A few readers have pointed out a mistake in my logic regarding the 4th down fumble situation. This is welcome feedback. I hate it when I get things wrong, but I rarely make the same mistake twice. If anyone is interested in becoming an official you need to brave enough to be wrong. Because you will be.
What everyone has pointed out is the an errant snap is a backward pass (i.e., not a fumble) and thus the 4th down fumble rule does not apply. Anyone may advance the ball. However, no one has explained why.
I agree with the response. They are true, albeit incomplete answers. Here is what I mean.
Rule 2-2-3-b says all players are eligible to advance a loose ball from a fumble or backwards pass...
It it more precise to say the muffed snap becomes a loose ball and thus the 4th down fumble rule does not apply. You need to know the loose ball came from a backwards pass, but saying it is a backwards pass is not the reason the 4th down rule does not apply. I can't find anything in the rule book saying a backwards pass can be advanced by any player.... only a loose ball from a backwards pass.
This may sounds like a nit-pick, but actually it is important.
For example, Rule 6-3-1-a say a blocked scrimmage kick behind the LOS is also eligible to be advanced by any player. This is because the ball has become a loose ball. The blocking of the scrimmage kick (as is the muffed snap) is the action which changed the status of the ball. The key is the status of the ball, not the action against the ball.
Officials have this little mind-game we play where on scrimmage kicks we tell ourselves during the loose ball (i.e. the time period after it is kicked and before the kick ends) "it's still a kick, it's still a kick". We do this because if the attempt to gain possession of the kick is muffed, only R may advance. K can recover, but not advance. This is an exception the loose ball rule.
This is my point. All loose balls (grounded for this discussion) may be advanced by any player unless there is an exception.
So, saying "A muffed snap is a backwards pass, so the 4th down rule does not apply" is an accurate description, and we all know what it meant by it, but it is not true. A muffed snap is a loose ball, so the 4th down fumble rule does not apply.
Re-read Rule 2-2-3-b and see if you agree.
1 comment:
"A muffed snap is a loose ball, so the 4th down fumble rule does not apply." This is incorrect simply because a fumble is also a loose ball.
The key factor in the play is that the 4th down fumble rule (the exception to keeping a loose ball alive in this case) applies only to fumbles. 2-19-2-d states A snap becomes a backward pass when the snapper releases the ball.
2-12-1-c states Loss of player possession by unsuccessful execution of attempted handing is a fumble by the last player in possession [Exception: The snap]
Thanks for the discussion. I hope you enjoyed Reno.
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