Hernandez fumble question.

[SpiderFox53]

Just after he caught the ball, he was hit and taken to the ground, losing the ball just before being down. My question is, does the rule about maintaining possession through the ground not apply in this case? Does it only apply in the end zone and out of bounds?

 

[VJCPatriot]

Just after he caught the ball, he was hit and taken to the ground, losing the ball just before being down. My question is, does the rule about maintaining possession through the ground not apply in this case? Does it only apply in the end zone and out of bounds?

That thought was on my mind too. I was thinking, if he doesn't maintain possession all the way to the ground, then it should be an incomplete pass. However there is a rule that if you make a 'football move' then the ball can be fumbled afterwards. But the refs have to determine that Hernandez had 'possession' first before making the football move and subsequently having it stripped. I guess the ruling on the field was that he had possession and a catch before the strip occurred.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

The rule applies both in the end zone and in the field of play. There is an additional rule that applies on the side line if you go to ground in the act of completing a pass, where you must maintain it through the hitting of the ground (applies at the end line too).

They must have ruled that he was not going to the ground in the act of catching the ball, which is probably right in this case. I thought it was a completed catch and "football move" without going to ground.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

What about the blow to his facemask?

 

[cavtroop]

What about the blow to his facemask?

they threw the flag, and picked it up. Unsure why, it was never explained.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

they threw the flag, and picked it up. Unsure why, it was never explained.

Precisely my point. Strange.

That said, I'm not a "refs are against us" kinda guy.
Just strange.

 

[Uncle Rico]

they threw the flag, and picked it up. Unsure why, it was never explained.

I took that as a referee trying to mark the spot where it was down by contact and grabbing the yellow flag by accident. Spazz moment.

 

[cavtroop]

Precisely my point. Strange.

That said, I'm not a "refs are against us" kinda guy.
Just strange.

it wasnt too bad of a hit really, just a reach around glancing blow. probably felt it was incidental and not worth a call.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Agree with prior posts

 

[Patspsycho]

I took that as a referee trying to mark the spot where it was down by contact and grabbing the yellow flag by accident. Spazz moment.

The bean bag is used for that.

 

[SpiderFox53]

I don't think the ref's are against us either, I was just asking as I wasn't sure of the rule.

 

[PatsSox363804]

The bean bag is used for that.

I took it as he threw the flag instead of the bean bag.

 

[Patspsycho]

I took it as he threw the flag instead of the bean bag.

That would be a massive brain fart because both items feel very different, and are tucked in different places. The yellow flag is tucked in so that the ball is hanging out and that's the first thing you feel, when you reach for something to throw. There's no ball attached to the beanbag.

 

[Peachhead]

they threw the flag, and picked it up. Unsure why, it was never explained.

I don't think a "blow to the facemask" is a penalty. Unless the guy getting hit is a QB. My guess on the picked up flag was the ref thought someone grabbed AHern's facemask. which is a penalty, but a second official told the first that it was a blow instead of a grab.

(i.e. - Just keep your fingers out of the holes in the facemask and no foul)

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

I don't think a "blow to the facemask" is a penalty. Unless the guy getting hit is a QB. My guess on the picked up flag was the ref thought someone grabbed AHern's facemask. which is a penalty, but a second official told the first that is was a blow instead of a grab.

Hands to the face, esp by a defensive player is a penalty. DLs get called for it against OLs.

 

[Peachhead]

Hands to the face, esp by a defensive player is a penalty. DLs get called for it against OLs.

I believe that's only if the hand goes under the facemask (usually to the chin for OL/DL)

 

[DaBruinz]

they threw the flag, and picked it up. Unsure why, it was never explained.

I'm pretty sure the official grabbed and threw the wrong flag. I believe he meant to throught the blue one which marks where the ball changed possession.

 

[Uncle Rico]

The bean bag is used for that.

Yup. That's why I wrote "grabbing the yellow flag by accident. Spazz moment."

 

[NSPF]

I don't know, any rule that says that wasn't a fumble is a bad rule. I think the distinction here was that he wasn't going to the ground when he actually caught the ball. However, even if there was some technicality that changed the call to an incompletion, I'm still getting very worried about this fumbling problem, especially since I don't think the offense is the same without him, and he's going to continue touching the ball frequently.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I'm still getting very worried about this fumbling problem, especially since I don't think the offense is the same without him, and he's going to continue touching the ball frequently.

He just needs to use more stickum. Either that or he should be having frequent hot dates with the Jugs machine!