Quote:
Originally posted by Bob M.
Another "ridiculous" play to illustrate the point: PLAY: A's legal forward pass is caught by A85 beyond the NZ. A56 holds his opponent downfield after the reception. A85 fumbles and the ball bounces back behind the NZ. A12 picks it up and punts it downfield. B23 catches the kick and is tackled at his 20. RULING: Even though it appeared that A56's hold took place during a running play, A85's fumble and A12's subsequent punt made the entire down up to the point of B23's possession of the scrimmage kick one big loose ball play. If B wants to accept the penalty for A's hold, enforcement will be from the previous spot.
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A loose ball play is defined as action during backward pass (including the snap), illegal kick or
fumble made by A from in or behind the neutral zone and prior to a change of team possession.
Doesn't this mean the fumble must originate from in or behind the neutral zone, or in other words, the runner must fumble while in or behind the neutral zone? Where the fumble is recovered is of no consequence. The fumble is then treated as part of a running play. When the ball goes back behind the neutral zone and is recovered, it is still a running play because it does not meat the defintion of a loose ball play. BUT, once A12 picks the ball up and kicks it, the run or runs that preceded the loose ball play is then treated as part of that loose ball play. WOW! Now that we are discussing it, it's bound to happen in one of my games
