Illegal Forward Pass Ruling in MIN-GB Game
 

I do not understand why there was a penalty for illegal forward pass on this play. For those who did not see it, here is what happened:

QB drops back, has ball knocked away by defensive player. Ball rolls into endzone. QB picks up ball and flings it in the direction of a receiver. Pass is incomplete. Referee rules illegal forward pass which obviously results in a safety.

I thought the only possible call that could be made on that play was intentional grounding. I did not see why the pass was illegal. Anyone know?

Are you sure that the ruling wasn't that a legal forward pass has already been attempt prior to the pass that was ruled illegal?

Only one pass was thrown.

The play in question: YouTube - NFL week 10 2008 Green bay Packers Aaron Rodgers Safety Vs, Vikings

If there was already a legal forward pass, someone would have had to catch it for the play to continue, right?

I wondered the same thing. The receiver was definitely in the direction of the pass so I was surprised when I saw the flag. We he gave the signal and announced illegal forward pass and not intentional grounding, I assumed there was some aspect of the rule I did not know. As a Vikings fan I was happy about it though! Another strange Vikings game! They have found the strangest way to win games this year.

The foul had to be intentional grounding, mistakenly announced as illegal forward pass.

That was IG?

Wow....

Intentional grounding is an illegal forward pass.

The pass did not make it back to the LOS, so even if he's outside the tackle box, it's still IG.

Previous obvious call IMO.

No doubt IG---throwing a pass in an effort to avoid a loss of yardage. I dont have a problem with the call. The explaination yes....the call no.

Looked like a good call to me since it was obvious he was just trying to get the ball out of the end zone. There was a receiver in the area but he didn't have a reasonable oppurtunity to catch it.

No the referee gave the signal and said " illegal forward pass"

There must be some NFL rule that none us know. Maybe this will be on the NFL network show.

Here's what the NFL playbook says:

2-20-GB 10 (12:29) A.Rodgers to GB 2 for -8 yards (K.Williams). FUMBLES (K.Williams), and recovers at GB -2. A.Rodgers pass incomplete short right to T.Humphrey.

PENALTY on GB-A.Rodgers, Intentional Grounding, 10 yards, enforced in End Zone, SAFETY.



Watching the video, the ball didn't make it to the LS (not sure if that matters), but I am fairly liberal on IG, and I do believe that a player was in the area, # 84 for GB.

Not only did he throw the pass only to save yardage, but he had no idea there was a receiver in the area. He never looked up at all, he just got the ball and threw it underhand as he as falling to the ground in the EZ, which he knew would be a safety, so he was trying to avoid it with his pass. The ball never got to the LOS. It was the correct call.

A QB does not need to know where WRs are.

In the Canadian NCAA games that I do, there is a QB that only 30 minutes from my location who every game throws blindly 2-3 times to an area where he knows his RB will be. They are both that good and on the same page! Surely if a 21-year old from Canada can do this, that a professional football player playing the NFL and from the USA can have this tool in his arsenal.

I don't know the NFL rule or philosophy on this, and yes the QB tried to get rid of the ball to avoid the safety. If the rule is that the ball has to get back to the LS, that's fine. But to say that it's IG because QBs can't make those passes doesn't know what athletes can do.