Forward Progress
 

First and 10 A’s 20 - Receiver A1 runs a comeback route catching the ball at A’s 32 moving toward the LOS, is contacted from behind by B22 at A’s 29 causing A1 to stumble and fall at A’s 25. A1 never attempted to make a move up field and B22 lost contact at A’s 28. Where is the spot?

If B22 maintained contact all the way to the 25, would there be a difference?

The NF describes forward progress as, "the end of advancement", NF:2.15.2 advises, " When an airborne player makes a catch, forward progress is the farthest point of advancementafter he possesses the ball if contacted by a defender.

It sounds like, in your example, A1 completed a catch at the at the A32 and moved it back to the A29, on his own, where he was contected by B22, who knocked him back to the A25. I would consider his forward progress spotat the A29 and it doesn't matter whether B22 maintained contact all the way to the ground.

Canadian Ruling
 

CANADIAN RULING:

Team A 2D/1 @ A-29. No.

I agree with the previous posts. I'll give the ball carrier the farthest point the ball obtains before it becomes dead. If the carrier voluntarilly concedes yardage (say a QB scramble or RB bouncing over to another running lane) I will reset that point and will go with inital contact unless he begins to advance the ball again.

Judgement call yes, but I don't think there is any fair way around that.

If A1 regains his balance and makes a move up field and is then tackled by B48 at the 25, would that change your spot?

I saw a similar play in a HS game this week on ESPN. They spotted the ball at the catch instead of where he was contacted. On this point we are in total agreement – the spot can not be at the catch.

My question is - does the contact by B22 (without maintaining contact) end forward progress if A1 was already moving in that direction? If A1 makes any attempt to stop or change directions prior to or during contact, I totally agree with the spot at the 29. If he doesn’t - I’m not sure.

I’m not trying to make a point here – I’m truly asking a question. I’m not sure.

Perhaps I could have been a little more specific on the contact.... What I'm looking for here is significant contact that is going to more than likely result in a tackle. A hand brush across a thigh pad is not terribly significant. Any of us who have called more than a couple of games has a sense of when a carrier is going to be taken down. Granted we get supprized at times which is why we have slow whistles. When I get that "he's done" feeling I will make a mental note of the spot. If he voluntarily retreats to make another attempt I will again look for a point of contact/wrapup/grab whatever. The key is that he has voluntarily given ground versus being driven backwards by a defender. to answer your question, yes, if the carrier makes another attempt to gain yardage before I have ruled that there will be no more forward progress (usually a 2 count in my head) I will adjust my spot.

To summarize, I will give what they fight for, not what the defense takes from them.