Out of bounds spot...

[OverAndBack]

Just so I make sure my education hasn't gone to waste.

It's not where the runner steps out, it's where the ball is when the runner steps out, correct?

Yesterday in Jets/Cowboys, late first half, a guy caught a pass out of the backfield and went out along the sideline. His foot was at a strange angle and it's possible that while his heel was over the sideline, his toes and the ball of his foot never touched the sideline. The Jets challenged (and lost), but that's not the real issue.

The issue is that usually, when a runner standing upright and carrying the ball normally goes out of bounds, the spot where he steps out and the forward point of the ball will be in about the same vertical plane. In that case, the spot where he steps out is as good a spot as any to use for the end of the play.

In this case, the runner was stretched and contorted forward, so that the ball was well ahead of the spot where his foot was ruled to have touched the sideline. Yet I believe the ball was spotted where the foot touched and Nantz and Simms didn't say anything about the spot (the spot was the challenge). I thought I was losing it, so I thought I'd ask you folks if I'm crazy or not.