions.

Anybody else out there like me in being amazed at just how often players are hit and juggle or bobble the ball on their way to the ground? Anything you think NFL players can do to more-securely tuck the ball away as they are absorbing said hits? If I were a junior high or high school defensive football coach, I'd show those kids about 1,000 slow-motion highlights of NFL players being tackled as their incentive or motivation for hitting players in certain positions that will cause them to lose their firm grip on the football. Not to mention to scratch and claw at that ball all the way down to the ground.

glad you got this off your chest.