Interception Touchback/Safety question
 

I'm not that familiar with football, as I am a baseball guy. Reading this forum has helped me understand the game immensely. Many times I have seen a play and actually understood why a call was made due to this forum. Watching my kids' highschool game this last week, I saw a play that I have a question about.

Pass intercepted by defense on their own 2 yard line. Player having made the interception takes at least two and maybe more steps along the 2 yard line before either his momentum or that of the other player carries him into the endzone where he hits the ground, holding the ball securely.

The call made by the official was a touchback, which benefitted the intercepting team immensely (our team). The ball was placed on the 20 and played from there.

My questions are: What might have been the reason for the touchback? Why not place the ball on the 2 for the intercepting team's possession? Why would this not be a safety if he carried the ball into the endzone?

Thanks for helping me to better understand this call.

Striker

If the official ruled that his original momentum took him into the EZ the ball would be spotted at the 2, where he gained posession, otherwise it is ruled a touchback. You are correct, if he ran into his EZ and was tackled there it would be a saftey. Without seeing it the covering official had to have ruled that his momentum did not carry him into the EZ and gave them a touchback.

I'm not a Fed official but am interested in that ruling. If his momentum takes him there the ball is spotted where he gained possesion right? Ok, so if the covering official doesn't see that as being a momentum issue then isn't the only other option being the runner went there on his own making this a safety?

No the momentum that put the ball in the EZ is the kick, so the official would have to rule if the ball or the receives momentum after he posessed it carried him into the EZ.

No the momentum that put the ball in the EZ could be the kick, so the official would have to rule if the ball or the receivers momentum after he posessed it carried him into the EZ.

As an R, and given the result of the play with the ball dead in R's EZ with R in possession, I would have two questions for the covering official, who I assume is the BJ. First, was the interception completed in the field of play? If yes, then was it momentum that took the interceptor into the EZ? If the answer to this second question is yes, it's R's ball at the spot of the interception; if no, then we have a safety.

The only possiblity that would allow for a TB is if the answer to the first question is no...the catch was NOT completed in the field of play, but in the EZ...i.e. the interceptor was still bobbling the ball when he crossed the goal line. In that case, and only in that case, is the result of the play a touchback.

Definintely sounds like the BJ and R missed the proper ruling. A's coach should request a timeout and discuss the missapplication of the rule.

The momentum rule in NF states from the 5 & in, if the defenders original momentum carries him into his own endzone after a catch or recovery, and the ball is declared dead in his possession in the endzone, then the ball will be spotted at the point he secured possession. So in your case, the ball should've been spotted at the 2. The only reason I can think of to take the ball out to the 20 would be if he bobbled the catch and did not secure possession until after entering the endzone. If his original momentum does not carry him into the endzone, like he stopped to attempt a runback outside the zone and then for some reason retreated into the endzone, well he better get back out in a hurry to avoid a safety.

If he secures possession outside of the endzone, it's no longer a kick. Only the momentum exception on secured loose balls comes into to play then, not what type of play it was before he secures.

First ... what kick?!?!?!

Second... So ... if I'm reading this right...

In Fed, on an interception, the FED official must determine whether the momentum of a very light thrown football was sufficient to move a 150 pound cornerback 2 yards. Is that even possible. You sure you're not referring to the momentum of the previously running cornerback, like in all other codes?

I was wondering where the kick aspect of this came from to.

If I'm reading correctly the pass was intercepted at the 2 yard line. The defender then ran laterally across the field for a few steps where he was contacted and driven into the end zone. Assuming the player that hit him is an opponent we have forward progress stopped at the 2-yard line.

If it wasn't an opposing player who forced him in the end zone we have a safety.

Sorry Guys, I don't know where I got kick from either, I guess working and posting at the same time got the best of me today. My apologies for the confusion.

REPLY: Then I guess you'll have to stop working!:D

Back to the original play, it sounds like this should have been ruled a safety. If he was able to run laterally (parallel to the goal line), any subsequent movement into his endzone would be of his own accord. The call should never have been a touchback if the post properly represented the play.

And Jason...FYI, the Fed momentum rule is pretty much identical to the NCAA rule.

What we need to remember is that the "momentum rule" is actually an exception to the rule that a safety results when the ball is carried into one's own end zone and subsequently becomes dead there. Therefore, if it is judged that momentum didn't cause the player to carry the ball into the endzone, its a safety. No way to have a touchback.

Is the momentum rule different on a kickoff or punt play?

Nope. Works the same way. I usually will mention how it works to the deep receivers on the first KO, and also mention how a muff will be dead when it breaks the plane.