not to derail the thread or anything, but did anyone else read this rule and go, huh? 3) Illegal forward handoffs past the line of scrimmage are now fumbles as opposed to dead balls. A fumble? How can you treat it like a fumble? The offensive player has to drop the ball when they do an illegal forward handoff? (I know that just sounded stupid) Can anyone care to explain what went right over my head?
Maybe they mean forward lateral? Whereas a forward lateral on a play used to signify the play was marked dead, it now can be a fumble if the ball is recovered by the other team?
So, the rule about the hair, have not been accepted or they will decide that later? I like the coin toss rule
i think they may be referring to that game when a receiver (i think it was vs the steelers) threw the ball down after making a diving catch thinking he was down (like in college), but he hadnt been touched. so the defense jumped on the ball because it was a fumble, but technically it was a forward pass and thats how it was ruled. i believe plaxico burress had a play similar to this a couple years back.
How does the new coin toss deferring rule work? From what I understand, if you win the coin toss, you can give the decision to the other team? Why would you do that?
How about if you basically catch a receiver run him a few steps and drop him out of bounds? Is that not a completion?
citizen, I don't think you're "giving the decision", you're choosing either to kick or receive, but it's YOUR decision, not the other team's. Xenon, by the interpretation of the rule, I think that if someone else catches the receiver inbounds, it doesn't matter. The rule states that the receiver must touch inbounds. If he steps on a defender inbound, and then goes out, he is still out of bounds because he essentially didn't touch INBOUNDS. Hey, these are all legitimate questions, men. We have every right to argue about winning our Fantasy Leag... I mean, the purity of the sport.
The other team gets to choose whether or not they'll receive or kick. Then in the second half, unless your name is John Mackovic, you'll chose to receive.
so If the forward lateral is caught by a Offensive player. . . it is dead/illegal but If caught by a defensive player it is a fumble? Is that it? Rocket River
So let me get this straight: BEFORE The away team calls the toss. The winner of the toss chooses to receive or kick. The loser chooses which end zone to defend. The receiver of the ball during the start of the game kicks at the start of the second half. The defending of end zones also switch during the game. NOW The away team calls the toss. The winner gets to decide whether they want to kick or receive or defer this until the second half. Repeat BEFORE. Is that right?
The change in the force-out rule will reduce the frequency of successful last minute marches up the field. It'll be harder to control the clock when you want to be far enough from the edge to assure the completion.
