Purpose of the beanbag....

[Canned Heat]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

One play I've wondered about for a long time as to how it'd be officiated, since #2 above was adopted, is a desperation no-look backward pass. Does it count as a pass or a fumble if a player being tackled lets the ball go backward in a haphazard way, and it hits the ground? Do you rule that to be throwing the ball, hence a pass, or some other loss of possession, hence a fumble? I guess what I'm really looking for is whether the benefit of the doubt (as to whether the motion of the ball is a throw) goes to the player getting rid of the ball or the opponents, when the 4th down funble rule is a consideration. Is it the same amount of presumption as would be the case for distinguishing between an illegal forward pass and a fumble, or different?

Backwards pass, whether purposely thrown or not, is a lateral (aka:fumble) and is a live ball. If the QB's arm would be going forward, but the ball backwards...it is a fumble by rule. Whatever takes place during the loose ball fumble on 4th down would dictate where the ball was placed to start a new series for A. Illegal forward pass carries loss of down, so if the ball was thrown forward beyond LOS, or for grounding, etc...B would take over on downs, provided no penalties against them during the play....siting NFHS.

[APG]

In addition to what everyone has said, I'll also add that the NFL bean bags all interceptions for use as an enforcement spot.

[Cobra]

Originally Posted by Canned Heat

Backwards pass, whether purposely thrown or not, is a lateral (aka:fumble) and is a live ball.

What? How can a backwards pass be a fumble when the definition of a fumble is "any loss of player possession other than by handing, passing or legal kick"? It says right there that a pass isn't a fumble. Backward pass (no S on the end) is also defined. They are completely different acts. And how is a lateral also known as a fumble? I thought lateral was a made up word for a backward pass. Just another reason why you should not be using made up undefined terms when explaining the rules.

In NCAA rules backward passes and fumbles are treated very differently. As you can see on this play it was 4th down and a backward pass was thrown which hit the ground. It was then recovered by A (someone other than the player who threw the pass) and advanced past the line to gain.



Fumbles on 4th down can't be advanced by someone else but a backward pass is different.