Two questions about sacks

[ctpatsfan77]

From watching (some of) our favorite LBs and DLs make them . . .

(1) Maybe I'm misremembering this, but in SB39, didn't Mike Vrabel get credit for a sack without ever actually bringing McNabb down? [I remember it b/c Vrabel was basically driving McNabb backwards. It ended up being -18 or -19 yards--and it looked like Vrabel could have gotten it past -25 yards with a bit more time. :rocker:] If so, when, exactly, can the refs call a sack?

(2) In a related measure, where do the zebras spot the ball after a sack? Where the QB was knocked off his feet, or where the ball ends up when he lands? [It seems like the former after Mike Wright's sack, which seemed like a lot more than 13 yards. . . .]

 

[brdmaverick]

I believe that McNabb actually did go down on Vrabel's sack in SB39. I believe Colvin actually got to him first but that Vrabel finished the job. Regardless, to get to the point the ball is spotted where forward progress is marked. It is like when a running back gets stood up and driven back without actually going down.

 

[zippo59]

And refs can blow a play dead when they feel the QB has no chance of escaping, even if he was not actually down yet.

It's just another step the league has taken to put QB's in a plastic bubble.

The same can actually happen for any other player but a lot more has to happen for the whistle to be blown.

 

[unoriginal]

1) When, exactly, can the refs call a sack?

(2) Where do the zebras spot the ball after a sack?

(2) Wherever the biggest divot is in the field after the takedown.

In all seriousness the rules stipulate the following:

(1) Whenever they want
(2) Wherever they want

A ref can call a sack at anytime between the quarterback getting "in the grasp" of the defender to the quarterback being sledded ten yards downfield (Vrabel on McNabb), though sometimes they will call a sack if the quarterback simply falls down and makes no effort to get back up (Harrington ).

The only time the referee cannot call a sack is when the quarterback is hit very very hard, in which case it is a defensive penalty.

 

[shirtsleeve]

Wow, how do you guys answer so fast. I opened this thread and the first answer was in. That was after I refreshed before opening, and no answers were there? I then was going to answer the first one, hit refresh and it was already done. Amazing.

PS, it takes about 3 minutes to type this with my two deadly fingers!