biggest misconceptions

[Bob M.]

Originally posted by mikesears

...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

REPLY: Mike, It isn't 2-31-1c that makes this a loose ball play since, as you point out, A's fumble occurred beyond the NZ. Rather, it's 2-31-1d that governs the situation. Since the ball was eventually legally kicked by Team A, everything that preceded that kick becomes part of the loose ball play:
NF 2-31-1d - A loose ball play is action during... (d.) The run or runs which precedes such legal or illegal kick, legal forward pass, backward pass or fumble. The fact that the fumble occurred beyond the NZ doesn't change the fact that A85's run preceded the legal kick and therefore becomes part of the loose ball play.