Intentional Grounding Question

[BktBallRef]

Originally Posted by Robert Goodman

Not as much fun as if he spikes it straight down and an official whistles anyway. Considering the enormous advantage a ruling of IW would give team A -- stopping the clock while the officials sort it out and they get the down over -- wouldn't you want to rule it as a forward pass if it seems to have been an IW?

Do you really think any crew is not going to rule it a forward pass if it's spiked straight down?

Unless the QB turns aound and throws the ball backwards, it's ALWAYS going to be whistled dead as a forward pass.