Quote:
Originally posted by RamTime
As if this weren't confusing enough I just found what is claimed to be the official rule book and it states;
"POCKET AREA
The Pocket Area applies from the normal tight-end position on each side of the center and extends backwards to the offensive team's own goal line."
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RamTime, if you remember, I said I had the "official" NFL rules from a current NFL official. That is the 2004 rule book, and it states ""POCKET AREA - The Pocket Area applies from the normal tight-end position on each side of the center and extends backwards to the offensive team's own goal line." What I stated late last night was the NEW RULE CHANGES FOR 2005 which says "Rule 3-24, definition of pocket area states, "The pocket area applies from the normal tackle position on each side of the center and extends backwards to the offensive team's own end line." It continutes to state as the effect of this rule change "There will be one definition of the pocket area for every play that covers intentional grounding, illegal contact, and an illegal cut block."
The last part of the above paragraph state that the NEW pocket definition will be used any time the "pocket" is referenced in a rule. Now even though the pocket area was different last year than this year, in the section of intentional grounding for last year "rule 8-3-1 stated that for IG the pocket was from tackle to tackle. So when you state TE to TE above, that is the defn of pocket area, but for IG purposoes in 8-3-1-note #1 is says "outside the tackle," NOT outside the "pocket area." This should clarify where the QB must be to not have IG and how that is different than the defined pocket area for this upcoming 2005 season. With the new rule change, there will be no confusion.
The part that I think you are missing RamTime, that we as officials are stating is; IF we feel the receiver broke the route the wrong way, and that is why the pass did not have a realistic chance of being caught, then we do NOT have intentional grounding.
I looked at the 2nd clip over and over, and if you stop it at different points I think it shows some interesting things. If you look at when Brady started to lift his arm to throw the pass the receiver is at the 49 yard line, and if you stop it at the very end of the play, you will see that the ball ends up on the sideline at that yardline. It looks to me that if the receiver would have broke off his receiver on an "out route" it would have been perfectly timed, and probably completed.
Those are factors that the crew discusses when they all get together to see if a foul really did, or did not occur. The NFL officials get together to make sure someone did not have a better view or better angle than any other level of officials.
I know fans often feel that the officials all getting together as being unsure, but they are just making sure they get it right, which they do OVER 99% of the time, and that is a number that is statistically correct based on the "grading" of "each NFL official on each play."
Now will they make mistakes, yes, we all do, but over 99% is pretty damn good!!! I, for one, can handle this less than 1% being wrong, even when it effects my favorite team.