[mikesears]

Daryl, I used to think this too, but here is why it isn't correct.

The action that killed the down did not also cause the clock to stop.

A down ends when the ball becomes dead so look at how the ball becomes dead.


Rule 4-2-2

The ball becomes dead and the down is ended:

a. When a runner goes out of bounds, is held so his forward progress is stopped or allows any part of his person other than hand or foot to touch the ground.

EXCEPTION 1: The ball remains live if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position: Catches or recovers the snap while his knee(s) is on the ground and places the ball for a kick, or if he rises to advance, hand, kick or pass.

EXCEPTION 2: The ball remains live if, at the snap, a place-kick holder with his knee(s) on the ground and with a teammate in kicking position: Rises and catches an errant snap and immediately returns his knee(s) to the ground and places the ball for a kick or again rises to advance, hand, kick or pass.

NOTE: The ball becomes dead if the place-kick holder muffs the snap or fumbles and recovers after his knees have been off the ground, and he then touches the ground with other than hand or foot while in possession of the ball.


b. When a live ball goes out of bounds.

c. When any forward pass (legal or illegal) is incomplete or is simultaneously caught by opposing players.

d. When any legal free kick or scrimmage kick:


1. Which is not a scoring attempt or which is a grounded scoring attempt, breaks the plane of R’s goal line.
2. Which is a scoring attempt, while in flight touches a K player in R’s end zone, or after breaking the plane of R’s goal line has apparently failed.

EXCEPTION If a scoring attempt kick touches an upright or crossbar or an R player in the end zone and caroms through the goal, the touching is ignored and the attempt is successful.

e. When any loose ball:
1. Is simultaneously caught or recovered by opposing players.
2. Is on the ground motionless and no player attempts to secure possession.
3. Touches, or is touched by, anything inbounds other than a player, substitute, replaced player, an official, the ground or authorized equipment. In this case the ball will be put in play in accordance with the procedure for an inadvertent whistle as in 4-2-3b.

f. When the kickers catch or recover any free kick anywhere, and when the kickers catch or recover a scrimmage kick beyond the neutral zone and when the kickers are first (i.e., before any touching by the receivers) to touch a scrimmage kick after it has come to rest beyond the neutral zone and between the goal lines.

g. Following a valid or invalid fair-catch signal given by any member of the receiving team when a scrimmage kick or free kick is caught or recovered by any member of the receiving team beyond, in or behind the neutral zone.

h. When a touchdown or field goal occurs.

i. During a try if B secures possession or as soon as it is apparent that a kick has failed to score.

j. When an official sounds his whistle inadvertently.

k. When the helmet comes completely off a player who is in possession of the ball.

Here are actions that cause the clock to stop.


Rule 3-4-4

The clock shall be stopped when:

a. The down ends following a foul.

b. An official’s time-out is taken.

c. A charged or TV/radio time-out is granted.

d. The period ends.

e. The ball is out of bounds.

f. A legal or illegal forward pass is incomplete.

g. A score or touchback occurs.

h. A fair catch is made.

i. An inadvertent whistle is sounded.


Lets also look at Rule 3-5-9

Unless the clock is already stopped, an official’s time-out shall be taken as soon as the ball becomes dead following a change of team possession or whenever the covering official declares the ball dead, and it appears to him the ball has reached the line to gain.

Note that the situation in the original play is an official's timeout, nothing more. We don't know when to START the clock until we sort out what happened during the down. Nothing the receiving team did that caused the ball to become dead also caused the clock to stop (because the player was tackled inbounds).

Now we don't award a new series to either team until we consider the action that occured during the down. B/R isn't actually awarded a new series so that rule doesn't apply to when we start the clock.

So when do we start the clock? Again, all we have is an official's timeout. When does the clock start following an official's timeout? On the ready unless the action caused the down to end also caused the clock to stop.