Illegal Forward Pass - NFL Rules

[GPC2]

Can anyone tell me what the NFL rule for an Illegal Forward Pass is, i.e. is the ball still live?

Yesterday in the Atlanta/Tampa Bay game, an Atlanta receiver caught a pass, and fumbled the ball while being tackled. A Tampa defender recovered a fumble and, during the subsequent return, made an illegal forward pass. There was a huge pileup for the grounded ball, as the officials allowed the ball to remain live. The Falcons ended up recovering the ball. Prior to the illegal forward pass, there was a ruling of Personal Foul (originally ruled Roughing the Passer, but changed after conference) against Tampa Bay. The R stated that since the Falcons recovered the ball, they could decline the Illegal Forward Pass penalty and the PF was subsequently enforced from the end of the Falcons receiver's run.


I know in NFHS and NCAA rules state that an illegal forward pass is incomplete once it hits the ground. Is the NFL rule different, or did the crew make a mistake?