[refskin]

I'm watching this game when the play happens. ATL completes forward pass, fumble then recovered by Tampa. TB player pitches ball forward incomplete. On INT return, ATL QB takes a helmet to his head.

As they are unpiling the players, I'm saying it does not matter who has the ball. I am not certain of the NFL rules, but in NFHS, the ball was dead when it was incomplete. The flag was thrown correctly for illegal forward pass. Then there was a foul for roughing the passer. At first, when the R said the fouls offset, I could not believe it. ATL was going to keep the ball. Then the ATL coach started screaming about it, and I said that he needed to shut-up, because he should not have the ball at all. When the officials got together, I thought they were going to get it right, but only got it partially correct in saying that both fouls were now against Tampa Bay and the foul was not RTP, but PF. They then penalized TB 15 yards for the PF, but ATL kept the ball, 15 yards from where they recovered the fumble!

What I think should have happened was TB would keep ball at the spot of foul for illegal forward pass. Then they would be backed up 15 yards for live ball PF. In essence, ATL would decline the IFP penalty. TB got the ball with "clean hands" and should keep it.

This is my opinion, and again, I am not familar with NFL rules, but I thought it was relatively simple. I would be interested in hearing anyone else's opinion on this play.