NFL Rules

[outerlimits]

so am i the only one that doesn't understand why the ground can't cause a fumble?

[Steve J]

I know. The ground can't cause a fumble, but it can cause an incomplete pass.

[GrumpyOne]

The ground can't cause a fumble because the person carrying the ball would be down. Contact with the ground first, therefore he's down, and the ball is dead. If the ball is dead, how can he fumble?

[outerlimits]

Grumpyone-that in and of itself is a b.s. rule. After what happened in detroit sunday, the end of a play is judgement call anyway.

[steel1212]

Grumpyone-that in and of itself is a b.s. rule. After what happened in detroit sunday, the end of a play is judgement call anyway.

Yeah that was messed up. If the ground can't cause a fumble then why can it cause a incomplete pass? Possession is possession.

[Flexmoney]

If the ground can't cause a fumble then why can it cause a incomplete pass?

Same reason, right? The ball is dead when it hits the ground. ?

[GrumpyOne]

If the ground can't cause a fumble then why can it cause a incomplete pass?

Same reason, right? The ball is dead when it hits the ground. ?

Exactly. On a forward pass (from wherever the QB drops back to, as long as the ball goes forward of his position), once the ball touches the ground before being caught, it is a dead ball. If it takes a one hopper into the recievers hands, no matter how short the one hopper is, it's still a dead ball. On a lateral, the QB is passing back behind him, and if the ball is not caught, then it is considered a fumble, and is a live ball. Same as if a RB laterals back to another RB.