Explain this to me about fumbles (1 Viewer)

[Ghost Rider]

Something I am just curious about...

When there is a fumble when the QB goes to hand the ball to the RB, even if it is the RB's fault, the fumble is charged to the QB since the RB never had control of the ball, so technically he could not fumble what he never had.

However, if there is a fumble on the exchange between the center and the QB when the ball is hiked, the QB is charged with the fumble. Why? Shouldn't the fumble be charted to the center since the QB, like the RB in the above scenario, never had control of the ball?

 

[Statcruncher]

When in doubt always blame the guy who can't keep his hands to himself.

 

[SSOG]

Something I am just curious about...When there is a fumble when the QB goes to hand the ball to the RB, even if it is the RB's fault, the fumble is charged to the QB since the RB never had control of the ball, so technically he could not fumble what he never had. However, if there is a fumble on the exchange between the center and the QB when the ball is hiked, the QB is charged with the fumble. Why? Shouldn't the fumble be charted to the center since the QB, like the RB in the above scenario, never had control of the ball?

I don't think the center is ever considered to technically control the ball. The Center can't just pick up the ball and surge forward in short yardage, can he? Of course not, or else the "Center Sneak" would be the most common play in football. I think the ball is considered to go directly from at rest to in the QB's control on the snap, without ever being in possession of the Center. Or something like that.

 

[jerseydevil20]

There are a lot things about football aren't consistent. You asked a good question. Not a hijack, but there are others. (I know the answers BTW, but they are worthy of debate from a consistency standpoint).

Why can a kicker have almost half his body off-sides on an on-sides kick? Why can the holder in college football hold the ball with his knee on the ground, but not be down as soon as he catches the snap? Why does the ref delay the game over a minute to call a delay of game penalty when the snap is 1/4 second late? Why can the QB spike the ball behind the line of scrimmage to stop the clock but when he's scambling and throwing it away it has to reach the LOS? Why can an offensive player "illegally put hands to the face" to stiff arm to the defender's helmet and facemask, but defenders can't touch the offensive player's facemask? Why does the ball have to "break the plane" when running it in the endzone, but doesn't have to be in the endzone to catch it for a TD? Why is defensive holding on a WR 5yds, and offensive holding 10yds? Why does a false start end a play, but illegal motion doesn't?

I know, the answer is "because."

 

[SSOG]

There are a lot things about football aren't consistent. You asked a good question. Not a hijack, but there are others. (I know the answers BTW, but they are worthy of debate from a consistency standpoint).Why can a kicker have almost half his body off-sides on an on-sides kick? Why can the holder in college football hold the ball with his knee on the ground, but not be down as soon as he catches the snap? Why does the ref delay the game over a minute to call a delay of game penalty when the snap is 1/4 second late? Why can the QB spike the ball behind the line of scrimmage to stop the clock but when he's scambling and throwing it away it has to reach the LOS? Why can an offensive player "illegally put hands to the face" to stiff arm to the defender's helmet and facemask, but defenders can't touch the offensive player's facemask? Why does the ball have to "break the plane" when running it in the endzone, but doesn't have to be in the endzone to catch it for a TD? Why is defensive holding on a WR 5yds, and offensive holding 10yds? Why does a false start end a play, but illegal motion doesn't?I know, the answer is "because."

Delay of game: it's a preventative measure. That one play might have only been a .25 second delay, but if you don't enforce it strictly, you get a lot more offenses, which add up. By taking a minute to call the penalty, you might prevent 2 minutes worth of delay.Spiking the ball: The NFL rule for intentional grounding requires that the QB be pressured for the play to qualify. On a clock-killing spike, no defenders are near the QB, so it can't be grounding. A QB could, if he so desired, spike the ball behind the LoS 4 seconds into a normal play, provided no defenders were anywhere near him.Breaking the plane: The ball DOES have to be in the end zone on a reception in order for it to be a TD. If a player has 95% of his body in the end zone, but his hands catch the ball outside of it and remain there until he's downed, it's not a TD.Holding: Because defensive holding results in an automatic 1st down, while offensive holding does not result in a loss of down. Besides, offensive holding is 10 yards from the spot, while defensive is 5 yards from the LoS.False Start vs. Illegal Motion: False Start, by definition, occurs prior to the snap. Illegal Motion, by definition, cannot occur until the ball is snapped (a WR could do the hokey pokey before the snap and it wouldn't mean a thing provided he was either set for a second or moving legally by the time the ball was snapped).Any others?

 

[Paddy O'Seanessy]

There are a lot things about football aren't consistent. You asked a good question. Not a hijack, but there are others. (I know the answers BTW, but they are worthy of debate from a consistency standpoint).Why can a kicker have almost half his body off-sides on an on-sides kick? Why can the holder in college football hold the ball with his knee on the ground, but not be down as soon as he catches the snap? Why does the ref delay the game over a minute to call a delay of game penalty when the snap is 1/4 second late? Why can the QB spike the ball behind the line of scrimmage to stop the clock but when he's scambling and throwing it away it has to reach the LOS? Why can an offensive player "illegally put hands to the face" to stiff arm to the defender's helmet and facemask, but defenders can't touch the offensive player's facemask? Why does the ball have to "break the plane" when running it in the endzone, but doesn't have to be in the endzone to catch it for a TD? Why is defensive holding on a WR 5yds, and offensive holding 10yds? Why does a false start end a play, but illegal motion doesn't?I know, the answer is "because."

Delay of game: it's a preventative measure. That one play might have only been a .25 second delay, but if you don't enforce it strictly, you get a lot more offenses, which add up. By taking a minute to call the penalty, you might prevent 2 minutes worth of delay.Spiking the ball: The NFL rule for intentional grounding requires that the QB be pressured for the play to qualify. On a clock-killing spike, no defenders are near the QB, so it can't be grounding. A QB could, if he so desired, spike the ball behind the LoS 4 seconds into a normal play, provided no defenders were anywhere near him.Breaking the plane: The ball DOES have to be in the end zone on a reception in order for it to be a TD. If a player has 95% of his body in the end zone, but his hands catch the ball outside of it and remain there until he's downed, it's not a TD....Any others?

I don't think so.Delay of game is because a team could get a lead then once getting possession simply stand under center until the clock runs out.Spiking the ball to stop the clock is allowed by a specific rule and the situation you describe would, in fact, be a foul.All that's required for posession in the end-zone is two toes on different feet (or the proverbial one knee.) The ball doesn't have to be in possession within the area of the end-zone ever.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Why can an offensive player "illegally put hands to the face" to stiff arm to the defender's helmet and facemask, but defenders can't touch the offensive player's facemask?

I have always wondered this, too. Also, why on defensive pass interference, does the offense get an automatic first down, but on offensive pass interference, the offense gets to replay the down? That doesn't seem fair. The offense should lose the down.

 

[Hemi-Colon]

A FF related question.

Why do no leagues penalize kickers for O.B. kick-offs? They may be dinged for missed P.A.T.'s and FG's but never for botched KO's.