If Devin Hester had downed the ball in the end zone, the Bears
would have had possession at the spot of the kick. The rule states that a missed field goal is always returned to the spot of the kick, unless the ball is touched by a member of the receiving team in the field of play. Once it is touched in the field, the special rule of return to the previous spot of the kick disappears. If the ball had bounced in the end zone, the play would have been over and the ball returned to the spot of the kick. You are required to catch a field goal if it goes into the end zone in order to return it. However, if the ball bounces in the field of play, the receivers can then pick the ball up and return it; but, in doing so, give up the choice field position that they would have had had the ball not been touched in the field of play. I am very glad that you like the column.
What happens if you return a missed field goal and get tackled? Who gets the ball and where? –Chris, West Chicago, Ill.
When a member of the receiving team returns a missed field goal, it is their ball at the spot that they are tackled. I have explained all of the particulars of this situation in the previous question.
A wide receiver catches a ball and, as he is making a move, he fumbles. The ball is recovered by the defensive back and while he is running the ball back he fumbles and the ball is recovered by the offense. The defense challenges the play saying the DB was down before the ball came out. While reviewing the replay the
official see that the WR who caught the ball never had possession, so it was not a legal catch. What would happen? Would the offensive team have to also challenge the play? –Adam Dollar, Chicago
Whenever a play is challenged, the replay system can correct any
situation occurring during the entire play, providing the play falls under the rules of replay. In your play, the result of the play would be an incomplete pass, and, even though the defense challenged, they would not be charged with a timeout because an aspect of the play was changed by the replay system. The offensive team would not have to challenge.
Jerry, why do you think networks don’t hire referees for their broadcast teams? I always thought the referee would bring a fresh perspective. –Remberto, Chicago
The networks hire retired football players who are experts on all
aspects of the game, like formations and strategy. The officials are experts on the rules of the game and not the technicalities of actual play.
I am a Marine currently serving in the Al Anbar province in Iraq. On occasion there is down time out here and Marines tend to get bored and let their minds wonder. We cam across a football scenario that we can’t seem to agree on and can’t find a source to answer our question. I was hoping that you could help. A quarterback drops back and throws a pass. Before the pass passes the line of scrimmage, it is deflected by a defensive lineman right back to the quarterback. Can the quarterback throw a forward pass after all that happened? If not, what is the penalty? –Armando Espinoza, Dallas, Texas
First and foremost, thank you for defending our country. We are
all very proud of you and your fellow Marines. To the answer from the rulebook: “The offensive team may make one forward pass from behind the line during each play from scrimmage, provided the ball does not cross the line and return behind the line prior to the pass. Any other forward pass by either team is illegal and is a foul by the passing team. When any illegal pass is caught or intercepted, the ball may be advanced and the penalty declined.” For a second forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage, which is the play that you describe, the penalty is loss of five
yards from the previous line of scrimmage. The penalty for a forward pass from behind the line of scrimmage is the loss of a down and a five-yard penalty from the spot of the pass. A simple answer to your question is, no, the quarterback cannot pass the second time, even though the ball was batted back into his hands.
On a kickoff or punt, if the receiving team’s returner touches the ball outside of the end zone, drops it and the ball goes into the end zone and the same player falls on it, is it a safety or touchback? –Eric, Fort Worth, Texas
If a member of the receiving team touches the ball outside of the
end zone without possessing it and the ball continues into the end zone and is recovered by the receiving team, it is a touchback. The impetus that put the ball in the end zone comes from the kick. If the receiver drops the ball after possessing in the field of play and the ball goes into the end zone and is recovered by a member of the receiving team, it is a safety.
The impetus that put the ball in the end zone was the fumble.
Jerry, can a player be penalized twice for the same infraction? In the Nov. 12 Cincinnati-San Diego game, the Charger DB left his feet and led with his helmet and hit a Bengals wide receiver. He was called for pass interference, but could he have been called for unnecessary roughness, as well? If not, and the pass was not further than 15 yards downfield, would the officials have called it unnecessary roughness to maximize the punishment to San Diego? –Ray, Kenosha, Wis.
Under NFL rules, if a personal foul (unnecessary roughness or a
major face mask foul) is the pass interference, both penalties will be enforced. The offensive team is awarded an automatic first down from the spot of the interference and an additional fifteen yards is added to that spot for the personal foul. This situation only occurs when one single foul is the interference and the personal foul. If an unnecessary roughness foul
occurs by the defense on a pass play in another spot on the field, the offensive team will have a choice of taking a 15-yard penalty from the previous line of scrimmage or a first down at the spot of the pass interference.
In the Patriots-Jets game on Sunday, the Patriots were called for an illegal formation because the tight end was “covered up” by a wide receiver. The tight end stayed in to block and did not go out for a pass. The play went for a long gain to the wide receiver but was negated by the illegal formation penalty. I thought that the tight end can be covered up as long as he does not go downfield or catch a pass. Did the officials make the
correct call or were the Patriots incorrectly whistled for this penalty? –Chris, Putnam, Conn.
All players must wear numerals on their jerseys, in accordance with the rule. Quarterbacks, punters and place kickers, 1-19; running backs and defensive backs, 20-49; centers, 50-59 or 60-79 if 50-59 is unavailable; offensive guards and tackles, 60-79; wide receivers, 10-19 and 80-89; tight ends, 80-89; defensive linemen, 60-79; and linebackers, 50-59. The tight end in your play must be on the end of the line of scrimmage in order to be
legal. When he is covered by another eligible number, an illegal formation foul is created. The officials made the correct call. The only exception to this rule is that an ineligible offensive player may report to the referee that he is going to an eligible position on the end of the line and he is then not penalized for illegal formation. The referee will make an announcement that No. 75 is an eligible receiver, so that everyone on the defensive team knows of this change. If 75 remains in the game for
additional plays, he must report to the referee on each play.
Wisconsin’s strategy at the end of the first half against Penn State made me wonder about the new clock rule in college football. Wisconsin intentionally jumped offside on consecutive kickoffs, knowing the clock would start the moment the ball was kicked. If the clock eventually reached 0:00, would Penn State
have been able to get a play from scrimmage had they declined a penalty? Is there any provision in the NFL rules that might deter a team from similarly eating away some time from the clock at the end of the game or half, taking away a play or two from scrimmage for the other team? –Jeff Jhee, Chicago
There is a special rule in college football covering unfair tactics by either team. If these offside penalties had run out the clock, the officials would have the right under this special rule to give the receiving team an untimed down after penalizing the kicking team for using an unfair tactic. Under NFL rules, this could not happen because the clock does not start on kickoffs until the ball is legally touched in the field of
play by the receiving team.
What type of call did you personally find the most challenging to make correctly? –David Englund, Belvidere, Ill.
In my personal experience, the toughest call for a referee is the
pass/fumble play. This is a play when the referee must determine whether the hand of the quarterback was coming forward with the ball in control before the ball came loose. If the ball is loose in the quarterback’s hand and his hand comes forward and the ball goes forward, it is a fumble. These plays are very difficult and the NFL referees do an outstanding job of making the correct ruling.
