Football fumble into the endzone?

[spidey07]

This is driving me crazy. Last season there was a very strange ruling that I didn't quite understand.

1) quarterback fumbles into opposing teams endzone
2) ball bounces out of bounds
3) ruled a safety

So why in the heck is it ruled a safety even though no possesion was established? The play in question happened last year and somehow the ball bounced off the cone, touched the endzone and rolled out of bounds from the endzone.

Why is that a safety even though it was in the defending team's endzone?

 

[her209]

Its ruled a safety because the ball went out of bounds and the last person to touch it was the QB.

 

[conjur]

Same as hiking a ball out of bounds on, say, a punt from the end zone.

The offensive team had possession last and fumbling it out of bounds from the end zone results in a safety.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: her209
Its ruled a safety because the ball went out of bounds and the last person to touch it was the QB.

But it went out of bounds on the defenders side of the field/endzone. I can understand if your in your own endzone, but not on the defenders side...meaning you're about to score a touchdown.

 

[PunDogg]

it was a safety? i thought it would be a touch back for the other team, espically if u fumbled into the endzone u are trying to score in, thats at least what i understand happened??

Dogg

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: PunDogg
it was a safety? i thought it would be a touch back for the other team, espically if u fumbled into the endzone u are trying to score in, thats at least what i understand happened??

Dogg

Dogg, you said it right. "fumbled into the endzone you're trying to score in". And I assumed it would be a touchback as well because the ball went out of bounds. But if memory serves me right it was ruled a safety.

I'm trying to dig up the play on google.

The key on that play was the QB fumbled it forward into the cone.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: spidey07

Originally posted by: her209
Its ruled a safety because the ball went out of bounds and the last person to touch it was the QB.

But it went out of bounds on the defenders side of the field/endzone. I can understand if your in your own endzone, but not on the defenders side...meaning you're about to score a touchdown.

Sorry...I read "other team's endzone" as being the one the other team would reach to score a touchdown. Meaning, the one at the offensive team's backs.

 

[spidey07]

Its driving me nuts now. I remember the play and how dumbfounded I was at the ruling.

I remember thinking "how could it be a safety, the defending team never touched the ball"

Or maybe the defending team did touch the ball and instead of a touchback it was a 2 point safety?

This is NFL btw.

 

[PunDogg]

i think i got it

3. A fumble that goes forward and out of bounds will return to the fumbling team at the spot of the fumble unless the ball goes out of bounds in the opponent?s end zone. In this case, it is a touchback.

there was also this

Safety
1. The important factor in a safety is impetus. Two points are scored for the opposing team when the ball is dead on or behind a team?s own goal line if the impetus came from a player on that team.

i found this at www.nfl.com But it says touchback, so i don;t know if the refs mad a bad call or that I picked the wrong rule

Dogg

 

[spidey07]

Pundogg, that could very well be what I saw. It was last season.

All I remember is "WTF was that!!!???"

I wish I could remember the team.

 

[PunDogg]

it looks as though the other team may have touched it, thats the only reason i can find that it would be a safety

Dogg

 

[Shlong]

What's the ruling when the QB runs out of bounds in the end zone? Safety also?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Shlong
What's the ruling when the QB runs out of bounds in the end zone? Safety also?

ball crossed plane in possesion of offense - touchdown.

-ps- good MNF game in HD.

From what I've been googling the fumble can get quite intersting when it goes out of bounds. Especially when an endzone is involved.

 

[AU Tiger]

Only play from last year I can remember like that was in the Panthers vs Vikings game last year. Culpepper had the ball knocked out of his hands as he was trying cut the corner to get in for a touchdown, the ball went into the endzone and the Panthers got a touchback.

Actually, that might have been 2001.

 

[Mr.IncrediblyBored]

Originally posted by: PunDogg
i found this at www.nfl.com But it says touchback, so i don;t know if the refs mad a bad call or that I picked the wrong rule

Dogg

Did you get that link through Google? Because I can't seem to find it going from the homepage, NFL.com.

 

[spidey07]

interesting call on MNF.

two point conversion - pass interference called in endzone...ruled passive down. Try again from 1 yard line.

WOW! second pass interference. half the distance to the goal, ball on the .5 yard line.

Third time's a charm. Giants/Cowboys tied up middle of the 4th.

 

[Soccer55]

This has been a great game thus far. I thought it got a little boring in the first half when both teams ran running play after running play for a handful of yards each time. But since both teams have taken to the air more in the 2nd half, it's opened the game up and has been a lot more exciting to watch.

-Tom

 

[Krugger]

it was fumbled forward, and the defensive team tried to pick it up but fumbled it out of bounds, therefore being a safety instead of a touchdown (Which it almost was)
IIRC

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: Krugger
it was fumbled forward, and the defensive team tried to pick it up but fumbled it out of bounds, therefore being a safety instead of a touchdown (Which it almost was)
IIRC

That's it right there!!!! Thank you!

 

[Toasthead]

Originally posted by: PunDogg
it was a safety? i thought it would be a touch back for the other team, espically if u fumbled into the endzone u are trying to score in, thats at least what i understand happened??

Dogg

I would say this should be a touchback also.

 

[Argo]

If the quarterback (or anyone else on the offense) fumbles the ball into the defending team's endzone - that's a touch back. I've following football since childhood and I've never heard of it being a safety. Otherwise, everybody will fumble the ball on purpose

In fact, even if the defender intercepts of recovers a fumble inside the endzone all he has to do is take a knee. It's a common rookie mistake to start running with the ball and then get tackled at the 10 yard line, wherein he could've taken the knee and started at their own 20 yard line.